Ravin said her apartment wasn’t damaged, but much of the building was left without electricity and water, so she had to find a safe place to stay until she could return home. Evacuating her building with both dogs was a hard task as she is visually impaired. Fortunately, she had some help.

“I was terrified that I wouldn’t make it down the stairs, but I managed to do it,” Ravin said. “I’m so thankful my dogs were able to get out with me. They mean everything to me.”

Bill Stephens, the Red Cross shelter manager, said at one point there were four dogs at the shelter at the Grace Methodist Church. The Humane Society of Missouri furnished portable kennels so the dogs could be kept near their owners in the sleeping area. This allowed Bill to give Ravin and her dogs a quiet space.

“She needed a place where she can be with dogs without a lot of noise and we were able to accommodate her needs,” he said. “When you get knocked down our job is to help you get back up.”

Bill said allowing pets to stay at the shelter not only helps the owners, but the other residents as well. ”When you are in a crisis, what’s better than a wagging tail and a happy face,” Bill said.

*The decision to allow pets to stay with their owners at a Red Cross shelter is done on a case-by-case basis and property owners where the shelter is located must agree to it. When the dogs aren’t in their kennels, they must be on a leash.