MILWAUKEE -- As rescuers continue to pluck people to safety in some areas of Texas, many rescue groups are wading through waist deep water helping pets that have been left behind.
"Some of the most heart-wrenching images we've seen are dogs tied to porches or crates left on steps which is a death sentence if flood waters continue to rise, said Angela Speed with the Wisconsin Humane Society.
Speed said the shelter has the capacity and is prepared to take animals from crowded shelters in the Lone Star state.
"What they tend to do is send animals that are already in shelters, not animals displaced by the floods because those animals might have owners looking for them in the coming days and weeks," said Speed.
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Shelters in Texas are expecting to get a surge of strays and pets.
During Hurricane Katrina reports show up to 100,000 pets were separated from their owners. Only about half were reunited.
"What we learned from Katrina is you have to be prepared for a disaster and include your pet in that disaster planning. Make sure your animal has an ID tag or a microchip," said Speed.
Employees at the Wisconsin Humane Society are getting a lot of calls from people in the Milwaukee area who want to help the animals impacted by Harvey. The organization says the best thing to do right now is donate money to animal groups, in Houston.
