Hurricane Harvey rescues 'doing great' at Washington state shelters

Hurricane Harvey has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, along with countless pets.

San Antonio's Animal Care Services Shelter is working with the Humane Society of the United States to clear out Texas shelters to make room for pets affected by Hurricane Harvey. San Antonio Animal Care Services has taken in about 200 animals so far.

>> Photos show animals stranded, rescued after Hurricane Harvey

Animals that were up for adoption in Texas shelters prior to Hurricane Harvey are being flown from Texas to Washington state, so Texas shelters can take in pets displaced by Harvey and help reunite them with their families.

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Texas dogs taken in by Seattle Humane

Twenty-one dogs flown from Texas were taken in by the Seattle Humane Society on Wednesday.

One has already been adopted.

Seattle Humane officials say the dogs look happy and healthy. When the dogs from Texas are made available for adoption, they will be moved into Seattle Humane's "Real Life Dog Rooms" where they have signs outside their kennels that read -- "I'm a Hurricane Harvey Rescue."

All the dogs taken in by Seattle Humane were in shelters in Texas prior to Hurricane Harvey.

"They were available for adoption before the storm and did not end up in shelters because of the storm," Yvonne Worden, with Seattle Humane, said Thursday.

The first Harvey rescue to be adopted in Washington state is a 6-month-old Great Dane mix named Toby.

Toby's new owners, Joe and Rebecca, heard about the shelter pets coming from Texas and raced over to bring one home, Worden said Thursday.

"It was love at first sight when they met Toby," Worden said.

Texas dogs taken in by PAWS

Fourteen dogs flown from Texas Wednesday are at the PAWS shelter in Lynnwood. Five are already available for adoption; four are already in the process of being adopted, Laura Follis, with PAWS, said Thursday.

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The rest of the dogs will be available for adoption starting Friday.

“We are helping to clear those shelters so displaced pets can be cared for until they can be reunited with their families,” Follis said.

PAWS will take in 20 cats from Texas on Friday and 21 dogs Monday night.

Watch a livestream of the cats arriving Friday on KIRO 7's Facebook page.

Follis said Thursday the dogs were "doing great."

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