K. Covey/The HSUS

Dwayne Wilson reunited with Charlie after three days.

By Kathy Covey

When Dwayne Wilson brought his 12-year-old Schnauzer, Charlie, to the temporary emergency animal shelter run by The Humane Society of the United States in Coffeyville, Kan., the dog was coated in mud and oil. Charlie, one of the many animal victims of recent flooding in the area, became separated from his family after flooding hit his neighborhood on June 30.  

Charlie was spending his afternoon getting pampered at the groomer when the floodwaters of the Verdigris River slammed the east end of Coffeyville, overwhelming the community and forcing thousands to evacuate. Wilson was out of town when the flooding hit, and Charlie had been taken to his regular appointment by his pet-sitter.

K. Covey/The HSUS

Charlie gets tangled matts clipped.

With just five short minutes to get out, the grooming staff made a life or death decision for the animals in their care. Rather than let them risk drowning inside as the floodwaters overtook the building, they released the dogs in the hope that they would escape the water.

Fortunately, a town police officer discovered Charlie—messy and tired—and reunited the small dog with Wilson.

Wilson brought Charlie to the HSUS-run shelter, where disaster responders Bruce Earnest and Consie von Gontard spent close to two hours carefully grooming and bathing the dog, and decontaminating his coat.

"When Charlie got here, he smelled like a diesel truck stop," said Gontard, an HSUS disaster response consultant who responded to Coffeyville from her home base in Florida.

K.Covey/The HSUS

Charlie, smelling better after his bath.

The temporary emergency shelter has similarly treated dozens of other animals and helped a total of 154 animal companions affected by the floods.

All cleaned up and safely back with his best pal, The HSUS staff returned Charlie to Wilson.

One of many residents beginning to pick up the pieces in Coffeyville, Wilson promised to keep a close eye on his best pal now that the pup was safely back in his arms. He also said his grandkids, who were distraught when they heard Charlie was missing, would be overjoyed to see their four-legged family member again.