As if losing their home wasn't enough, a family living in a village in southeastern Illinois (United States) also saw 3 of their pets disappear: a particularly vulnerable dog and 2 cats. Luckily, the first one ended up being found safe and sound, reported People.
On June 17, 2026, the house of Connie And Jeff Bakerhas Teutopolishad been blown away and reduced to ruins by a violent tornado. The couple's 3 dogs and 2 cats then disappeared.
WCIA/YouTube
The couple had been pulled from the rubble by a group of tornado chasers, but the animals were nowhere to be found. 2 of the dogs, called Sat And Willowreturned on their own shortly after, but Winnie still missing. Welsh Corgi Pembroke aged 15, she is also hard of hearing, visually impaired and suffers from arthritis.
WCIA/YouTube
“ All I could do was cry because I thought I had lost her. This is my baby », confides Connie Baker has WCIA.
“She only had a small scratch on her nose”
The latter works for the Illinois Department of Transportation and had just discovered the dog under the rubble at 4 a.m. As there was no one there at that time, he took her to his house.
“ She only had a small scratch on her nose “, tell Stephanie Waldhoffherself a dog owner. She and her husband took care of Winnie before finding its owner and contacting her for a moving reunion.
WCIA/YouTube
In the meantime, Connie And Jeff Baker had moved in with their son in Mattoon50 kilometers from Teutopolis.
They are still looking for their two missing cats, one with an entirely black coat and the other with a black and white coat.
WCIA/YouTube
Woopets info: why do some animals disappear after a disaster?
When disaster strikes, a dog or cat's instinctive reaction may be to flee to escape danger. Loud noise, unusual odors and destruction of its environment can cause severe panic, even in a normally calm animal.
Frightened, he does not necessarily seek to rejoin his humans. He may hide in a place he considers safe, sometimes very close to his home, under debris, in a garage or dense vegetation. Some animals remain silent and do not respond to calls because they are in “survival mode”.
Disorientation also plays an important role. After a tornado or other violent event, usual landmarks may be gone, making returning difficult. Elderly, visually impaired or hearing impaired animals, such as Winniemay be even more vulnerable to these sudden changes.
This is why it is important to increase the number of search methods after a disaster: check nearby hiding places, ask for help from neighbors, contact animal shelters and services, use social networks, etc.