Puerto Rican evacuees reunited with pets after six months apart

FRISCO, Texas - When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico nearly six months ago, many Puerto Ricans were forced to evacuate. Due to limited time and space, that often meant pets had to be left behind. Now, thanks to a partnership between the Austin Humane Society and Puerto Rico Animals, some evacuees in Frisco, Texas are being reunited with their beloved family pets.

More than 30 pets have been flown to Texas to reunite displaced families and their pets, offering a bright spot in what has been a very difficult time. Many months after Maria, nearly 1 million Puerto Ricans are still without power, and it will be a long time before many of the displaced families families displaced can return home, if ever. People are working hard but there's still much work to be done.

Even for those who haven't been in a disaster, pets can provide support from the difficulties of our days. That goes even more so for those affected by something as terrible as Hurricane Maria. For these families--and these animals--this might be the best thing to happen to them in months.