In Houston, Texas, a hound-mix dog escaped from his family’s yard as Hurricane Harvey approached.
It was unfortunate that Marmaduke left his yard at that precise moment. His family let him out into the yard when he needed a bathroom break because despite the severe rain that was lashing his Houston neighborhood, his home hadn’t yet flooded. He had miraculously climbed the six-foot fence in the backyard and fled while the floodwaters were still far from their home.
He was eventually apprehended and taken to a neighboring shelter. He was secure there for a while, but as the local animal shelters began to flood, they were forced to evacuate, and the animals were relocated to nearby rescue facilities that were prepared to take them.
The large dog was once again safe; nevertheless, a maze of flooded streets had cut him off from his family. Diana and the rest of the family were safe with a relative during this time. They returned to their area as quickly as they could and covered it in “lost dog” posters.
She visited the Montgomery County Animal Shelter and browsed a database of hundreds of animals who had all been abandoned by their families; there, she recognized a face with brown and black striped hair.
More than a week after he escaped his yard, she was soon on her way to fetch him up.
Finally, Diana loaded Marmaduke and some canned dog food into her car. Soon she’ll get a voucher to get him fixed. As they searched the streets for Marmaduke, Diana’s house was wrecked by the storm, and her automobile submerged. She explains, “We had to acquire a new car. Although Marmaduke is bouncing along at the end of his leash as she speaks, she smiles. They lost a lot as a family, but they didn’t lose their silly, gangly brindle puppy.
