Northeast Shelters Mobilize To Help Areas Impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma
(Updates below shelter listing)
Many thaNks to the following oRgAnizations who are HELPING US WITH LOCAL TRANSPORTS OR welcoming ANIMALS INTO THEIR SHELTERS:
Animal Alliance in Lambertville, NJ
Animal Lifeline in Warrington, PA
Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees, NJ
Burlington County Animal Shelter in Westampton, NJ
Camden County Animal Shelter in Sewell, NJ
Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, MA
Father John’s Animal House in Lafayette, NJ
Gloucester County Animal Shelter in Clayton, NJ
Humane Society of Atlantic County, Atlantic City, NJ
Jersey Shore Animal Center in Brick, NJ
Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown, NJ
Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter in East Hanover, NJ
Monadnock Humane Society, Swanzey, NH
New Hampshire SPCA, Stratham, NH
Somerset Regional Animal Shelter in Bridgewater, NJ
SAVE – A Friend to Homeless Animals in Princeton, NJ
Update: September 10
PAART (Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team) arrives on Sept. 9 at St. Hubert's with animals from Charleston Animal Society in SC.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) continues to coordinate flights and ground transports from hurricane areas with their Emergency Placement Partners, like St. Hubert’s, around the country. Yesterday, we received 48 dogs and 75 cats on the Wings of Rescue flight from Tampa coordinated by the HSUS. The cats stayed overnight and are transferring out via our Feline Pipeline program, with many going to New England shelters.
In total, our WayStation program accepted 232 animals this weekend and coordinated all the transfers to our destination partners.
Watch Humane Society of Tampa Bay's Live video of animals boarding the Wing's of Rescue Flight to NJ on September 9:
On Saturday, September 9th, Animal Planet featured individuals and organizations involved in moving animals out of harm's way from shelters located in Texas, South Carolina and Florida. St. Hubert's is highlighted in the piece near the end of the show.
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September 7 - As we continue to receive dogs and cats from the Houston area affected by Hurricane Harvey, we are now welcoming additional animals through Saturday from shelters affected by the new hurricane aiming for Florida - Irma.
Arriving via a Wings of Rescue airlift tonight, coordinated by the Humane Society of the United States, are 34 dogs and 2 cats to be picked up by several of our WayStation sister shelters.
On Friday morning we’ll be welcoming a regularly scheduled transport from one of our partners. During the time we’re assisting the areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, we continue on with all of our regular activities with partners and the community who depends on us for animal rescue and care. No animals in or regularly entering our shelters are being displaced due to our additional emergency response.
Another airlift from Houston will arrive late Friday afternoon. An evacuation scheduled for Friday evening by our WayStation partner, Grand Strand Humane Society in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, will be bringing us 36 dogs/puppies and 20+ cats to be welcomed by St. Hubert’s and our partners. Our existing feline Feline Pipeline program enables us to welcome the cats to the WayStation and then prepare them to move on to our New England partners where capacity and adoptive homes are available.
On Saturday, 50 small/medium dogs will be coming in from the Charleston Animal Society in South Carolina on a ground transport provided by Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team.
We are currently awaiting details on an expected airlift from Tampa on Saturday.
We continue to be grateful for the support and generosity of our members and community. We’ve very quickly become more than well stocked with supplies that will be shared with our partners and encourage those wishing to help to make a gift here or to consider gift cards for specialty items we may discover are needed. Gasoline gift cards to offset expenses for our transport vehicles delivering pets to our partners throughout New England would be helpful as well.
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September 5 - With over 1,000,000 people and their pets displaced by Hurricane Harvey, the Houston SPCA continues to send out water rescue teams. They have provided nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies to the ASPCA to help those in the Beaumont/Jefferson County area.
Recently, they also implemented a unique system of helping lost pets reunite with their families. The launch of Operation Reunite with the Texas Veterinary Association, Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation, Finding Rover, Petco Foundation and Adopt-a-Pet.com is an innovative program which helps reunite storm victims with their families through facial recognition technology, provides 45 days of foster care through partnerships with vet hospitals, and peer-to-peer fostering for animals. This is the first time in history that photos of “found” animals arriving at shelters will automatically be loaded into a database which will use facial recognition to continually search for a match.
September 3 - Today, Wyatt went home with his new family - the Chusslers. We are so glad that this shy, lovable canine found his forever home here in New Jersey following his long trip from Texas this past week!
The John family couldn't wait to meet Rosco - the first dog off the plane from Texas who has been photographed by most everyone! This happy, energetic boy is all set for a new life with a great family!
Sweet Tanya left our shelter with the Gellers yesterday. This pretty pooch (below) can now officially call New Jersey her home and enjoy a new life with loving parents!
September 1 - The dogs who arrived at St. Hubert’s on August 29th are settling in. In preparation for adoption, neuter and spays are being performed, behavioral assessments evaluated and any medical issues addressed. The canines transported to Monmouth County SPCA, Father John’s Animal House, Somerset Regional Animal Shelter, Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter and SPCA serving Erie County are being spayed/neutered and enjoying playtime in the sunshine. We are ready and waiting for the next emergency response call, and very willing to assist.
Today, Dr. Jesse Pazos volunteered in our clinic. Medical evaluations were performed on all of our dogs. Three of our Texas boys were neutered and Tanya was spayed. St. Hubert’s appreciates Dr. Pazos' dedication to our mission. Without her expertise which she has generously donated today, the adoption process would not be moving forward.
Click here to check out what other organizations are doing on the ground in Texas to help animals in need.
Thank you to all those organizations who are actively helping animals displaced by Hurricane Harvey:
City of San Antonio Animal Care Services
Houston SPCA Wildlife Center of Texas
Humane Society of the United States
To the following partners and foundations for their generosity - thank you! You are instrumental in the recovery efforts to save animal's lives.
Texas needs all of our support now!
Our sister shelters who partnered with us on taking in the dogs from Texas are:
· Animal Alliance in Belle Mead, NJ - 1 dog
· Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees, NJ - 8 dogs
· Father John’s Animal House in Lafayette, NJ - 8 dogs
· Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown, NJ - 9 dogs
· Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter in East Hanover, NJ - 7 dogs
· Somerset County Animal Shelter in Bridgewater, NJ - 8 dogs
· SPCA Serving Erie County in West Seneca, NY - 2 dogs
August 31- Watch the live video of St. Hubert's staff Tom and Adam as they arrive in The Zephyr with Thursday's transport of dogs transferring to The SPCA serving Eerie County and Toronto Humane Society as part of our efforts in assisting Texas. Thank you to our amazing shelter partners!
August 30- The dogs are settling in and enjoying love from staff and volunteers. Check out NJ.com's live feed from their visit with us this morning. Thank you to all of our supporters who have donated supplies and needed funds to help care for these amazing canines!
August 29, 10:00 pm - The Wings of Rescue flight safely arrives in Morristown. Staff and volunteers were on the ground eagerly waiting to meet the dogs who made the long journey. Our CEO Heather Cammisa greeted the first pup to come off the plane, a sweet hound mix named Rosco. Many thanks to Morristown Airport and our dedicated destination partners who awaited the arrival with us.
August 29, 7:30 pm- The precious cargo have left their refueling station in Tennessee and are in flight towards Morristown. Staff at our Madison Shelter are ready for their arrival- each dog has a fresh bed, water and a treat waiting for them! Our transport vehicles, The Zephyr and The Griffin, are prepped and ready to pick up the dogs for their 9:30-10:00 pm ETA. Four destination shelters will be picking up their dogs directly from the airport and the remaining will come to St. Hubert's in Madison.
August 29, 5:20 pm - Flight Tracking Data tells us that 78 new furry friends from Texas are about one hour from their refueling stop in Tennessee. They will then continue on to Morristown Municipal Airport. St. Hubert's and several of our destination partners will be there to meet them.
Watch News 12 Coverage Here!
August 29- Early afternoon- San Antonio Animal Care Services personnel and HSUS responders get the dogs boarded on the Wings of Rescue flight headed to Morristown.
August 28 - In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center mobilized its Sister Shelter WayStation transport program to welcome 78 shelter dogs from Texas to New Jersey on August 29th. The transport to Morristown Municipal Airport is the first animal flight to the Northeast from the area devastated by Hurricane Harvey.
“In cases like this, moving pets who were already in the shelter system helps provide capacity for animals displaced by the storm and keeps them close to home,” said Heather Cammisa, President and CEO of St. Hubert’s who founded the WayStation program. “Our hearts are with the people and animals of Texas, and we and our partners will continue to help in the days, weeks and months to come.”
The airlift of dogs by Wings of Rescue from San Antonio Animal Care and Control was organized by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). St. Hubert’s will intake the canines to its Madison campus. Following a respite for meals and exercise, many of the dogs will transfer to partners along the northeast corridor.
“HSUS is working to help the people and pets devastated by Hurricane Harvey. We could not do this life-saving work without our placement partners and our rescue partners on the ground, “ said Kim Alboum, Shelter Outreach and Policy Engagement Director for HSUS. “These pets are incredibly lucky to get a second chance through St. Hubert’s and their WayStation partners.”
Special Thanks to:
The WayStation program is a coordination of 58 animal welfare organizations in the eastern U.S. to optimize capacity to address canine population disparity across regions and lend a hands-up to source communities. In the past year, the program has helped nearly 4,000 canines and provided more than $90,000 in funding for low-cost spay/neuter to the public in southern communities.