SAN DIEGO — A flight carrying 119 kittens and seven dogs left Gillespie Field Thursday morning for Portland, Oregon.
"Kitten season has erupted in California and all over the United States, especially in the southern states, so we are making space in the shelters," said Erin Robbins, VP of Pet Programs, Good Flights at Greater Good Charities.
Dozens of tiny little crates were lined up on the tarmac before volunteers placed them one by one on the plane. The plane took off just after 10:00 a.m. It's expected to arrive in Portland around 1:30-2:00 p.m.
The pets are all from Orange County Animal Care and The San Diego Humane Society. The Oregon Humane Society and CAT Adoption Team will receive them in Portland. The hope is the fuzzy pets will find their forever homes.
Robbins said shelters are truly dealing with a crisis right now. There isn't enough shelter space anywhere to truly handle the amount of animals who need homes.
"I get emails, phone calls, upwards of ten a day, it's very hard, it's heartbreaking," said Robbins. "All I can say is everyone do what you can. The shelter workers will do anything they can, they jump through all the hoops for these pets, they care for these pets, give their heart and souls to these pets."
Robbins said a big adoption event is happening in Portland this weekend, and that is typically when many of the pets find homes.
According to Greater Good Charities, it only transports shelter pets to areas where there is a need for adoptable pets and never displaces local shelter pets in the area. Greater Good Charities, Petfinder.com powered by Purina®, and The Animal Rescue Site made Thursday's flight possible
