Flying toward a Better Future

On Wednesday, July 30, animals from the Los Angeles area were flown from FliteServ at Long Beach Airport to shelters in the Pacific Northwest. Wings of Rescue, Shelter Me, and Bark Avenue Foundation partnered with shelters and animal control services from Los Angeles, Orange County, Lancaster, and Long Beach to transport 150 dogs and a few cats. Many of the dogs were small breeds that are popular in the Pacific Northwest and plentiful in Southern California.

"I would love the day when we never have to do a transport," said Steven Latham, founder of Shelter Me. A future free of animal transports would mean a animal population and ultimately less euthanasia, a practice employed by many shelters due to overcrowding.

According to Latham, it costs a mere $75 to transport each animal and 100% of the animals transported in the past have been adopted. For those who want to get involved but are unable to participate in transports, Latham advocates contacting local shelters. Other than adopting animals and volunteering, shelters typically are in need of newspapers, blankets, food, leashes, collars, and cleaning supplies.

Long Beach Airport was on hand to provide doggy bandanas for some of the puppy passengers and to wish them all a safe trip. The animals were transported on a charter plane. Those interested in donating for future transports can visit Fly Me Home.

Dottie and Steve love their new bandanas.

Wings of Rescue: saving the day, one animal at a time.

Volunteers loaded the precious cargo with care.