Hurricane Harvey has forced some pet owners to make heartbreaking decisions. Many Texans in Harvey’s path have had to choose whether to abandon their dogs or ride out the disaster from their homes. Others are carrying their pets through floodwaters to safety. Volunteers are loading abandoned pets into boats, and Houston-area animal shelters are overloaded.
To help victims of Hurricane Harvey, click here to donate to the Red Cross.
A man holds his dog after being evacuated by boat from the Hurricane Harvey floodwaters in Houston, Texas August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
A man carries his dog through flood water after being evacuated from the rising water following Hurricane Harvey in a neighborhood west of Houston, Texas, U.S., August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
A man is evacuated by boat with his dog from the Hurricane Harvey floodwaters in Houston, Texas, U.S. August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
An evacuee holding two dogs reacts after his rescue by Texas National Guardsmen from severe flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Cypress Creek, Houston, U.S. August 28, 2017. U.S. Army National Guard/Capt. Martha Nigrelle/Handout via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A resident of Twin Oaks Valley leads his dogs out of the flood zone Monday, Aug. 28, 2017 in Clodine, Texas. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
A woman holds her dog as she arrives to high ground after evacuating her home due to floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey along Tidwell Road in east Houston, Texas, U.S. August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Adrees Latif TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
People unload belongings and dogs to cross a bridge to evacuate from the rising water of Buffalo Bayou following Hurricane Harvey in a neighborhood west of Houston, Texas, U.S., August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
People unload belongings and dogs to cross a bridge to evacuate from the rising waters of Buffalo Bayou following Hurricane Harvey in a neighborhood west of Houston, Texas, U.S., August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
People unload belongings and dogs to cross a bridge as they evacuate from the rising waters of Buffalo Bayou following Hurricane Harvey in a neighborhood west of Houston, Texas, U.S., August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
A man carries a dog from a rescue boat as it evacuates people from the rising waters of Buffalo Bayou following Hurricane Harvey in a neighborhood west of Houston, Texas, U.S., August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
Velma Pelt rests with her dog Pepper after being rescued from her home flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey in Orange, Texas, U.S., August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
A woman holds her dog after being evacuated by boat from the Hurricane Harvey floodwaters in Houston, Texas August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
Aug 29, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Barbara Sandoval with her dogs, Bella (left), and Teddy inside the Red Cross shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Tuesday morning in Houston after Hurricane Harvey. Mandatory Credit: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Shreveport Times via USA TODAY NETWORK
Destyn Scales and her dog Dexter wade through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, U.S., August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
A Texas National Guardsman holds a dog rescued from severe flooding in Cypress Creek, Houston, Texas, U.S. August 28, 2017. U.S. Army National Guard/Capt. Martha Nigrelle/Handout via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY
Aug 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Mary Williams, 66, waits with her dog Mollie after they were evacuated from Hunterwood sub division while she sheltered into the George R. Brown convention center in downtown Houston. Mandatory Credit: Nick Oza via USA TODAY NETWORK
Aug 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Evacuees Keyannie Banks, 5, hugs Jennie Rodriguez dogs, who came to shelter at the George R. Brown convention center in downtown. Rescue efforts have intensified, as have concerns about even more flooding, since the remnants of Hurricane Harvey inundated Houston over the weekend. Mandatory Credit: Nick Oza via USA TODAY NETWORK
Two dogs are seen in a kennel after being rescued from the flood waters of tropical storm Harvey in east Houston, Texas, U.S., August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
Kenneth and Minnie Bice prepare to sleep outside the M.O. Campbell Red Cross shelter in Aldine, Texas, United States August 28, 2017. Pets are not allowed inside and so the two are sleeping on the portico with their two dogs and a cat. REUTERS/Peter Henderson
Jessica Jackson tries to coax a dog that was left behind during Hurricane Harvey in Fulton, Texas from underneath a trailer near Bronte Street on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Officials said animals left behind during the hurricane have been a major problem because the county doesn’t have the resources to handle them and cannot address the problem. (Rachel Denny Clow/Corpus Christi Caller-Times/TNS)
Linda and William Hart (not pictured), shown at their home on Aug. 28, 2017, rode out Hurricane Harvey in their trailer near Bronte Street in Fulton, Texas. They didn’t evacuate because of their dogs. “If I can’t take my dogs you leave me right where I am,” Linda Hart said. (Rachel Denny Clow/Corpus Christi Caller-Times/TNS)
A family carries their belongings and a dog while evacuating flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey along Tidwell Road in east Houston, Texas, U.S. August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Adrees Latif
A dog is rescued from the flood waters of Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, U.S., on August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
A woman and her dog is rescued from the flood waters of Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, U.S., on August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
Isiah Courtney carries his dog Bruce through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, U.S., on August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
A man and his dogs wade through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, U.S., on August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
A resident and his dog wade through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, U.S., on August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
The Duong family, with children, parents and dog in tow, walks along Interstate 45 while escaping flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston, Texas, U.S. August 27, 2017. REUTERS/Adrees Latif
The Duong family, with children, parents and dog in tow, walks along Interstate 45 while escaping flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston, Texas, U.S. August 27, 2017. REUTERS/Adrees Latif
A woman carries her dog into a collector’s vintage military truck to evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas August 27, 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Elma Moreno comforts her dog, Simon, as they are loaded on to trucks after being evacuated from their flooded Houston apartment on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to cause major flooding throughout Southeast Texas. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
A couple of evacuees carry their dogs into the the George R. Brown Convention Center after Hurricane Harvey inundated the Texas Gulf coast with rain causing widespread flooding, in Houston, Texas, U.S. August 27, 2017. REUTERS/Nick Oxford
Evacuees Robin Alter (L) and her daughter Melissa Alter walk their dog Dexter into the George R. Brown Convention Center after Hurricane Harvey inundated the Texas Gulf coast with rain causing widespread flooding, in Houston, Texas, U.S. August 27, 2017. REUTERS/Nick Oxford
Bentley, a 10 year old maltese, takes refuge with his owner in a school after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, U.S. August 26, 2017. REUTERS/Adrees Latif/File Photo
Julie holds her dog Pee-wee as they stand in line to be evacuated to Austin after losing their home to Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, U.S. August 26, 2017. REUTERS/Adrees Latif/File Photo
A man moves through the dark hallway of a hurricane shelter with his dog after Hurricane Harvey struck Rockport, Texas, U.S. August 26, 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
Shane Montie, left, helps one of his dogs board an airboat driven by volunteers Erik Davis, right, and JV Bagley, not pictured, of Carthage, Texas, as they evacuate rising waters from Hurricane Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Lumberton, Texas. (Ashley Landis/Dallas Morning News/TNS)
People unload belongings and dogs to cross a bridge to evacuate from the rising water of Buffalo Bayou following tropical storm Harvey in a neighborhood west of Houston, Texas, U.S., August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
A dog stands guard over a section of the Saltgrass Estates apartments on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey destroyed the complex. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)