BALTIMORE (WJZ) –  Recent storms not only caused a lot of damage, but they also led to a spike in the number of lost pets.

Monique Griego has more on how you can protect your furry friend.

For pet owners like Paulette Ross, dogs are like family.

“I love her just like she is my child,” said Ross.

So when little Cloee disappeared after a recent storm, Ross was devastated.

“I cried all day.  I’m going to be honest with you. I had a horrible night,” said Ross.

But Cloee wasn’t the only pet to wander off.  During last week’s heavy rain and flooding, the Maryland SPCA says the number of lost pets coming in more than doubled.

“It can be really disorienting during heavy winds and rain for animals who are out,” said Aileen Gabbey, Maryland SPCA.

Gabbey says rain water can wash away crucial clues.

“They might get confused.  They don’t have familiar scents to lead them back home and they end up lost,” she said.

She says if that happens to your dog, making sure it has identification — like a microchip — will always help you find it.

“You just need to be careful when the weather is rough that you are watching the door, and the pet can’t get out,” said Gabbey.

Ross never realized weather was such a threat. She’s lucky a Good Samaritan found Cloee and brought her to the SPCA.

“I fell to my knees I was so happy Cloee was rescued,” said Ross.

But happy endings aren’t always the outcome, so Ross and Gabbey both hope other pet owners take precautions.

The SPCA says all the pets brought into them have been reunited with their owners.  But they still have a lot of people calling in looking for missing pets.