Dog Found Alive Inside Washing Machine After Texas Flood Stuns Rescuers

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Trapped in a Washer, Dog Miraculously Survives Texas Flood and Reunites with Family:

When floodwaters from the Guadalupe River tore through Hunt, Texas in the middle of the night, the Vlasek family faced an unimaginable ordeal. Cody Vlasek, just 18 years old, and his parents woke up to rising waters inside their home. Within minutes, it had reached waist level. Forced to act quickly, they escaped for higher ground—but in the panic and darkness, their beloved blue heeler was lost. As the water surged and destroyed homes across Kerr County, the family feared the worst.

Couple stands in their home destroyed by Texas Hurricane

Days later, as the river finally receded, Cody returned to what remained of their house. Though it was built 30 feet beyond the official 100-year floodplain, the home was in ruins—walls torn apart, furniture scattered, and debris everywhere. Picking through the wreckage, Cody entered the home through a shattered window. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a noise: faint scratching and a soft whimper coming from the back of the house.

Shining his flashlight into the laundry room, Cody couldn’t believe his eyes. Inside a washing machine, partially filled with dirty floodwater, floated their missing dog—alive. Trembling and soaked, the blue heeler had somehow managed to find shelter in the washer, which had sealed enough to trap air and act as an accidental life raft during the disaster. “I saw him just floating in the washer,” Cody said, still in disbelief.

The dog’s miraculous survival is just one of many stories emerging from flood-ravaged Kerr County, where neighborhoods were swallowed by the river overnight. Animal rescue teams, including those from Austin Pets Alive! and Kerrville Pets Alive!, immediately mobilized. Volunteers worked tirelessly to locate and rescue displaced animals, combing through neighborhoods and setting traps to find those left behind.

One volunteer, Sherry Sweeney, dedicated her time to finding lost cats. In Ingram, she successfully captured a soot-covered tabby named Rambo, who was later reunited with his emotional family. “I can’t help with anything else, but I can help with their pets,” she told NPR.

At Kerrville Pets Alive’s emergency clinic, veterinarian Dr. Mallory Cade and her team examined countless rescued animals. Shelter co-founder Karen Guerriero described these moments as “healing”—not just for the pets, but for the families who, after losing everything, were finally reunited with someone they love.

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