Central Indiana took more than a foot of rain between August 11 and 17, and the White River at Anderson crested above a record that had stood since 1913. Sitting in the path of that water was a shelter with about 300 animals inside it.
The Animal Protection League had warning, so staff put out a call for crates, kennels, sandbags and foster homes before the river peaked. The water came in anyway. The whole building had to empty out quickly, and 101 of those animals were dogs.
Volunteers moved animals and supplies. Foster families took dogs into their homes, partner rescues offered kennel space, and a local fairground barn became a temporary shelter. Because the building sits next to the city’s water pollution control plant, the two feet of water that stood inside for roughly 48 hours had to be treated as raw sewage, and a restoration crew handled the cleanup before anyone could move back in.
By September 5, only 23 dogs were left at the shelter. Some had been adopted. Some foster families quietly decided the dog was staying.
What this means for your dog
An ordinary week turned into a full evacuation in a matter of days. If your county issues a flood or wildfire order, nobody gets time to hunt for the carrier in the garage or dig the rabies certificate out of a drawer. Keep a leash and a crate where you can grab them in the dark, store your dog’s vaccine record and a clear photo in your phone, and line up one person outside your neighborhood who has agreed to take your dog if you can’t get home. Standing floodwater is a health hazard, so rinse and dry paws and belly after any contact.
Indiana shelters have done this before. Earlier this year, 70 dogs were rescued after a storm toppled a trailer, and the response looked much the same: neighbors with crates and cars. Workers in Nepal learned the same thing during their floods. Planning early is the whole trick.