Nearly 140 Cats and Dogs Flown From Overcrowded Shelters to Help Them Find Forever Homes

While summer is a season many of us relish, it’s also a very tough time for animal shelters. During the summer months, overcrowding can be a serious problem. Multiple shelters in the South are getting a helping hand to address their full facilities, which will also help pets in need find the homes they deserve.

On August 30, 139 dogs and cats were transferred from more than half a dozen packed shelters in Louisiana and Alabama, including Iberville Parish Shelter and Animal Control, as part of Greater Good Charities’ Good Flights program. The Animal Rescue Site, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and NBCUniversal Local partnered on the effort, which is also affiliated with NBC and Telemundo stations’ 2022 Clear The Shelters pet adoption and donation campaign. Throughout Clear the Shelters, we fundraised almost $500,000 and flew out nearly 300 pets over two flights. This was helped along by your donations.

Noah Horton, Chief Operating Officer at Greater Good Charities, says, “The Clear The Shelters Fund wouldn’t happen without the generosity of The Animal Rescue Site, who donate the platform and cover 100% of all transaction fees so every cent of every donation makes its way to the shelters. No other donation platform does this. For those looking to help shelter pets year round, every action on The Animal Rescue Site gives back—from shopping or clicking to donating directly.”

Those involved with these life-saving flights say the work accomplished, which you help fund, means the world to shelter pets and those that care for them.

Rebecca Lirette, Assistant to the Director of the Iberville Parish Animal Shelter, explains, “In Louisiana, we’re at critical capacity in the animal shelters, and these Good Flight programs truly save lives. Right now, people aren’t adopting, unfortunately, in Louisiana. The economy has affected everyone, so transports like this are critical, they’re life saving. Without these transports, people like me in the animal shelters would have to make some really tough decisions when it comes to capacity, space, and quality of care, and we don’t like to make those decisions.”

Ready to offer space and quality care to these Louisiana pets are multiple shelters across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Virginia. Hill’s Pet Nutrition is donating more than 6,000 pounds of food to both the sending and receiving shelters, as well.

Among the animals headed to a new life is Dobby, a puppy who was rescued from the middle of a busy road during rush hour. At the time, she was hairless, covered in scabs, and emaciated. Rescuers said despite the circumstances, though, she had the sweetest eyes. Her foster, Megan Zigler, has taken the best care of her that she can, and now she’s happy to see Dobby get all that she needs for a happy ending.

Zigler says, “She has full body demodex, but with the help of GreaterGood, we are getting fixed up in a new home.”

On the feline side, a special kitten named Jania Jackson was also along for the ride. This sweet black feline is the lone survivor of a stray dog attack. Her mother died protecting her two-day-old litter from the dog, and though all five kittens were alive at the time of the rescue and were cared for around the clock, Jania is the only one who pulled through. Despite this rough beginning, she has a zest for life.

Shelter workers say, “She was not the biggest kitten, but the little broken-tailed black cat has the biggest heart. She grew strong and was fostered in a home full of children, dogs and even a cranky senior cat. She traveled to work with her foster mom, was baby sat by the kids during the summer and even traveled to the nursing home to brighten the day of its residents. Jania Jackson never met a stranger she didn’t like, and leaves all she encounters with a smile on their face. She is much loved and we are so glad that she will find a wonderful loving home through the Good Flights program.”

A feisty fellow feline is also ready to search for her new home after her arrival. Laramie was caught in a cat trap, and rescuers say she voiced her displeasure by hissing and grumbling at the animal control officer the entire ride to the shelter. In fact, the officers said she had more fight in her than four tomcats.

This fiery temper persisted any time someone cleaned her kennel, until finally the shelter director said, “Let me go check on this one-pound man eater!” She took Laramie home for foster care, where this little kitten learned to be slightly more well-mannered alongside some helpful dogs and a cat mentor. Now, she’s ready for a permanent home.

Thanks in part to your contributions, these three sweet girls and more than 100 other pets are headed to better opportunities!

Check out the video below to see them fly up north!