When floodwaters began rising around The Animal Protection League (APL) in Anderson, Indiana, the shelter faced an emergency unlike anything its team had experienced before. With roughly 300 dogs and cats depending on them, staff issued an urgent plea for crates, carriers, sandbags, foster homes, and people willing to help.
Then came the news they had feared: Everyone had to get out, and they had to move quickly.
Hundreds of Lives Had to Be Moved
Beginning August 11, 2026, repeated thunderstorms brought historic rainfall to central Indiana. Some areas received more than a foot of rain, and the White River at Anderson rose to a record level, surpassing a crest that had stood since 1913.
APL’s building was inundated. According to the shelter’s director, approximately two feet of water entered the facility and remained for around 48 hours. Because the shelter sits beside the city’s water pollution control plant, the floodwater may also have contained raw sewage, making extensive professional cleaning and sanitation essential before normal operations could resume.
Amid the fear and confusion, the community answered APL’s call. People arrived to carry crates, move supplies, transport animals, and offer temporary homes. All 300 evacuated pets ultimately found emergency foster placement or space with partner rescues. The shelter’s cats were moved to two separate locations while staff worked to determine what would come next.
A Safer Space for APL’s Cats
The flood forced APL to rethink where its cats could recover. The organization rented a small off-site location with better ventilation than the main shelter, a change its team hopes will help keep the cats healthier. Staff also began searching for cat condos to furnish the temporary space and give each resident a secure, comfortable place to rest.
For cats already coping with the stress of shelter life, a sudden evacuation can be especially frightening. Familiar rooms, scents, routines, and caregivers disappear all at once. Safe carriers, nutritious food, clean bedding, enrichment items, and calm temporary housing can make an enormous difference as they settle into unfamiliar surroundings.
That is why the ongoing support of iHeartCats Hero VIP Club members matters so much. Through donations and cat care packages, members have helped APL provide practical supplies and comfort to cats in its care. In a crisis that displaced every animal in the shelter, that dependable support helped APL keep focusing on what mattered most: protecting vulnerable animals and helping them feel safe again.
“Beautiful Things Come From Tragedy”
The flood left APL with damaged furniture and equipment, a contaminated building, and weeks of cleaning and repairs. Yet it also revealed the extraordinary compassion surrounding the shelter.
Foster families opened their homes in remarkable numbers. Volunteers continued giving their time wherever it was needed. Rescue partners housed animals, community members donated supplies, and APL’s staff worked long days from temporary locations while still processing applications and arranging adoptions.
“Beautiful things come from tragedy,” APL’s director shared.
Many of the evacuated cats remained with loving foster families while APL prepared its new off-site cat space. Some of those temporary placements may even become permanent homes. What began as a desperate effort to get hundreds of animals out of danger created new connections between cats and the people who stepped forward for them.
Thank You for Standing With APL’s Cats
Recovery does not happen the moment the water recedes. It continues through every sanitized room, replaced supply, veterinary need, foster placement, and quiet moment spent reassuring a frightened cat.
To every iHeartCats Hero VIP Club member who has supported APL through donations and care packages: thank you. Your kindness is part of the network of help surrounding these cats as they recover from a frightening ordeal and move toward safer, healthier futures.
Together, you helped ensure that when disaster came, APL’s cats were not left to face it alone.