East Bay Charity Flies Animals Away From Hurricane Harvey Shelters

More than 300 animals from shelters in the area devastated by Hurricane Harvey and the flooding in its aftermath are being flown to California, Washington, Oregon and New Jersey to help make space for pets rescued from flooded neighborhoods, according to Livermore-based Wings of Rescue, a flight charity devoted to animals.

"By flying them out, displaced dogs from the flooding in Houston and western Louisiana will have safety where they can be reunited with their family," the organization said.

A Wings of Rescue flight Monday took

88 dogs and 20 cats from Acadiana Animal Aid in Lafayette to San Diego, the group said.

"We've been told that the hurricane pet victims will begin arriving in Lafayette almost immediately after these pets leave," said John Van Zante of Rancho Coastal Humane Society, Encinitas.

On Tuesday, the volunteer pilots will depart San Antonio with 100 dogs headed to Oregon and Washington, and Wednesday, 100 dogs from San Antonio are bound for Morristown, NJ.

The timing of the rescue is fortuitous. A Clear the Shelters event earlier this month sent hundreds of dogs to their forever homes making way for the furry Harvey refugees.

The cats, kittens, dogs and puppies are not victims of the storm and will be available for adoption.

--Sue Schena, Kristina Houck and Scott McDonald (Patch Staff) contributed to this post/Images via Wings of Rescue

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