Marin Humane To Welcome Animals From Hurricane Irma

NOVATO, CA -- Eighty animals from Florida will be welcomed to Oakland Friday by some Golden State Warriors players before going to area shelters who will put them up for adoption, shelter officials said.

The 40 cats and 40 dogs will be welcomed at Oakland International Airport at about 3 p.m. and some will be taken to Marin Humane at 171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd. in Novato.

"It's very exciting," Marin Humane spokeswoman Lisa Bloch said.

They're expected to arrive at Marin Humane at about 4 p.m. Others will be taken to San Francisco Animal Care & Control, Hopalong Animal Rescue in Oakland and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County.

Shelter officials said the animals were loaded onto a plane by players with the Miami Heat professional basketball team.

Out of courtesy, Fedex is flying the animals to California in a
cargo jet.

The animals were waiting for adoption in Florida before Hurricane Irma ravaged the state. They're coming to the Bay Area to make room for animals that were lost in the hurricane.

"Thing are getting backed up fast," Bloch said, regarding the Miami-Dade Animals Services Pet Adoption and Protection Center and the Florida Keys SPCA.

To make room for the dogs and cats coming to its shelter, Marin Humane will be waving adoption fees for one week for animals already in its shelter.

Adoption fees for dogs and cats usually range from $100 to $250 dollars, Bloch said.

--Bay City News; Photo credit: Nhandler via WikiMedia Commons