North Shore Animal League America greeted a plane full of kittens and puppies Thursday, Oct. 23, at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, marking another successful life-saving animal transport.
The aircraft, part of the Race To The Rescue initiative and funded by the Bissell Pet Foundation, flew the animals from overcrowded shelters in Louisiana to Long Island. Humane relocation efforts like this help free up space in Southern shelters so they can care for more animals in need.
“What makes this different is that we’re working with the Bissell Foundation to get animals from shelters that are overcrowded in Louisiana, but need desperate help getting them out of the shelters so they could make room for more animals that need placement,” said Karla Scaramuzzo, senior rescue manager from North Shore Animal League America. “So by flying these animals up to New York, we can find them homes and they can go back down and get more animals that are at risk for euthanasia.”
The Animal League America Rescue Team received 19 animals on the tarmac and transported them via the organization’s Mobile Adoption Unit to its Port Washington campus. Once there, the animals will undergo medical and behavioral evaluations, be groomed and eventually placed for adoption.
Several local rescue groups were also on site to pick up animals destined for their care. The event is part of a larger effort pioneered by North Shore Animal League America to transport adoptable animals to partner shelters across the country.
The Race To The Rescue program, launched in 2021 by Race for Life Rescue, works with pilots, donors, and volunteers to rescue animals from overcrowded shelters, disaster zones and other unsafe environments, ensuring they find safe, loving homes.
For more information, visit www.animalleague.org.
