These adorable, adoptable dogs were rescued from Hurricane Harvey

By Cody Punter | Photography By Cody Punter | September 15, 2017

By Cody Punter | Photography By Cody Punter | 09/15/2017

Torontonian Nicole Simone has been rescuing dogs for most of her adult life. This summer she founded Redemption Paws, a non-profit organization that saves animals from areas affected by natural disasters. When an animal shelter in Houston told her that scores of local dogs were going to be euthanized because of the approaching Hurricane Harvey, she knew it was time to deploy Redemption Paws’ first-ever mission. On short notice, Simone was able to assemble a small team of dedicated animal lovers to drive down to Texas and rescue as many pups as possible. After just one day in Houston, four vans headed back to Toronto with 39 dogs in their care.

The dogs are currently in quarantine but will eventually be adopted out. An overwhelming number of people have expressed interest, but Simone says there will be a rigorous vetting process to ensure each dog finds the home that best suits its needs. One of the stipulations is that the homes must be in the Toronto area so that the dogs and their owners can receive continued support from Simone and her team. Here are eight of the city’s new four-legged residents, and their stories.

Penelope

8 months, mutt
Penelope was found as a stray when she was three months old, and given to an office who could no longer care for her when Harvey hit.

Redford

2, shepherd mix
Redford, also a stray, has a neurological deficit that makes his jaw twitch and his tongue hang out.

Wyatt

8, chihuahua mix
Wyatt hails from outside of Dallas. He’s a senior and he’s very sweet.

Blitz

3, blue heeler
Blitz weathered hurricane Harvey before being rescued, unlike some of the other dogs who were already in shelters when the storm struck.

Hailey

4, dalmatian mix
Hailey found herself homeless even before Harvey hit.

S.A.

4, dalmatian mix
S.A. was pulled from a shelter just hours before he was set to be euthanized. His eyes had been removed due to an infection caused by injury.

Lady

2, great Dane
Lady was found wandering along with her beau, Charlie, and their puppies months before Harvey landed. Their puppies were adopted, but Lady and Charlie are bonded so they must be adopted together.