PAWHUSKA, Okla. — Nearly 10 months after the Barnsdall tornado, the last of the more than 50 dogs rescued by 4-Paws Pawhuska Animal Shelter are home.
Like so many families in Barnsdall, the Swansons needed a safe place for their dogs to go while they focused on rebuilding.
“I don’t know what we would have done without her,” said Sandra Swanson.
Shelter operator Susie Owens has loved and cared for the Swanson’s pups Boliver and Sky since May.
“I would do the same thing for Pawhuska if a tornado hit,” said Owens. “They needed a place to go. The families were trying to take care of themselves. The least I could do is take care of the animals.”
4-Paws opened just a month before the tornado. Owens said she feels blessed the timing aligned and she had the space for all of the animals in need.
She rescued 51 dogs, 4 cats and 6 chickens whose owners had been displaced.
2 News spoke to Owens days after her massive rescue operation.
Ten months later, she says it’s bittersweet to let the last of them go.
“Sad because they’re gone, but I’m glad, you know, they need to go,” she said.
Owens takes on most of the shelter work alone, with a few volunteers here and there. 2 News Oklahoma’s Stef Manchen asked Owens why she does it.
“Somebody has to,” she said. “They deserve a chance. So I try to bring them in here. We get them healthy, we get them spayed, we get them neutered. They’re up for adoption. We put them on our website… They just deserve a second chance. And I’m the lucky one because I get to spend my day with these animals.
The Swansons, like so many in the tight-knit Barnsdall community, made just enough progress to get their pets back but are still rebuilding.
“We got a trailer house just about a month ago, and we’re not even beginning to move in there,” said Sandra. “We’ve still got the whole garage full of stuff to go through and everything. It’s a total mess.”
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But, in all that time, to know Sky and Boliver were safe and sound, was a load off the Swanson’s plate.
“Complete relief,” said Sandra. “I knew they were fed and out of the weather and stuff…. She’s got the biggest heart there is, I don’t know anyone that has a bigger one.”
Owens tells me many of the dogs who come to 4-Paws have extended stays.
That’s why she and her board are raising funds to build a fence around their property to give the dogs space to run around. Owens said it’s also imperative for them to give the dogs more socialization to get them adopted out.
Their goal is $12,000. Owens said anything helps.
Another project they’re working on is securing a property next door to build a dog park for the city of Pawhuska.
Owens said she plans to go before the city council and ask for the land. She already has a partnership in the works with the church and the Boy Scouts who will do all of the labor to get that going.
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