Pets, kids & vulnerable household members

Floodwater and pets, boarding, kids, dialysis, formula, schools, service animals.

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Houston and official checks

Status, maps, and claim portals change by the hour. Open the org site. Do not trust a screenshot from last night.

Ready Harris Harris County OEM notices, alerts, and shelter posts. Recheck before you drive.
Red Cross open-shelter finder VERIFY LIVE only. Open or closed changes the same day. Harvey-era shelter names are not this finder.
211 Texas Shelter, food, utility, and recovery referrals. Dial 211 if the sites lag.
Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990. 24/7. Spanish available.

Dialysis, oxygen, and power-dependent care

If someone in the house needs power or a clinic, treat that as the first problem, not the drywall.

Plenty of Houston elders rode out Allison and Harvey. Check on them anyway, and don't argue them into a flooded street.

Tell kids the true, short version. Skip the insurance fight and the worst photos until they ask.

You need a dry floor for the animals tonight. Start with people you trust, then boarding, then official pet sheltering.

Grab what your kid needs for 48 hours. Don't strip the aisle, and don't mix formula with water you wouldn't drink.

Your animals lost their rooms too. Food times and a quiet corner do more than a new toy.

Houston floodwater is sewage and bayou mix. Treat a pet that drank it as urgent, even if they look fine.

School is out and the house is a jobsite. Build a short-term watch plan with people you already trust.

A service animal is not a pet policy problem. Bring ID for you, not a costume for the dog.

Flooded foam and straps hold sewage. A hose-off is not a reset for car seats or strollers.