Hurricanes affect not just people but animals and pets as well. One pilot is doing everything he can to make sure these animals are well taken care of.
Greater Good Charities partnered with both Southwest Airlines and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue to help transport more than 145 animals from Hurricane Helene-ravaged areas. They moved the animals to the Midwest to help find home snot impacted by hurricanes. They also helped delivered supplies to suffering communities following the storms.
"Since the beginning, we have been supporting the people and pets devastated by these catastrophic hurricanes," Liz Baker, the CEO of Greater Good Charities, said in a statement. "This donation of humanitarian supplies and our emergency shelter pet airlift are part of our efforts to bring relief to the hardest-hit communities."
Southwest Captain Matthew Prebish is the one who ran the rescue flight. He got personally involved in the rescue effort by adopting one of the pets himself.
Hurricanes Displaced Animals
"It was love at 30,000 feet. I don't think Captain Matt was expecting to adopt a hurricane evacuee from Tennessee when he agreed to fly this amazingly special flight. But some things are meant to be," Lucky Dog CEO Mirah A. Horowitz said in a statement to PEOPLE. "Avery the kitten is definitely a Lucky Cat. And was right at home with his new dad in the cockpit once we landed and parked. Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is extremely proud to have helped make this happy ending possible."
In total, Southwest Airlines transported more than 150 animals to eight shelters in the Midwest. A local licensed veteran examined the animals and gave them a clean bill of health.
"After Hurricane Helene hit, we knew we needed to provide some relief to the shelters in impacted areas. Our Rescue Campus in Florence was perfectly situated to do that," Horowitz said.
"Of the 38 animals we evacuated from Florida, 20 will be on this lifesaving flight. As well as an additional 32 dogs and 93 cats who have spent the last three days in our care after being safely evacuated from the mountains of Eastern Tennessee," Horowitz added. "We are truly grateful to Southwest Airlines for making this flight possible. Because it gives breathing room to shelters dealing with unprecedented numbers of animals displaced by the storm who need care until they can be reunited with their owners."
