Tornado recovery: Beavercreek residents lend relief to animal victims

After the Memorial Day tornado outbreak, many have dedicated time and resources to providing relief to the many pets injured or lost.

Some animals were injured in the debris thrown about in the storms. Others are being found during the cleanup.

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Andi Otto of Huber Heights saw a social media post about five kittens found in the Northridge area and decided to help.

“I went ahead and said ‘yeah, I can do this,’ ” Otto told News Center 7’s James Rider on Wednesday.

Otto took the 1-month-old kittens into her home three weeks ago. They will soon be available for adoption through Blues Mews Cat Rescue, a shelter in Fairborn.

"They are developing their personalities and they are going to be phenomenal family members," Otto said.

Many others have done the same for animals in the aftermath of the storms.

“They are the heroes of the pet world,” said Dr. Barbara Gleason, a veterinarian. “These fosters, the army of volunteers that help these rescues, they’re the ones that turn things around for everybody.”

Gleason is giving free wellness checks at the Veterinary Preventive Care Clinic in Beavercreek to any animals affected by the tornadoes.

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Gleason has seen some animals that were injured from flying debris and she’s heard stories of more significant injuries.

"I'm tapped in with some of the other area veterinarians and I've heard some stories of some broken limbs and things," Gleason said.

If you find an animal, be sure to have it scanned for a microchip to try and reunite it with its owner.

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