Tornado Leveled 75 Homes in Tiny Wisconsin Town but Every Pet Reported Missing Was Found
A tornado tore through Ringle, Wisconsin, on Friday afternoon, flattening homes across a community of fewer than 2,000 people. The destruction was staggering — but the detail from this story that deserves your attention is what happened next.
Volunteers with Fetch Foster Rescue mobilized to track down cats, dogs and other animals left stranded, separated from their owners or trapped in the wreckage. And as of the latest update, every pet that had been reported missing has now been found.
A Wisconsin Community Shattered, Then Rallied
The tornado carved through a heavily residential subdivision in Marathon County, damaging or destroying at least 75 homes in Ringle alone, with some structures leveled completely. Emergency crews reported that residents were temporarily trapped in basements as the storm passed, though all individuals were eventually located and rescued. Despite the severity of the destruction, authorities confirmed there were no fatalities or serious injuries.
Ringle Fire Chief Chris Kielman described the scope of the damage as unlike anything local officials have seen in decades.
“This is probably the worst area, it was a pretty lengthy area that the tornado traveled through, so we have been assessing a lot more than what we thought we had last night,” Kielman said.
Beyond homes, the tornado caused broader infrastructure damage, including downed trees, damaged power lines and gas shutoffs in affected neighborhoods. A nearby elementary school sustained minor damage, and displaced residents were directed to a temporary shelter at a local middle school as authorities worked to secure the area and restore essential services.
“Somebody is looking over us,” Kielman said. “Thank God that nobody got hurt. Homes are damaged, but we can help them repair them as a community, and I’m sure that will be happening from here on out.”
The Pet Rescue Operation in Ringle
With homes destroyed and families scrambling, animals became an immediate concern. Fetch Foster Rescue stepped in to take in pets from families who had nowhere to house them, focusing first on keeping the animals as relaxed and comfortable as possible while cleanup continued.
Season Schmitz, a volunteer with the organization, explained the overwhelming reality facing pet owners whose lives were upended overnight.
“Right now, we are just looking for huge placements. Families are like you’ve seen. The homes are destroyed,” Schmitz said, per WSAW-TV. “We’re only into day two so it’s a lot for them to even process and then to try to figure out where your fur family needs to go and be.”
Not every story ended happily. Schmitz revealed that some animals had to be put down because of injuries they suffered from the storms. But the broader picture carried a note of hope: to their knowledge, every pet reported missing had been located.
For anyone still searching for a pet who hasn’t yet contacted an animal organization, search and rescue teams have traps and cameras available to assist.
How People Can Help the Displaced Pets
Schmitz made a direct appeal to landlords and property owners who might typically restrict certain animals or breeds, asking them to consider temporary exceptions given the extraordinary circumstances.
“There’s a lot of individuals that own properties that rent that do not allow certain animals or certain breeds. Absolutely understandable. However, under this circumstance, accommodations, if they could be made, would be fantastic,” Schmitz said.
Fetch Foster Rescue is also accepting donations of pet supplies and food to support families fostering displaced animals. According to the organization’s website, “Our mission is to bring hope, healing, and second chances to dogs rescued from shelters, owner surrenders, puppy mills, and large-scale breeding operations within Wisconsin.”
Recovery and cleanup efforts began shortly after the storm, with damage assessments continuing as officials evaluated which homes could be safely reentered. In a town of fewer than 2,000 people where 75 homes were damaged or destroyed, the math is devastating — but the fact that no lives were lost and no pets remain missing tells you something about what this community did in its worst moment.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
