More than 100 cats and dogs provided shelter after airlift

HOLLAND – A dozen organizations across Michigan will provide shelter to 140 cats and dogs that arrived at the West Michigan regional airport from Louisiana on Wednesday.

The life-saving transport was organized by the Bissell Pet Foundation and the Harbor Humane Society of West Olive.

“We work closely with the Bissell Pet Foundation,” said Jen Self Aulgur, Executive Director of Harbor Humane. be interested in doing ground logistics on a transfer flight.

“We are always ready to help more animals and to collaborate with other organizations, so we were able to involve a dozen shelters and the Bissell Pet Foundation found hundreds of animals that needed to come out of shelters.”

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Overcrowded shelters have become an increasingly common problem in southern states like Louisiana, as extreme weather conditions leave many cats and dogs homeless.

“There aren’t a lot of adoptions and the conditions tend to be bad,” Self Aulgur said. “Transferring animals from the southern states has been something we’ve been doing for years.

“Right now, we wanted to move these animals before the summer storm season, because we’re already starting to see it in Louisiana. We wanted to get out of them as much as possible before they got flooded again.”

Harbor Humane will provide shelter for 17 transport dogs. Other participating shelters include Delta Animal Shelter, Hearts of Hope, Great Lakes Humane Society, Huron Humane Society, SPCA of Southwest Michigan, Humane Society of Monroe County, and Lenawee Humane Society – among others.

“They will be assessed both medically and behaviorally over the next few days,” Self Aulgur said. “And they will be available for adoption as early as next week.”

Heavy expenses usually limit shelters in organizing rescue flights. Harbor Humane, for example, typically provides ground transportation from the southern states in the organization’s rescue van.

“It’s extremely expensive,” Self Aulgur said of the flights. “But it is often easier for the animals because it takes the longest. It is about a 24 hour trip in our van, and it can be stressful for both the animals and the animals. people who drive.

“We are very grateful to the Bissell Pet Foundation for sponsoring this flight and working with their donors to make sure this happens.”

Self Aulgur urges households to consider adopting or fostering a pet. She receives dozens of calls and emails daily from other shelters seeking help.

“Shelters everywhere are overcrowded,” she said. “They are begging us to take animals because they have to euthanize. We weren’t euthanizing, but we have a dog that has been with us for over 220 days. If you are looking to bring a friend into your life, now is the perfect time. “

For those who cannot bring home a pet, shelters like Harbor Humane are looking for donations of money or items.

“We can’t do this without the community,” Self Aulgur said. “I want to emphasize how blessed and lucky we are to be here. We are asking for help and this community is responding. We are definitely asking for help again.”

To learn more, visit harbourhumane.org.

– Contact journalist Cassandra Lybrink at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.