Free pet supplies on Plank Road in Menasha. PC: Fox 11 Online
MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Nearly two months after an EF-3 tornado hit the Fox Valley, the emergency vehicles have gone, but the need for help has not.
In the days after the tornado, families needed more than a place to stay. Many also needed food and supplies for their pets. Erika Berge, president of Unforgettable Underdogs Dog Rescue, responded by turning her front yard into a free pet supply hub.
“When we first started the tent, we had people lined up car after car after car after car. And we had open hours basically all throughout the day which ended up turning into the night,” Berge said.
Since then, Berge said she has helped hundreds of pet families in need. The rescue has helped care for five dogs and numerous cats while their owners were temporarily displaced.
Now, nearly two months later, Berge said the demand has shifted but remains steady.
“There is still a need, specifically cat, dog supplies,” she said.
“Specifically I would say food. Otherwise, beds, dog beds, cat litter, cat food, specifically dry cat food. It’s something we’ve seen a lot of as well as wet and it’s just primarily food at this point,” Berge said.
As the operation evolved, the rescue adjusted its distribution schedule.
“So since then we shut down for two days and then started implementing the Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday. So Tuesdays and Thursdays are 5:30-7:30 and then Saturdays we did 8-6. But now we are doing 10-2,” Berge said.
The effort also had to adapt to the weather. Heavy rain and storms damaged the tents used to store and distribute supplies.
“We had probably some of the most heavy duty tents that are out there and I think we went through at least four of them. So at that point we said goodbye to the tents and we had to figure out an alternative solution,” Berge said.
Donations through social media helped pay for a trailer, and a POD was recently donated, giving the organization a more secure place to store supplies protected from weather and animals.
Berge said the biggest need now is volunteers.
“We have lost several volunteers and I unfortunately feel like I’m asking every day for help and I know that people had filled out stuff online. We’ve tried to contact them. We don’t necessarily hear back,” she said.
If you are interested in volunteering, fostering, donating, or need resources for your pets, Berge recommends heading to their website or visiting their Facebook Page.
Berge said that even if the tornado recovery is no longer in the spotlight, the need for pet supplies and support has not gone away.
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