The task facing the Oklahoma animal welfare community is massive: not only are there lost pets who must be rescued and cared for until they can be reunited with their family, but many families have no way to care for their pets now that they have lost their homes.

When we heard about the hundreds of pets displaced by the Moore tornado, we knew we had to act. Here’s what we are doing to help:

• We immediately sent a team of associates from our Oklahoma City pet care center to the community animal shelters to help find and care for lost pets. To help fill the immediate need for food, bedding, and leashes and collars, they filled a van with supplies from our facility. And, they announced they would board pets free of charge for families who have lost their homes and cannot keep their pets with them.

• The company launched a system-wide effort to raise funds for the support of the pets until the can be reunited with their families. We worked with one of our suppliers, MWI, to have veterinary supplies drop shipped to Oklahoma City.

• Our two Illinois centers organized a community drive for food, bottled water, bedding, towels and sheets, and medications and veterinary supplies. They filled two trucks with the donations and drove them to Oklahoma City this week.

• Best Friends associates from as far away as New Jersey have traveled to Oklahoma City to help with the search for lost pets and in the animals shelters.

Organizations being supported through our outreach efforts include the Central Oklahoma Humane Society, the Edmond Animal Shelter, the Animal Resource Center and the Moore Animal Shelter. Though very grateful for all the support, the shelter volunteers tell us more will be needed a just a couple of weeks. So, we are continuing to accept monetary donations at our centers nationwide.

If you want to help, please call or visit the Best Friends center near you.