Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/pets-on-largest-rescue-flight-pawsxpacific/
Tourism has come to a halt in Hawaii due to COVID-19, leaving beaches empty, but overflowing animal shelters with homeless cats and dogs.
Shelters rely on tourists to adopt and the flights to help transport shelter pets to the mainland to find forever homes. Due to the global pandemic and an extended kitten season, shelters are over capacity and need help now.
With fewer people able to adopt or foster in the area, the only solution was to find a way to get hundreds of healthy cats and dogs off the islands – so a rescue mission of historic proportions was created.
Paws Across the Pacific, the largest pet rescue flight in history, will save 642 shelter pets in Hawaii by flying them to shelters with people ready to adopt.
A senior dog gored by a wild boar, a longtime shelter cat who became a surrogate mother to orphaned kittens, and a shy senior coonhound are just three of the passengers on the chartered Hercules C-130 plane getting a new lease on life.
Reita, a 9-year-old beagle mix, arrived at Kauai Humane Society after being gored by a wild boar. The sweet girl has spent the past six months in a foster home recovering physically and emotionally. Her foster family discovered she is mostly deaf but it doesn’t stop her from enjoying life to the fullest. She loves the beach and even knows a few hand signals.
Lady Bug arrived at the shelter with a litter of sick kittens found in a Good Samaritan’s garage. The loving mother cared for her kittens and then nursed a litter of orphans. All the kittens have found homes and sweet mama is just waiting for her turn. The 5-year-old feline would love a home that allows her to set the pace. While she loves other cats and being patted, she doesn’t like to be held.
A 10-year-old coonhound named Sadie Lou was found with a severe skin infection and missing most of her hair. It was obvious the shy girl had a rough life and just wanted a soft bed and someone to love her. She takes some time to warm up to people but once she does she is super affectionate. All she wants is a family of her own to enjoy her golden years.
GreaterGood Charities, The Animal Rescue Site, and Wings of Rescue are working with FEMA, Hawaii Emergency Management, USDA, and the Hawaii Veterinarian’s Association to arrange the life-saving historic flight. But we need your help!
On October 29, 2020, the plane will pick up 157 dogs and 525 cats from several islands in Hawaii and fly them across the Pacific to Seattle, where they will continue on to shelters in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
Just $25 helps cover the fuel costs of flying a pet 625 miles. John R. Peterson Foundation is generously TRIPLING donations up to $150,000, meaning every $1 donated funds $3 to help fly shelter pets to safety.
In addition to rescuing dogs and cats, the plane will deliver much-needed medical and essential supplies to Hawaii shelters to help care for the remaining pets. Click here to help us stock the plane with soft blankets, enrichment toys, food bowls, and tasty treats for shelter pets in need. These little comforts make homeless dogs and cats feel loved while they wait for their special someone.
This historic rescue mission is a team effort and none of this would be possible without your generous donations, so thank you! The hundreds of cats and dogs that will be saved thank you as well.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
