Family Dogs Miraculously Survive After Tornado Destroyed Their Home
Gabrielle LaFrank
|
Several heartwarming stories of dog rescues have come to light after a weekend of severe storms battered the Midwest, including one about Zeus, a lucky Rottweiler from Nebraska who survived being picked up by a tornado while inside his crate. In Oklahoma, though, one relieved family discovered both of their family dogs alive and well after their home was completely destroyed by a tornado. Jack and Ladybug are glad to be reunited with their family, though one can only imagine the relief their owners are feeling after the late April scare.
Family Separated by Storms
Days before a tornado tore through her hometown on April 28, a 20-year-old college student named Peyton dropped off her dog, an Australian Shepherd/Corgi mix named Jack, at her grandparents’ house in her hometown of Sulphur, Oklahoma. Peyton was on a weekend trip when she learned of the tornado that ripped through her town, and she immediately worried for the safety of all of her family members.
“We knew that their house was hit, their neighbor’s house was hit, and downtown was hit,” Peyton said. So, being three hours away, I’m just thinking, where is my dog? Is he OK?”
Fortunately, Peyton’s grandparents, Jo and Larry Palmer, made it to the storm cellar in Peyton’s parents’ house before the tornado hit. However, both of the family dogs–2-year-old Jack and Ladybug, her grandparents’ Golden Retriever–were left behind when the Palmers had to seek shelter. After the tornadoes had passed, downed power lines prevented the Palmers from getting back to their house, so it wasn’t until the following morning that the family began looking for both beloved dogs.
Two (Not So) Little Miracles
It’s heartbreaking to imagine what Sunday night was like for this separated family, but it seemed as if things would only get worse when Jo and Larry found their longtime home destroyed. With only a few walls still standing, the family was beyond relieved to find Ladybug the Golden Retriever waiting patiently, tail wagging, in the laundry room.
But Jack was nowhere to be found. Peyton called the little dog’s name over and over to no avail.
“I just yelled and yelled, and I kept looking, but it was just so overwhelming to see it,” said Peyton. “There’s just piles and piles of debris. Trying to get in there is insane.” Luckily, her stepdad soon located the missing pup beneath a pile of debris. Peyton surely wasn’t the only one who had feared the worst, but Jack only had one scratch on his chin after being lifted from the rubble. Although he’d survived one of the most traumatic weather events a pet can experience, he did not seem nearly as affected by the tornado as his owner did.
A tearful Peyton said, “He was wagging his tail,” and “He doesn’t act like he survived an F3 tornado, but here we are.”
Stories like this should encourage pet parents to create primary and backup plans for their pets in case of emergencies. One can never predict when an emergency may occur, but having a prepared plan could save valuable minutes if the time ever comes.
