MADISON, Wis. — Damage caused by Tropical Storm Hilary forced a California animal shelter to close, as it was deemed “inaccessible to the public.”
Now, 20 dogs that were previously staying at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus are being transferred to the Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) in Wisconsin.
Several animal welfare organizations worked together to fund the transfer. The dogs will be flown via chartered plane.
“We are very happy to partner with Wings of Rescue and Riverside County Department of Animal Services to help these dogs find new beginnings in Wisconsin,” said Lisa Bernard, DCHS’ public relations coordinator.
All 20 dogs will be available for adoption in Wisconsin.
“When it comes to pet adoptions, every day is critical for ensuring that the pets in our care will have a positive outcome. With our Coachella Valley campus closed, our top concern was that the animals, especially our large dogs, could languish in the shelter without a chance for a new and loving home,” said Erin Gettis, director, Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
Most of the dogs being transferred to Wisconsin are German Shepherds and Siberian Huskies.
Gettis said large dogs are a primary contributor to overcrowding at animal shelters — both in Riverside County and around the U.S. Large dogs are commonly found at shelters for many reasons, including but not limited to “housing and financial limitations and a lifestyle that is not compatible with the needs of larger, more energetic dogs.”
Animal service officials in California said shelters were already overcrowded before the storm — particularly in Riverside County.
“Shelters and rescues continue to struggle with high intakes, overcrowding, and slower adoptions. We know how much our community cares about animals. We hope they will open their homes or tell their family and friends about the amazing pups arriving at DCHS looking for new homes so we can continue to save more lives,” Bernard said.
The 20 dogs heading to Wisconsin to find fur-ever homes were temporarily housed at the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus before heading to the Ontario International Airport. Wings of Rescue met the dogs at the airport and helped board them on the plane. Wings of Rescue is "a nonprofit volunteer organization that transports pets to safety via chartered flights."
“Wings of Rescue flies wherever we’re needed to help at-risk pets and, in this case, we’re thrilled to be taking mostly large dogs today,” said Ric Browde, president and CEO of Wings of Rescue. “Big dogs can be hard to place into new homes and we know these wonderful pets from the County of Riverside are going to new homes in Wisconsin, where there happens to be greater demand. Sometimes the only thing standing between an unwanted pet in one place and a new home somewhere else is a flight on one of our planes.”
Wings of Rescue said all dogs were in separate crates for the flight and had access to water during the trip. Plus, all dogs are fully vaccinated. The plane is fully pressurized; temperatures are controlled to ensure the dogs’ comfort during the flight.
Their flight left after 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14. They are expected to arrive in Wisconsin this afternoon. The flight is piloted by husband-and-wife pilots Kale and Anji Garcia.
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