Operation Pets Alive! The Southwest Airlines Rescued Over 60 Animals Affected By The Hurricane Harvey

February 13, 2018

Hurricanes are terrible things!

While science has made it easier to predict when they occur, one thing science cannot say is the extent of damage a hurricane might cause.

Major hurricanes affect human lives; however, they also affect animals as it was the case with the Hurricane Harvey.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey was the first major hurricane in the US since Wilma in 2005, and to this day, its effects can still be seen in the states of Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

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It rivals Hurricane Katrina as the costliest recorded cyclone, causing damage to over 300,000 buildings in Texas alone. It also led to 107 deaths and displaced over 60,000 people.

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Animals were affected as well; many of them stranded as shelters were overcrowded. Luckily, Southwest Airlines decided to help.

Southwest to the rescue

Southwest Airlines stepped in to rescue stranded animals from overcrowded shelters in the aftermath of Harvey.

With their aptly-named “Operation Pets Alive!” effort, Southwest Airlines flew over 60 animals from Houston to San Diego.

Operation Pets Alive! was carried out in partnership with Helen Woodward Animal Center to provide shelter for these animals and help them find new homes.

And it’s a good thing too as adopted animals seem to develop peculiar talents.

The curious case of Buddy Mercury

A 3-year-old beagle, Buddy Mercury, who was rescued from New York and adopted by Glen and Laurie Wolfe, has developed a particular interest in the piano.

Mercury can be seen playing a piano and howling at each note.

He also seems to take an interest in teaching the Wolfe’s baby how to play the piano.

While we're not quite sure if Buddy Mercury would ever become a maestro, one thing is for certain, rescuing those animals stranded by the Hurricane Harvey was a great thing, and the world became better.