Clear the Shelters, NBCUniversal Local’s nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign, has returned for its 10th year! This anniversary highlights an incredible milestone - over 1 million adoptions since its inception in 2014.
To honor this incredible achievement, we partnered with Hill's Pet Nutrition and the Animal Rescue Site to fly over 100 vulnerable pets to new homes from overcrowded shelters in the South to Northeast shelters with more space and potential adopters.
In the dark early morning hours, before the Louisiana heat picked up, dozens of volunteers came together to load pets from overcrowded shelters onto an airplane headed to the Northeast. Without this flight, many of these pets wouldn't make it out of the shelters. Adoptions are down and cats and dogs are coming in faster than shelters can take them. As volunteers and shelter staff stretch their time, energy, and resources thin to care for the multitude of pets in need, these flights not only give a chance for vulnerable cats and dogs to be adopted, but also clears space in shelters to care for more pets in need.
In all, over 100 cats and dogs were airlifted from the south and landing in New Jersey where even more volunteers and shelter teams awaited them with smiles and open arms. Once the pets are unloaded, they will be taken to be evaluated, bathed, given any medical care needed and then placed up for adoption. Most will be adopted within days.
The Clear the Shelters airlift, part of Greater Good Charities’ Good Flights program, was funded by Hill’s Pet Nutrition and The Animal Rescue Site.
Every pet on this flight has their own unique story of why they were sent on this journey, bound for a second chance for a loving home. Here are just two.
Kyndal was abandoned at a nearby farm. She was scared and emaciated when a local farmhand found her and worked with her for weeks to build her trust. After he got to know her, he learned Kyndal is incredibly affectionate and gentle and loves to stay close to people she trusts. He thought she was so beautiful that he named her after the prettiest girl he knew.
Iris, Rosie, and Cactus are 9-week-old Blue Heeler pups. Rescued from a challenging situation where multiple litters were born in an overcrowded home, the puppies, along with their mom, are now receiving the care they need. Soon, they will be on their way to finding loving forever homes.
This special flight will transport vulnerable pets like Kyndal, Iris, Rosie, and Cactus to new families, freeing up space in the sending shelters to take in more abandoned animals.
Your donation to Good Flights provides a one-way ticket to freedom for at-risk and vulnerable pet passengers in need. Without these flights, many of these pets wouldn’t make it out of the shelter.