As you’ve probably heard by now, there’s a snowstorm ravaging Texas right now. State and local governments were completely unprepared for the temperatures, and now the deep freeze has caused the power grid to go down — meaning people can’t heat their homes amid the freezing cold.
While most people have found ways to keep warm, we’ve seen quite a few stories of animals who were not so lucky.
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In one of the most shocking viral stories, an Amarillo mom showed the world just how cold it is inside millions of folks’ homes right now. How?
Reni King, 25, posted a TikTok showing her daughter’s fish tank — which had frozen solid. See the sad and mind-boggling moment (below):
@ray.k13???????????? literally in shock! wow. ##texaswinter ##texas ##snowstorm2021 ##twomoms ##ohno♬ Oh No – Kreepa
King told Buzzfeed News since the storm began, they’ve lost power multiple times and their taps are frozen. The area just isn’t used to these temperatures, and homes there aren’t winterized like they are in more northern states.
“Ever since Sunday the cold has not let up, and the snow keeps coming down.”
The family had to spend a couple nights at a hotel to keep warm as they have an infant to keep safe. When they returned home to pick up clothes, they found the fish tank like that. King said:
“I was very much surprised. I never knew that that could really happen.”
After putting some heat in the tank, she got the water to thaw — but fears it’s too late for the molly fish inside:
@ray.k13well, unfortunately … ##part2 ##update ##texas ##snowstorm2021 ##texaswinter♬ original sound – Rayy????
Unfortunately the little fish is far from the only animal to suffer in the storm…
Late Sunday night nine animals were found abandoned out in the cold by their owners in Grapeland. Police responded to a call about possible animal cruelty — what they found was just heartbreaking. A puppy was locked in a wire cage in the owners’ backyard — frozen to death. Four other dogs were found still alive, chained up outside with no shelter at all — and completely covered in ice.
In addition, the family had left four horses outside, two in a small pen, two just tied up outside. All the animals were removed from the property, with the surviving dogs being taken to a local veterinarian for emergency care. The owners are now facing animal cruelty charges. Police also warned pet owners to keep their animals inside for safety this week.
On February 14, 2021, Grapeland PD officers responded to a residence in reference to animal cruelty. On scene Officers…
Posted by Grapeland Police Department on Sunday, February 14, 2021
Elsewhere other species are getting hit just as hard. The power outages have now caused several casualties at San Antonio’s Primarily Primates animal sanctuary as the animals just couldn’t survive the cold. The sanctuary’s team rushed to do what they could to protect the 400+ animals there, collecting generators, space heaters, propane tanks, and blankets — but it was too late for some.
Among the dead were several monkeys, some lemurs, many tropical birds, and a chimpanzee. The sanctuary’s director Brooke Chavez told the San Antonio Express News she won’t know the full death toll until the winter storm is over. She lamented:
“I never, ever thought my office would turn into a morgue, but it has.”
The team are currently working to evacuate many of the animals. Chavez said:
“I’ve never faced a decision like this. Having to decide who we can save, depending on the predictability of which animals we can catch.”
We hope they’re able to save the rest. But what a tragic loss already. So many losses…
[Image via CBS News/YouTube/TikTok/Vince Maher/WENN.]
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