PAWS Chicago welcomes animals affected by Oklahoma storms

Nearly 60 animals left homeless by the recent Oklahoma storms arrived in Chicago Friday.

PAWS Chicago volunteers and medical staff rescued 30 dogs Thursday to ease overcrowding at the Humane Society of Cherokee County, Fort Gibson Animal Control and other Oklahoma rescues affected by the storms, including some that did not have electricity. The vans arrived early Friday morning.

Friday afternoon, 28 dogs and cats were welcomed by the shelter after arriving at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling.

“These dogs were left homeless and unloved. It’s part of our mission as an organization to respond and help animals in need, not just in Chicago but around the country,” said Paula Fasseas, founder and executive chair of PAWS Chicago.

Some of the animals are from local Oklahoma shelters while others were given up by their owners.

“It’s sad but sometimes the owners have to give up the dogs. We were lucky enough to put together a team to respond,” said Fasseas.

The PAWS Chicago medical staff will examine and treat the dogs and cats at their Little Village medical center so the animals can be put up for adoption within the next several weeks.

Stacy Price, PAWS Chicago’s director of animal operations, was one of the medical professionals who travelled to Oklahoma. Price said many of the pets will be sent to temporary foster homes where they can fully recover before being put up for adoption.

PAWS Chicago received word early Wednesday morning that help was needed at Oklahoma animal rescue shelters. Within hours, PAWS volunteers gathered supplies, crates and medical equipment in two rescue vans and drove 12 hours to Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Two medical professionals from PAWS Chicago flew to Oklahoma late Wednesday evening to join the drivers.

On Thursday, the team met the animals, collected their health records and provided preliminary medical care so the pets could comfortably make the journey to Chicago.

PAWS Chicago has a history of conducting animal rescue missions after major natural disasters, according to spokeswoman Sarah McDonald. She said the organization has rescued animals left homeless by Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Irma, along with several major tornadoes and floods.

Behn Rudo, one of the PAWS volunteers who traveled to Oklahoma, said the return trip was emotional for the dogs and the staff.

“These dogs have been through so much and as volunteers, we are running on three, four hours of sleep. We had to make several stops and treat them, walk them, and care for them,” said Rudo, who has participated in previous disaster relief missions. “Even though we were sleep deprived, we all would make that journey again to see those animals be cared for.”

The shelter is expected to receive more animals from Cherokee County in the coming weeks.

If you are interested in adopting an animal or donating to support animal rescue efforts in Oklahoma, information is available online at PAWS Chicago.