100 Dogs, Kittens Saved From Dire Situation in Puerto Rico, Brought to Hamptons

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, hearts are opening this weekend in the Hamptons as animal lovers take place in “Operation Puppy Love,” rescuing more than 100 dogs and some kittens from a dire situation in Puerto Rico.

The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons and Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, along with two other groups will support the initiative. ARF will take more than 30 into its care in the Wainscott facility.

ARF’s Senior Director of Operations Michele Forrester is heading to El Faro de los Animales, an animal shelter in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Recently El Faro de los Animales, located on the eastern coast of the island, found themselves over capacity after a recent court order closing of another area shelter, Santuario Jesus Ayuda De Dios in Cayey.

The closing led to 100 “satos”, the local name for street dogs in Puerto Rico, being sent to El Faro from the now-defunct shelter.

The rescue is spearheaded and underwritten by David Brownstein, a part-time resident of Sagaponack and board member of El Faro del los Animales. Along with ARF, Brownstein invited the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, Monmouth County SPCA and Humane Society of Atlantic County to help.

The dogs will arrive at Gabreski Airport in Westhampton on Saturday at noon. After their morning flight from Puerto Rico, Forrester, along with ARF’s transport, team will then drive the 30 dogs back to ARF’s Wainscott adoption center between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The remaining dogs will be brought north on Sunday, Valentine’s Day, to New Jersey — a true expression of love.

Once at the Adoption Center, the dogs will be quarantined until they can be medically cleared by ARF’s veterinarian. After the pups are cleared and socialized, a process that can take a few days, the dogs will be put up for adoption at ARF to find loving new homes.