Beaumont tending to hundreds of animals
City likely to move many to Houston to continue care
BEAUMONT — Hundreds of animals sat waiting on Sunday for owners to return and claim them at Ford Park in Beaumont, which has been transformed into a shelter for displaced dogs and other wildlife orphaned by Harvey.
On Sunday night, many animals were expected to be moved to Houston as donations from across the nation poured in to care for the animals.
In the storm’s aftermath, the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is managing and coordinating the care of all rescued animals at the park, according to Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office Livestock Officer Don Metts.
“They’re big and can manage a lot of animals at one time,” Metts said. “I’ve worked with them in the past, and they have so many resources and can manage a large operation.”
Reports swirled Sunday on social media about the euthanization of dogs, specifically pit bulls, at the park. HSPCA director of communications Julie Kuenstle denied the reports.
“I think it’s important that the message that we have here — the rumors are vicious and false,” Kuenstle said. “The fact that it’s been claimed that we’re euthanizing the very animals we’re trying to rescue is completely false.”
HSPCA does not accept pit bulls by policy, but Kuenstle said the organization is working with other shelters, veterinarians and rescue groups to get the dogs adopted.
In a statement released Sunday, Beaumont Animal Services denied euthanizing dogs as well. Beaumont Animal Services has worked with the Humane Society to rescue about 95 animals, which have been brought to a local shelter, according to the statement.
However, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said several horses in severe pain after standing in chest-deep water were euthanized at Ford Park.
Kuenstle said the HSPCA expected about 180 animals from Beaumont to be brought to the Houston region, where they will be examined by vets before being put up for adoption. Animals that were deemed immediately adoptable were taken to the Atlanta Humane Society.
“Our job is to rescue animals — all animals: dogs, cats, horses, cows, guinea pigs,” Kuenstle said. “Our job is to find them homes.”
The sheriff ’s office said more than 200 volunteers have offered their services at Ford Park to walk dogs, clean crates and replenish water supplies. Some tried to coax shy Chihuahuas, shaking, from their crates; others stopped to pet pit bulls and huskies, which sat calmly in their cages watching the chaos.
Dozens of veterinarians and technicians, whose shirts were marked with red tape, roamed the arena tending to animals, checking off medications and symptoms on white papers on each crate.
As they have throughout the past week, donations poured in Sunday at Ford Park from across the country. Florida residents Yasmani Mustafa and Jesse Cline made their way to the arena and unloaded cleaning supplies, pet food and water for the shelter, which they said had been donated by members of the MidFlorida Jeep Club.
“Florida’s the hurricane capital of the world,” Mustafa said. “We know what it’s like, what these storms are.”
Owners looking to reunite with lost animals before they are moved to other locations have flocked to the park with mixed results. Kuenstle said HSPCA is working with the Petco Foundation and FindingRover.com, a database service that uses facial recognition, to help owners locate their animals.