In response to the hurricanes barreling through the Southeast in October, Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) twice partnered with Greater Good Charities, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, and other groups to airlift hundreds of impacted shelter pets to the Midwest to find new homes.
By stepping up, we’re not only helping these animals who were homeless before the hurricanes—we’re supporting our shelter colleagues across the nation who are in crisis, helping them free up precious space so they can care for displaced pets in their own communities.
In the first transport on October 2, more than 100 cats and dogs were flown from Lucky Dog's Rescue Campus in Florence, S.C. to Waukesha County Airport to make room for lost animals after Hurricane Helene. DCHS was proud to be one of eight shelters welcoming these pets, taking in 10 cats from this transport.
“Moving these adoptable animals makes critical space for pets separated from their families after Helene slammed the Southeast,” explains Lisa Bernard, DCHS’s Development & Communications Supervisor. "By participating in this effort, DCHS is helping keep these lost pets close to home so they have a chance of being reunited with their loved ones.”
But then Hurrican Milton struck soon after, and more assistance was needed. On October 12, DCHS, Greater Good Charities, Lucky Dog, and other groups partnered with Southwest Airlines for an emergency airlift of 145 shelter pets impacted by the storms. The aircraft used in this rescue flight was operating on a charter flight that Southwest donated as part of relief efforts.
The pets flown on this emergency airlift were in the care of animal shelters in Tennessee and Florida prior to the two hurricanes. To ensure their safety and enable the impacted organizations to serve their communities, these animals were transferred to Lucky Dog’s South Carolina Rescue Campus, which serves as a life-saving transport hub for pets in the South where pet overpopulation exceeds the capacity of local adoption. This emergency airlift allows Lucky Dog to support more displaced and injured pets from these disasters while they continue to support overcrowded animal shelters in impacted communities in the Southeast, including Florida.
Eight Wisconsin shelters, including DCHS, Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), Elmbrook Humane Society, The Washington County Humane Society, Humane Society of Jefferson County, Eau Claire Community Humane Association, Green County Humane Society, and One Tail at a Time, gathered at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wis. to welcome these pets.
"Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the hurricanes, and we're grateful we can play a small part in helping during such a difficult time," says DCHS’s Director of Marketing & Development, Amy Good. "By making space for displaced pets here, we’re allowing shelters in the impacted communities to focus on providing critical support to people and pets in need. We're committed to finding homes for these animals while their communities recover and rebuild."
After making the ride to Madison, our 17 pets were warmly greeted with cozy blankets, delicious food, and toys, all lovingly prepared by our team to help them feel right at home in Wisconsin while they waited to find their new families.
