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Health & Fitness

Donations and Assistance After the Illinois Tornadoes

"FOUND and in our care. Was found around 604 Dallas. Older female." On the Illinois Tornado Animals Lost & Found page."FOUND and in our care. Was found around 604 Dallas. Older female."This cat was in the "found" section of the Illinois Tornado Animals Lost & Found page.
Photo courtesy the Illinois Tornado Animals Lost & Found page.

Other links are below, so if you've lost or found a pet, or want to help find one that is lost or has been found, check the links below. We hope this kitty finds her person soon!

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Find out what's happening in Chartiers Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tornadoes in November are so unusual that no one would be prepared for a storm such as the one that spawned as many as 78 tornadoes across the Midwest on Sunday. Some of these as strong EF-3 and EF-4 cut through Washington, Pekin, Gilford and Diamond Illinois, and lesser tornadoes and microbursts demolished the landscape all over the Midwest.

It was actually headed straight for us in the Ohio Valley in Pittsburgh, but the storm lost its strength and we had winds and heavy rain, but nothing life-threatening. Knowing worse weather was possible put it in context for me, driving around in the rain and wind with Emeraude and more concerned for her health and welfare and my own decision-making, and knowing there were people in the stricken areas just like me who suddenly had a life-threatening tornado that took away all they had.

Find out what's happening in Chartiers Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Ways to help animals

Already the stories of cats and dogs appearing in the wreckage are making news, and shelters and rescues are gathering up the injured and lost pets to get them to a safe place, fed and treated if they have injuries. World Vets responds immediately in disasters like this by reaching out to their network of veterinarians in every state in the United States and all over the world. Those on the ground already in the stricken community are in the best position to help, and World Vets supports them by sending material and financial donations. Visit World Vets Reaches Out to Help Midwest Tornado Victims to make a donation.

Offer to network, transport or foster

If you are in the area and are unhurt and able to help others, remember that people who have lost their homes are often not able to keep in touch with social networks, and often have no place to keep their pets while they look for temporary housing or rebuild. Here are a few things you can do:

  • We can't go searching through the devastated areas, but we can all share photos of lost and found pets on our pages and in groups, and hopefully the sheer volume of images will help them get to the right people.
  • Volunteer at the local shelters that are working with lost and found pets, photograph them and post them on social networks.
  • Transport people and pets when possible.
  • Offer to foster pets for people who may be temporarily displaced.

On Raining Cats and Dogs, After the Illinois tornadoes: Relief efforts include reuniting pets with families is full of information and links for networking links for lost dogs and cats. AKC Reunite offers Tornado Assistance Available from AKC & AKC Reunite, ready to help AKC clubs and animal organizations in the area.

Ways to help people

Even small donations help, and cash is better than goods right now since people have no place to put "things". The American Red Cross, either the national organization or local chapters, puts cash to use for goods and services for people right away.

A few happy endings

Browse the Facebook pages linked in After the Illinois tornadoes: Relief efforts include reuniting pets with families to see how many pets have already been found and reunited, and also Neighbor Finds Family's Cat in Neighbor's Tree Following Tornado on LifeWithCats.tv and Heartwarming Reunion: Illinois Tornado Survivor Finds His Missing Dog Buried Alive Under Rubble on The Weather Channel.

Be as prepared as possible

Tornadoes are especially devastating and it's difficult to be prepared for them in any circumstances, but you can prepare for an evacuation for yourself and your pet, and in the case you and your pet are separated by a disaster there are ways to prepare that may help reunite you with your pet faster. Read "Emergency Preparedness for You and Your Pets" and "Preparing Your Pets for An Emergency" which includes a downloadable checklist.

Browse some rescued cats and kittens!


All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, check my Etsy shop or Fine Art America profile to see if I have it available already. If you don't find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.


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