FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Dozens of stray dogs and cats now have a new home thanks to some local rescue organizations.
“We’re flying 54 lucky pets from Miami-Dade County Animal Services to Toronto,” said Wings of Rescue President and CEO Ric Browde.
Wings of Rescue and Friends of Miami Animals Foundation stepped in Wednesday to help with the overflow of pets at Miami-Dade Animal Services and sent them off to their new homes at Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary 1,500 miles away in Toronto, Canada.
“There are some elderly pets, some senior citizens on this flight, some big dogs, which are the hardest dogs to adopt because so many people live in apartments and have 20 pound limits and things like that,” said Browde. “Well, they’re going to Toronto. They’re going to be on Yonge Street and having a great time.”
The pandemic has kept Wings of Rescue volunteers busy over the last year. Despite not being paid, they’ve managed to get 90 flights from six different countries to give more than 7,400 precious pets a new lease on life.
In an effort to curb the rise in stray animals, Miami-Dade Animal Services is asking locals to do everything they can to help. “The community asked for a no-kill shelter, and we’ve delivered that already, but the real solution is not just what happens at Miami-Dade Animal Services,” said Interim Director of Miami-Dade Animal Services Lorna Mejia Lopez. “The real solution happens in the community. Getting pets sterilized, responsibly re-homing pets before they come into the shelter and doing what they can to help the pets at the shelter.”
Later this month, Wings of Rescue said that it plans to fly its 60,000th pet to a new life since the organization was founded back in 2012.
If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at wingsofrescue.org.
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