The tornado season of 2011 has been a very destructive and deadly one. An outbreak between 25-28 April hit the Southern United States. On 22 May a huge tornado tore apart the town of Joplin, Missouri. Massachusetts was struck on 1 June. Many heartbreaks followed the storms wake, but through the black clouds there emerged stories of rescue and reunion.

On 27 April, a tornado tore through North Smithfield, Alabama. A one-year-old terrier mix named Mason was hiding in his humans’ garage when the storm hit. His family was lucky enough to get inside their home to take cover. When the storm passed they made their way back outside. The house was destroyed but the garage remained, and Mason was nowhere to be found. His family searched for days without a sign of him, eventually giving up hope of ever seeing him again. Weeks later they returned to the site of their home to salvage what they could of their belongings. Miraculously, they found little Mason sitting on the ruined porch of their house. Seriously injured, he had somehow crawled back home. His two front legs were completely broken, according to Dr. Barbara Benhart of Birmingham-Jefferson Country Animal Control. Mason was taken to Vulcan Park Animal Care in Birmingham, Alabama. As Dr. Bill Lamb said, “He was dehydrated, malnourished, about 50 percent of his normal body weight.” Surgery to fix his legs lasted three and a half hours and required two plates and 17 screws. He is recovering well and his family look forward to bringing him home once they get their feet back on the ground. Messages for Mason and his family can be left on his Facebook page.

This is the story of the littlest survivors of a tornado that hit Alabama on 27 April. The Weaver house was home to a dog, 10 rats, 10 guinea pigs, a bunch of little foster critters and four humans. When a tornado slammed into their home on 27 April, the Weavers barely had time to seek cover for themselves. They managed to grab their dog, Shelby, before their home disappeared around them. Shelby was nearly blown away as well but her humans had her by the collar and wouldn’t let go. When the tornado had passed, they fled what remained of their destroyed home. They feared the worst for the little ones that had been in the house when it was destroyed. Amazingly, when Mr. Weaver went back to look through the debris of the home, he found Emma, a sweet little guinea pig, alive and well, hiding under a piece of fleece. The next day, Mr. Weaver returned to the site in the hope of finding more survivors. In all, five rats and four guinea pigs survived the tornado and destruction of their home, as did all their humans and Shelby, too. You can read the whole story here.

In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, tornado victim Judith Pugh was more saddened by the loss of her 10-year-old cat, Cadie, than she was about the loss of her home and belongings. Nearly a month after the storm, Judith was being interviewed back at the remains of her home when who should come scampering out of the debris but Cadie! Watch little Cadie get all loved up by his mama in this touching video.

Bren, a pretty black and tan pit bull, was pulled from the rubble of a home in Joplin, Missouri, in shock and bleeding badly. A vet where she was taken for treatment estimated that poor Bren probably would not have made it through another 12 hours without medical attention. Bren was rushed to surgery where vets discovered the muscle of a back leg was cut to the bone. Staff at the vet clinic took special care of Bren during recovery, taking her for slow walks and supporting the weight of her back end with a towel. Three days after the tornado Bren’s mom came to the clinic in search of her two missing dogs. When she saw Bren was alive she burst into happy tears.

Also in Joplin, a family was shocked and elated to find their cat alive in the rubble of their home 16 days after the tornado struck. Little Lavern is expected to make a full recovery, and according to her human mom, she is eating like a pig.

A six-month-old puppy was sucked right out of his home in Monson, Massachusetts, by a tornado on 1 June. His family was able to scramble into their basement for shelter with their other dog, but little Shadow flew away. His family searched for days with no luck. Three days later, a woman heard a dog barking from beneath the ruins of building. She flagged down a Massachusetts State Police Trooper. He was able to rescue the terrified pup, who turned out to be little Shadow. Trooper Brian Pearl told the Boston Globe, “He was wagging his tail like crazy. Once he came out, he was licking my hand … he was laughing like crazy.” Trooper Pearl added, “Even something simple like that, it made my day, and it made their day.”

It made my day, too.

photo used with permission of Vulcan Park Animal Care

Tagged as: Joplin, Mason the tornado dog, Pets and tornadoes, tornado, tornadoes