On Sunday, 32 pets rescued and sheltered by local authorities returned to their owners following the flooding in the municipality of Chalco, México state.

“My dog is already 8 years old and has been with me for a long time,” María Alejandra, who lost her pet during the flooding, told the newspaper El Financiero. “I am truly grateful that they [the shelter] gave it back to me. I have no words.”

Over the course of the Chalco flooding disaster, the State Commission of Natural Parks and Fauna (Cepanaf) rescued 135 pets with and without owners. The commission provided the animals with food and veterinary care for two weeks with the support of animal welfare groups.

All rescued animals received deworming, rabies vaccine and other first-line vaccines. Moreover, authorities provided rations of  kibble, wet food and additional dewormer.

“This is the first time that a government carries out something like this, supporting dogs and cats, with or without owners, that were vulnerable due to the floods,” Cepanaf chief Alma Diana Tapia Maya told El Financiero. “It is a dream come true that these little ones were able to return safe and sound to their home. It is a very enriching experience,” she said.

The state government reported that the remaining 66 rescued animals without owners will be given for adoption through Caravans for Animal Welfare, a program developed by Cepanaf.

Why did Chalco flood?

In August, thousands of residents in Chalco lived in dire conditions for over four weeks due to severe sewage flooding triggered by unusual torrential rains. The ongoing disaster led to widespread health concerns, forced evacuations and increasing demands for government intervention.

According to local authorities, the colossal flooding was caused by a huge garbage plug 50 meters wide by 2.4 meters deep in the Solidaridad Storm Drain.

However, Greenpeace México disagrees.

“What we are seeing in Chalco is the result of water and city management that is far from sustainable,” Greenpeace México said in a statement following the floods. “We have been calling [the government] for sustainable management of cities and water for years, and for corporations to be required by law to take responsibility for the plastic pollution they generate,” the statement said. “What have the state and federal governments done?”

On Friday, the neighborhoods of Jacalones and Culturas de México were once again affected when foul-smelling water gushed out of the drainage system and entered homes. The newspaper La Jornada reported that residents are once again struggling to evacuate it.

“This is our reality now,” Ricardo Carreño Marroquín, a resident in Chalco, told La Jornada. “It drizzles briefly, and the water quickly goes up. It is very frustrating to live like this. We are very tired, and the situation is very difficult. We are physically and emotionally exhausted” he stressed.

With reports from El Financiero, El Sol de Toluca, La Jornada and Infobae