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Kentucky Man Rescues Pets Trapped In Homes During Major Flooding

April 8, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Woodford County, Kentucky.

As days of relentless rain caused severe flooding across Kentucky, one man stepped up in a big way to help his neighbors—and their beloved pets—through the crisis.

Kody Smith / Credit: @LEX18 News

Kody Smith, a Clifton resident, spent his Sunday navigating floodwaters to save dogs, cats and even kittens stranded by the rising water. With flood levels reaching rooftops and windows, Smith didn’t hesitate when he saw the need.

“I work for Stokley’s and I called my dad and the boss, and he said go up there and grab a boat and see what you can do to help,” Smith told LEX18.

Accompanied by a friend, Smith used a boat to reach several flooded homes, where animals had taken shelter from the surging waters.

“I hopped in the water and we got the one on this side and the one cat on the other side of the house,” Smith said. He explained that the distressed cats were “hollering” for someone to come to their aid.

Having once lived in lower Clifton himself, Smith empathized with families forced to evacuate quickly—often unable to bring their pets along in the chaos.

“You can’t ridicule somebody for leaving a pet and getting their family out, but that is why we came down here,” he explained.

In one particularly dramatic rescue, Smith described arriving just in time to save animals clinging to life inside a flooded home.

“We went into the window on the left, parked the boat on the roof, and they were floating in a tote bin,” he recalled.

Watch the local news video below.