Pets Rescued From Tornado Brought To D.C. Shelter

Thirty-seven puppies and four kittens rescued from the Tuscaloosa shelter are now getting love at the Washington Animal Rescue League.

The former pets barely survived their ordeal down south, says Dr. Gary Weitzman, the League's executive director.

"[They were] torn up by the tornado. I mean, dogs that have been wrapped around trees when the funnel cloud hit. Shrapnel wounds from the storm and then building debris," he says.

Weitzman says the animals were rushed to the District over the weekend.

"[It took] 17 hours, all through the day and night last night, to get them up here in our rescue truck, and that truck was literally an ambulance yesterday," he says.

About half of the dogs are now hospitalized recovering from their wounds and respiratory infections.

The other dogs are under quarantine and getting preventive care from vets such as Dr Daniel Shillito.

"We want to make sure that each individual animal is healthy, but we also want to make sure that there is nothing that they're going to spread to any other animal in the shelter," he says.

If their health holds up, these very cute and friendly animals will be ready for adoption in about a month.