Seattle Humane takes in 154 dogs and cats from Puerto Rico

Seattle Humane is taking in dogs and cats
from disaster areas

Seattle Humane received 154 animals from Puerto Rico Sunday night from shelters desperate to relieve overcrowding following Hurricane Irma.

This is Seattle Humane's sixth transfer in an effort to open up space and resources in shelters following a series of hurricanes that devastated Texas and Puerto Rico.

The dogs and cats will be transported on a commercial flight organized by the Humane Society of the United States.

Seattle Humane offered to help when they received word that no other organizations in the southern United States had the capacity to take in more animals.

The flight was to arrive at the Boeing Field International Airport between 10 -11pm Sunday evening where Seattle Humane staff and volunteers planned to work around the clock to receive the animals and make them available for adoption following medical examinations and behavior assessments.

One of the dogs on the flight was surrendered to a shelter in Puerto Rico by a man who refused to leave his destroyed home until his dog had a safe place to go. The Humane Society of the United States and Seattle Humane coordinated to transfer the dog to Seattle where the man's family members who live in the area will look after the dog until he finds a new residence.

Seattle Humane's Life-Saver Rescue team is still bringing in dozens of pets weekly from overcrowded Washington shelters and beyond where they've run out of space or resources. On Saturday Seattle Humane staff drove to Eugene, OR to receive pets who couldn't go to California shelters due to wild fire devastation in the region.

This transfer has been made possible thanks to contributions to Seattle Humane's Disaster Fund. Monetary donations to support the shelter's continued efforts can be made through the Seattle Humane Disaster Fund.