Hurricane Beryl left millions of Greater Houston-area residents without power after sweeping through the region July 8, but it also affected wildlife, local nonprofit representatives said.

The impact

The Houston Humane Society Wildlife Center received 524 calls about wildlife—such as a variety of birds, possums, squirrels and a few raccoons—on July 8 and 9 due to Hurricane Beryl, Wildlife Admissions Manager Channing Green said. She said the center’s typical maximum daily call count for this time of year is 70-85.

“There were lots of injured animals where people were finding them, not just on the first day, but also when they ... started cleaning up their yards. ... Lots of phone calls of people that are using the last of their [phone] battery life just trying to help an animal, unsure of even where to take it,” Green said.

The center reached full capacity and stopped intake for animals, with the exception of bats, until further notice, according to a July 25 social media post from the organization.


The Wildlife Center of Texas—a wildlife rehabilitation center at the Houston SPCA—rescued about 1,800 animals in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, according to a July 24 email from an SPCA spokesperson. Center employees and volunteers rescued animals from neighborhoods and also tended to animals brought into their clinic, Wildlife Center Coordinator Shae Bolton said.

“We had a lot of members of the public bringing in animals from completely downed trees. ... Branches falling, entire trees [falling] and a lot of destroyed nests, a lot of injuries, a lot of animals in standing water,” Bolton said. “Usually in those cases, we don't recommend renesting, because the likelihood of injuries are very high.”

Depending on the animal’s needs, their injuries were treated, they were given fluids or medicines or they were dried off and warmed up, Bolton said. According to the SPCA email and Bolton, the rescued animals include:
  • About 350 baby egrets found in a Spring-Cypress neighborhood hours after Hurricane Beryl hit the area
  • Injured, displaced and orphaned animals brought in by locals such as egrets, songbirds, doves, Mississippi kites, a bald eagle and a baby pelican
The two wildlife centers experienced some power outages and campus damage due to Hurricane Beryl, center leaders said.
Put in perspective

Wildlife in the Greater Houston area tends to be accustomed to storms, said Kelly Norrid, a wildlife biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Houston office. However, he said after a “wind factor” storm like Hurricane Beryl, the issue tends to be displaced young squirrels and young birds.
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“Because birds and squirrels ... nest in trees, baby birds will be blown out of the tree and out of nests ... the same with squirrels, etc.,” Norrid said.

If a resident finds a bird that appears to be in trouble, the action that should be taken can depend on the size of the animal, Norrid said. Small, fully feathered birds could be fledglings that are learning how to fly and should be left alone, he said.

"See if [the bird's] mom and dad are around, [and] if there are any imminent, immediate dangers to them like cats or dogs," Norrid said. "It's best to kind of just remove the cats and dogs from the area ... or gently move the bird somewhere ... where it won't be harmed."

What else?


Animal shelters around the Greater Houston area also dealt with some challenges due to Hurricane Beryl. The city of Houston’s BARC animal shelter lost medications and vaccinations due to power outages, Deputy Shelter Director Cory Stottlemyer said.

“The animals never, thankfully, experienced any high temperatures,” Stottlemyer said.

Harris County Pets—a municipal adoption center serving unincorporated Harris County, according to its website—saw an increase in calls since Hurricane Beryl, according to a July 18 email from a spokesperson with Harris County Public Health. However, the organization did not see an influx of animals being dropped off at the shelter.

“The biggest impact we saw was the need to assist in sheltering owned pets at cooling centers,” the email states. “We have provided kenneling at a Red Cross shelter since the hurricane hit.”


On July 17, animal nonprofit PetSet hosted an event to deliver supplies to animal rescues in need after Hurricane Beryl. The organization also worked with the Babinski Foundation to transport animals from overcrowded Houston animal shelters to Minnesota where the nonprofit shelter is based.

“We're always in an animal crisis in Houston, so when Hurricane Beryl hit, we knew that it would get worse,” PetSet Co-president Tena Lundquist Faust said.
Get involved

According to organization leaders, donations are needed after Hurricane Beryl for items:
  • The BARC needs wet food since the shelter’s supply was depleted during power outages.
  • The Houston Humane Society Wildlife Center needs a donated washing machine.
  • The Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center of Texas needs flat sheets—not fitted sheets—as well as newspapers and paper towels for wildlife care.
More information on volunteering and donation opportunities for the shelters can be found at: