San Diego welcomed about 100 dogs and cats Monday at Gillespie Field in El Cajon. The animals were displaced in Louisiana by Hurricane Laura.
The "Wings of Rescue" mission teamed up with the San Diego Humane Society, Rancho Coastal Humane Society and Labradors and Friends to process the animals and give them medical attention.
Volunteers, veterinarians, and staff from the three local shelters anxiously waited for the plane to touch down to get the dogs and cats processed and transported.
Gary Weitzman with the San Diego Humane Society said the arrival of the Wings of Rescue mission couldn’t have come at a better time as San Diegans are looking for pets to adopt more than ever.
“We can hardly keep up with the demand for animals right now, which is an amazing problem to have,” Weitzman said.
Rancho Coastal Humane Society, one of the shelters where the animals are going, said they plan on treating some of the animals for heartworm. They are also the only shelter who will be taking in cats and kittens.
All of the animals that arrived from Louisiana were already up for adoption in shelters but they had to be relocated to make room for all of the pets directly displaced by Hurricane Laura.
“It's a perfect example of how we all come together to respond to the needs of animals," said Judi Sanzo, president of Rancho Coastal Humane Society. "Whether they're in our own community or from a disaster area across the country. “
This Wings of Rescue mission is the first animal rescue operation to be done in San Diego since the beginning of the pandemic in March.
If you are interested in adopting one of the animals you can visit the San Diego Humane Society website.
