45 Shelter Dogs Fly From Louisiana To Morristown Airport (PICS)

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Forty-five very good boys and girls flew Tuesday from Louisiana to Morristown Airport and got a new lease on life. The dogs became the latest beneficiaries of a program that's helped more than 1,600 pooches from at-risk shelters find loving homes in one year.

The St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, which picked up the dogs from the airport, celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Good Flights program. The endeavor aims to reduce euthanasia in overcrowded southern shelters by preventing and treating canine heartworm disease, while transporting asymptomatic, heartworm-positive dogs to safety.

Of the more than 1,600 dogs rescued, nearly 500 asymptomatic, heartworm-positive dogs received treatment for the disease and were adopted into loving homes. St. Hubert's was among the program's partners who received the dogs and sought homes for them.

“In its first year, Save a Heart, a life-saving initiative of our Good Flights program, has saved hundreds of at-risk shelter dogs that would have otherwise most likely not survived this dangerous disease,” said Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities, which runs the Good Flights program.

Louisiana is one of the leading states in heartworm-infection rates, according to Greater Good Charities. That puts heartworm-positive shelter dogs in the state at a higher risk of euthanasia because of the length of care, space required and cost of treatment.

Canine heartworm disease is potentially life-threatening. It can cause irreparable organ damage but can be treated and prevented. More than a million pets in the United States have heartworms, according to the American Heartworm Society.

Click here to donate to the Good Flights program. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, which makes HEARTGARD® Plus, will match up to $35,000 in donations.

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