On Saturday, Aug. 28, at approximately 10:50 a.m., a jet carrying about 40 orphan cats and 25 orphan dogs landed at Gillespie Fields in El Cajon. Organized in just under 24 hours by Greater Good Charities, the plane was on an emergency mission. Hurricane Ida has Louisiana and Mississippi parishes in its sights and, with evacuation notices on the ready, overburdened area shelters have no safe place to house their homeless animals. Helen Woodward Animal Center is assisting with this evacuation and seeks the public’s help in securing temporary foster families for the latest arrivals, according to a Woodward Center news release.
On the eve of the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida is heading toward Louisiana in a familiar pattern. Predicted to hit the state on Sunday, Aug. 29, as a Category 4 hurricane, evacuations are in order. Like the rest of the country, area shelters are already stretched beyond capacity and many are the in the path of the oncoming storm, the news release stated.
Erin Robbins, Greater Good Charities director of Pet Transport Program Good Flights
(Courtesy of Helen Woodward Animal Center)
For shelters hoping to withstand Ida’s destruction, concerns for residents in need of evacuation also loom large. Families needing to leave their homes and take cover are concerned about where to house their pets and county facilities want to provide a space. Getting orphan pets out to willing shelters opens up kennel spaces for resident’s pets, guaranteeing a reunion when the storm passes.
Greater Good Charities Director of Pet Transport Program Good Flights Erin Robbins explained the crucial nature of the evacuation in the news release. “I was receiving non-stop calls from area shelters. At least three of the individuals I spoke to were in tears. One of the Louisiana shelters is under construction so their current temporary location is on local fairgrounds in the cow stalls. They are literally outside with a hurricane on its way. It’s a time when we truly wish every home that is able would open up their hearts to foster. If we could open up more spaces in San Diego, I would turn this plane around and send it back out to pick up 300 more.”
“Greater Good Charities reached out to us yesterday, hoping we could help,” explained Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoption Services Director Hella Tyler in the news release. “This is one of those moments when animal rescue really becomes a life-saving mission. Without a place to put these dogs and cats, many of these orphan pets would face a tragic end. We couldn’t say no.”
This is not the first time Helen Woodward Animal Center has jumped in to assist hurricane victims across the country. In 2005, the Center aided with the transportation and placement of Hurricane Katrina orphan animal victims. In 2012, following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, 60 pets from Save-A-Pet in Long Island and Delco SPCA in Delaware County, Penn., found a safe haven at the Center. Following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Center staff were on the ground to help and thanks to the generosity of Southwest Airlines, 64 of the rescued Houston orphan dogs and cats were flown across the country and greeted by Center staff and foster families. the news release stated.
Now Helen Woodward Animal Center is doing what it can to make room for Louisiana and Mississippi pets before Hurricane Ida touches land. In fact, today’s efforts were truly an example of people coming together for a common good. In addition to the extraordinary efforts of Greater Good Charities and the rescue work of shelters in Lafourche. St Charles, Acadiana, St Martin, Iberville and Cara’s house, the pilots who flew to Gillespie field this morning were each volunteering their services.
Said Tyler of the incredible group effort, “It’s amazing what hearts can do when they come together.”
The orphan pets who arrived Saturday, Aug. 28 are currently receiving health checks and will be scheduled for vaccinations, spays and neuters and any other necessary dental or health treatments. Until these pets are ready to go available for adoption, Helen Woodward Animal Center is in urgent need of temporary foster homes. To help or for more information log on to https://ift.tt/2WCOxh7, call 858-756-4117 x375, or visit Helen Woodward Animal Center at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe. — Helen Woodward Animal Center news release
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