More than 100 dogs and cats flown out of Ida path to California, Texas for adoption
Amidst growing concerns surrounding fast-approaching Hurricane Ida, it's now being reported that many adoptable pet animals are being transported from Louisiana to the states of California, Texas and New Jersey. Some 60 animals, all dogs, and cats were carried in a plane that flew them to safety to the city of El Cajon on Saturday, August 28, while another 65 of them were transported to Austin, Texas.
News of this comes amidst reports of Ida already having advanced to a category 4 — making it more dangerous and fearsome than the devastating Hurricane Katrina that wreaked major havoc with landslides. Top winds of 80 mph (128 kph) were recorded as Ida crossed western Cuba and entered the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center had also estimated Ida would grow exceedingly fierce with 140 mph (225 kph) before making landfall along the US Gulf Coast on Sunday, August 29. With the hurricane set to make landfall in New Orleans on the 16th anniversary of Katrina, survivors of the previous storm that killed 1,833 people and 50K to 70K animals, are also feeling 'hopeless'.
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Local CBS San Diego channel KFMB-TV broke the news of animals being transported to California and added that the non-profit Greater Good Charities helped in flying the prospective pets to safety before disaster hits the Louisiana shore. According to KFMB-TV, pilots voluntarily flew out to help the animals. Volunteers from Camp Run-A-Mutt in San Diego also helped carry them to vehicles to be transported to local facilities. Jessica Gercke, public relations coordinator for the Helen Woodward Animal Center of San Diego, told KFMB-TV: "In Louisiana and Mississippi, they were maxed out to capacity. Kennels were full and kennels were lining hallways. Due to Hurricane Ida, they had to evacuate."
As Louisiana prepares for Ida, government officials have already declared a state of emergency within the state. "It's not only the pets it's the people. Yesterday, I had three different shelter directors at different times just breakdown," Greater Good Charities' Erin Robbins said, adding: "We called Helen Woodward and San Diego Humane Society and asked if they had any space to empty them out."
According to NBC, an estimated 65 dogs and cats were transported from Louisiana to Houston, to Austin, Texas, with the Austin Humane Society welcoming them to offer shelter from Ida's path. Local NBC outlet KXAN also reported that the welfare organization said the animals were initially evacuated from the Louisiana SPCA, Calcasieu Parish, Lafayette, and Plaquemine Parish. The organization also said that once these animals are cleared by the medical team, they will be available for adoption by locals.
The Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees, New Jersey is also in the process of welcoming several dogs as part of a network of state-wide shelters which focus on providing housing, medical care as well as adoption services during hurricane season, reports NJ.com. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Texas, The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo are also offering all hurricane evacuees a safe location to board their horses if they are in need, that too free of cost. "We are here to help in any way we can. All human and animal life is important to all of us, and we hope we can provide safety for horses for those impacted by the hurricane,” said Executive Director & CEO Cody Davenport in a release.