On May 22, 2011, an F-5 tornado destroyed a huge part of Joplin Missouri. The devastation was wide spread, with homes and businesses destroyed and many lives lost. The pet population of Joplin also faced disaster, as frightened pets ran from their destroyed homes, or were sucked up by the mighty winds, some ripped right from their owners grasp. Eight months later, the residents of Joplin are struggling to rebuild their homes and businesses and get back to as normal a life as possible.
Some Joplin residents still continue to search for their pets, hoping that someone will see a flyer, a news report, or a facebook page that describes their pet. These residents believe their pet is out there somewhere and they will not stop searching until they know what happened to their dog or cat. Some believe their dog has been spotted, lost and scared wandering around the area. Some believe their pet may have been removed from the Joplin area and taken to another state. Many rescue volunteers came to help and may have taken the animals to an out of state shelter. Some of the pets may have been adopted, or worse.
Hanah, an American Bulldog- Still Lost
You may have heard of Hanah, the white American Bulldog. Her owner, and many friends and volunteers have put in countless hours searching for her. Hanah was spotted after the tornado, so they believe she is alive and is with someone who may not be aware of how desperate they are to have their “Fat Girl” home with them. Many newspapers and news reports have featured Hanah’s picture and told her heart wrenching story. Hanah’s facebook page, Bring Hanah Home, continues to post about searching for her. Hanah’s family has offered a $2500 “no questions asked” reward for her return.
Onyx, a Black Chihuahua – Still Lost
Onyx went missing just a few days after the tornado hit Joplin. According to his face book page, he went outside and never returned. Onyx is neutered and micro chipped, so if you have found a black Chihuahua in the Joplin area, please have him scanned. His owners lost everything in the tornado, yet they hold out hope that he will be returned to them. Visit his page face book page, Onyx-Lost Joplin Dog for pictures and information.
Cats Wandering the Streets
Posters on the Animals Lost & Found from the Joplin Tornado facebook page have put up a picture of a black cat that is in their neighborhood. They say he is very friendly, but also very scared. Several neighbors are feeding him. He is described as mostly black with a white patch on his chest. They also report a tortoise shell cat in the same area. These kind- hearted people are offering these wandering animals food, even though they can’t catch them to offer any other assistance.
This is but a few of the heartbreaking posts that have been circulating on the internet since the Joplin tornado. The Joplin Humane Society and Resource Center reports that the shelter has been full for months. While many animals are getting adopted, the shelter has taken in another two hundred and forty one pets since January 1, 2012. They need help!
Please view the facebook pages in this article and share them with your friends. You never know who might see your share. It just might help reunite these lost pets back with their owners.