While the community of Pajaro is still partially underwater Wednesday night, many evacuees are finally reuniting with the pets they had to leave behind when their homes flooded.
“We’re going in and rescuing animals that were sadly left behind,” said Beth Brookhouser of SPCA Monterey County.
Hundreds of workers and volunteers have been working with the sheriff’s office and national guard rescuing animals from the flood waters.
“We’ve also reunited dozens that we’ve rescued from flooded areas with their loving owners. Which has been just such an amazing experience to be able to go in, get those animals out of harm's way and reunite them with their families,” said Brookhouser.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
It’s been days since the town was forced to evacuate, which means the animals haven’t been getting the care they need.
“These rescue pets have been through a lot. They’re coming to us hungry, a little bit thin. Quite a lot of them are covered in very unpleasant water. We are trying to groom them and get them clean and get them fed,” said Brookhouser.
SPCA Monterey County has over 200 rescued animals in its care. They’re now working to reunite them with their owners.
“Everything from dogs and cats to chickens and parakeets. We have rabbits and parrots and all sorts of animals,” said Brookhouser.
While the work isn’t over yet, rescue teams are happy with the progress.
“We’ve been very, very busy but it has been very fulfilling,” said Brookhouser.
Workers with SPCA Monterey County say they’re also giving evacuated residents the pet food they need for their animals.
But, they say supplies are running out quickly so any help from the public is appreciated.
