Caravan Heads From Livonia To Help Pets Battered By Harvey

(WWJ) In addition to the human toll from Hurricane Harvey ... the effect on dogs and cats and other pets has been devastating as well.

Laura Zain with Tail Waggers in Livonia is leading a caravan of three vans that will set off tomorrow night for Texas and come back with shelter animals that are now homeless. Zain did similar work during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

It could be a treacherous trip through flooded roads and devastated neighborhoods, so why do it? "It rips at the heartstrings, words and what we're seeing on the TV, on the internet, can't explain it to you until you see it, right there,  actually in person," she said. "It's a difficult situation to go into, but you do walk away feeling really blessed that you were able to help."

Zain says thousands of pets have been separated from their owners; and in Louisiana three shelters are under threat of flooding. The group will set off from Livonia tomorrow.

"It is a catastrophic nightmare if those shelters go under water," Zain said. "So they're calling in the troops to pull those animals from those lower ground shelters."

The group needs donations, especially of gas cards for the vans. You can donate at tailwaggers1990.org.