BURLINGTON, Ky. — A rescue team trying to help the pets displaced by storms in Western Kentucky brought back 18 dogs to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. 

What You Need To Know

  • A rescue team from Cincinnati brought displaced dogs back from Western Kentucky

  • All of the dogs have found foster homes

  • That includes “Frankfort,” who is living with his new foster mom

  • Frankfort, like many if the animals, is still adjusting to his new surroundings

Now those pets need new permanent homes.

The devastation from tornadoes separated people from their family members, and took away loved ones. It was a tragic loss not only of human life, but of pets as well, who many consider to be family.

Dogs like “Frankfort” have been through a lot.

“They think it was kind of a hoarding situation. And his trailer got tipped over from the tornadoes. That’s pretty much all I know about him,” said Erica Suttman, the new foster mom for the six-month-old lab mix.

She saw a Facebook post by the Homeless Animal Rescue Team, or HART of Cincinnati detailing volunteers going to Taylor County to bring back dogs people had voluntarily surrendered.

“I decided this is my way to help in any way. So I was able to open my home up to be able to help them with one of the dogs that they brought up,” Suttman said. “I’ve always had in my heart that I want to be able to help dogs, always.”

Finding fosters for dogs like Frankfort is opening up shelter space in western Kentucky for more displaced dogs, as volunteer Shari Wyenandt explained.

“Doing this will allow us to open up the shelter that is now housing them, so that they can pull in the other animals that are actually looking for their owners, or their owners that are looking for the animals. It gives them some place to go,” Wyenandt said. “They’ve just lost their family, their home, some of them are injured.”

Luckily Frankfort was not injured, physically. But he’s still adjusting to his surroundings.

“He pretty much stays in his cage all day long until feeding time. I’ll feed him in his cage. And then once he gets done feeding he’ll come out and visit myself and my son, and he’ll just chill. He hasn’t been playing much, but he’ll get out of his shell. Just needs some tender love and care,” Suttman said.

When asked if she’d already fallen in love with her new companion, Suttman responded: “Yes, yes. I’m already, like, this cannot be a foster fail.”

“Foster fail” affectionately means the foster adopts the pet permanently. Suttman said it’s an option she will definitely consider as her furry friend becomes more comfortable.

If nothing else, she’s given him what he needs most right now.

“Fostering, it’s just opening your home. Being able to love a dog, until he’s ready to go to his permanent home,” she said.

HART said all 18 dogs volunteers recovered have found foster homes. They will need permanent homes eventually. The group will be heading back to western Kentucky to recover more dogs next week. 

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