Southwest Just Flew Dozens of Dogs and Cats From Houston to Safety
Fur went sky-high Tuesday when Southwest Airlines flew 80 dogs and cats 1,400 miles from Houston to Helen Woodward Animal Center (HWAC) in sunny San Diego. These animals, according to the center, were already in shelters before Hurricane Harvey hit, and their transport helped make room for other pets orphaned during the storm.
"We're so grateful for 'our village,'" HWAC wrote on Facebook. "Thank you, Southwest Airlines, and your platoon of employee do-gooders, for helping make it happen."
The center, which offered its services in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy and in 2005 after Katrina, provided medical care to many Texas facilities this week in partnership with local non-profit Operation Pets Alive! These included The Lone Star Convention & Exop Center and Montgomery County Animal Shelter - and HWAC encourages people to donate to such groups and their efforts at poundwishes.com and mcaspets.com.
"These [animals] are the silent victims," said President of HWAC Mike Arms. "There are shelters that have been devastated by Hurricane Harvey, without electricity, without supplies ...We are honored to help save those lives and we are lucky to have incredible friends like Southwest to help make this all possible."
Landing in San Diego, volunteers and pets looked like they enjoyed the ride: