Volunteer Pilots Rescue Stranded Animals In Louisiana Flooding

Disaster always seems to strike when you least expect it and no matter how prepared you think you may be for devastating circumstances, a little help from others can go a very long way.

That’s exactly why when Theresa Ink learned of the deadly and dangerous flooding in Louisiana, she knew she couldn’t just sit aside and wait for someone to ask her for help. Ink is the founder of PAWS of Lee County in southwest Florida, an animal clinic that offers affordable spay and neutering, as well as finding pets forever homes.

For the past couple of years, Ink has been bringing dogs from St. Landry Parish Animal Control near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to take some of the pressure off this overpopulated shelter to find the dogs homes.

“We’re going to have to help,” Ink decided and told TODAY. “I said I want to bring 50 dogs from Louisiana.” Although she had made up her mind, this hero also knew she couldn’t do it on her own and placed the request with Pilots N Paws, a nonprofit group of more than 5,000 volunteer pilots that transport roughly 15,000 shelter animals to places they will not be at risk for euthanization, according to executive director Kate Quinn.

“During a natural disaster, such as the flooding in Louisiana, our mission is compounded because not only are we providing lifesaving flights for homeless animals, but we’re also freeing up desperately needed space so that pets can have safe shelter while their owners work to rebuild their lives,” Quinn told TODAY. “Taking this concern off the minds of the victims of the flooding is the least we can do.”

About 30 dogs and cats were soon flown to Florida by Pilots N Paws, as well as another 60 plus pets who were driven for two days by Jim Dwyer, co-founder of the nonprofit It’s a Dog’s Life Rescue Transport Inc.

“My mind and body was a little on the worn out side,” said Dwyer. “My heart and my spirit was feeling pretty darn good.”

The rescued animals have been placed at a number of shelters across Florida, including Gulf Coast Humane Society in Ft. Meyers, Florida, who took in 29 dogs and five cats. Pilots N Paws soon returned to fly back more animals, after they are popping up daily.

“It’s truly like watching a miracle,” said Stacey Alleman-McKnight, executive director of St. Landry Parish Animal Control. “They didn’t owe these animals anything. To think, there’s people out there that just want to do something good.”

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[Featured Image: Facebook / St. Landry Parish Animal Control]

Volunteer Pilots Rescue Stranded Animals In Louisiana Flooding is an article from: LifeDaily