They feared their pet dog was lost forever after floods destroyed their home — then one look inside the washing machine changed everything
A family woke up to the horror of water levels rising inside their home when a nearby river flooded an entire neighborhood in Texas. Cody Vlasek and his parents had only minutes to escape as the floodwaters from the Guadalupe River ravaged through in the wee hours of the night. Unfortunately, their pet dog was left behind, and the family had no hopes of reuniting with him amidst the natural disaster—until the pet owner revisited their wrecked home, to a miraculous survival story.
The 18-year-old and his family had to flee as the water levels kept rising in Kerr County, Hunt. They moved to higher ground on a hill and could not return until days later, when the floodwaters had drained out. Soon, Vlasek headed over to his home with a flashlight in hand to rummage through the ruined furniture and broken walls of what was once their home. He investigated the debris for a while before leaving. While it may have seemed pointless initially, Vlasek was grateful he returned to check later, as reported by iHeartDogs. He heard a faint whimpering from the back of his house, in the laundry room.
Their pet dog, a Blue Heeler, was hiding inside a washer for days. The poor animal had somehow survived the calamity by staying afloat on a washing machine half-filled with floodwater. He was cold and trembling, but the dog’s survival instinct shone brighter. Vlasek stood dumbfounded as he watched his missing dog alive amid the wreckage. “I saw him just floating there in the washer,” he told Kens 5. “You can replace a house, but you can’t replace lives.”
Since the flood, several people and pets in the county have gone missing or have been displaced. NPR reported 120 people lost their lives, while another 170 remain missing. The Vlasek family is, however, glad that they found their missing dog unharmed. Meanwhile, rescue teams and vets have been working tirelessly to help those affected by the natural disaster and provide relief. Sherry Sweeney, a rescue volunteer with nonprofit Austin Pets Alive!, is contributing by finding lost cats and missing pets in Ingram. “I would want someone to do it for me. I can’t help with anything else, but I can help with their pets,” she told NPR. The Vlasek family’s reunion with their pet is one of the many rescue stories that overwhelmed the US state in July 2025.
According to a report by Blue Cross, pet owners must be cautious not to leave their pets behind in the event of a natural calamity, such as floods. Smaller pets can be transported safely in carriers. During an emergency when there’s no choice but to leave them behind, it is advised that they be left shut inside a room upstairs with food supplies and a notice outside informing any rescuer about the pet. Additionally, the animal must be microchipped with up-to-date information to help rescue teams reunite it with its owner.