Photos: Southwest Pet Rescue Flight
In addition to the tens of thousands of people displaced from their homes by Hurricane Sandy’s destruction, thousands of pets were left homeless as well, straining the northeast’s already-crowded animal shelters.
On Saturday, Southwest Airlines and SeaWorld teamed up to deliver 60 dogs and cats from two shelters on Long Island and in Pennsylvania to the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Southwest employees donated their time to operate the cross-country flight from Newark to San Diego, while SeaWorld provided veterinarians and animal technicians to chaperone the furry passengers. BP Air donated the fuel.
The Helen Woodward Animal Center will provide any medical care the pets need before adopting them out to new homes in sunny, hurricane-free southern California.
You can help the Animal Center with a donation or by adopting a pet. If you’re in the New York area, consider adopting a dog or cat from the North Shore Animal League, which is waiving all adoption fees on Black Friday.
