After record-breaking floods swept through Central Texas over the July 4 weekend, many pets were displaced, but Hill Country SPCA came to their rescue. 

As People reported, the no-kill shelter in Fredericksburg served as the official hub to support animals after the destructive floods moved through the region and killed more than 100 people, per The Conversation. 

Ever since the tragedy unfolded along the Guadalupe River, volunteers and employees at the shelter have been hard at work rescuing dogs and trying to reunite them with their owners or get them adopted. 

The shelter already had its hands full trying to keep its dogs calm during a fireworks show on July 4, but no one could have anticipated what the next few days had in store. 

"Then you wake up the next morning, and literally all hell has broken loose. And it was one of those things that was like, 'Okay, what do we need to do? And who needs us? Where can we help?" Andrew Davis, the executive director of Hill Country SPCA, told People.

Davis added that the shelter had "boots on the ground" when workers learned of the extent of the flooding. Employees immediately sprang into action, helping rescue teams look for missing pets and people and gather resources for those who lost their homes. 

After the organization asked the public for help with supplies, donations poured in, and some locals even showed up to aid rescue efforts. 

"We had an Amazon van show up, and it was full. There was not an ounce of space in that van, and 100% of those packages were for us," Davis said.

While the SPCA was overwhelmed with gratitude for the community's support, Davis and his team were trying to deal with the "emotional whiplash" of the situation and process the enormity of the disaster. 

Two of the animals rescued included a Chihuahua and a cat from a flooded home. Amazingly, the dog survived by climbing to the top shelf of a bookcase while the floodwaters rose just inches from its head, as the waterline revealed in a photo. The cat had escaped the house but returned a couple of days later bathed in mud. 

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According to People, "Both pets are now safe and living in temporary housing." 

It's success stories like these that make the sometimes emotionally taxing work to save animals well worth it, as Davis explained, and prove the power of communities sticking together in difficult times. 

As of late July, the nonprofit was still busy managing flood response efforts and had plenty of pet supplies available for community members. 

Monetary donations were still welcome to help coordinate rescues and provide veterinary care. If you'd like to donate, you can visit the SPCA's website to show support.  

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