The Lawrence Humane Society is expecting a special shipment sometime soon — of Texas shelter pets displaced by Hurricane Harvey and ensuing flooding.

“We’re absolutely committed to taking as many animals as we can,” Lawrence Humane Society Executive Director Kate Meghji said. “I’m absolutely heartbroken for all the people in Houston and their poor pets.”

Meghji said Lawrence’s shelter expects Texas pets to arrive sometime next week.

The plan is for Texas shelter pets, which don’t already have owners, to be sent to other shelters around the country, Meghji said. That way Texas shelters that aren’t flooded can take in animals that were lost or separated from their owners in the storm there.

“That was a really big issue during (Hurricane) Katrina, is that everybody rushed in to help, and all these animals got sent all over the country and they never found their families again,” Meghji said.

Meghji said the Lawrence Humane Society, along with several others in this region, was communicating with the Houston SPCA, the agency leading pet-related efforts in the storm’s wake.

Since pets are coming from shelters — presumably with registration information and medical requirements for adoption already in place — Meghji said they should be ready for adoption soon after they arrive here.

Meghji said she’s still waiting to hear exactly when Texas pets may arrive, and also exactly how many Lawrence will have space to accept.

“I’m going to have to do some finagling this week,” she said. “If you’re looking to adopt a pet, now might be a really great time to do it so we can make space … or if you wait a week or so we’ll have some really great Texas pets.”

The Lawrence Humane Society is located at 1805 E. 19th St. Learn more about adoptions and see photos of available pets online at lawrencehumane.org.