Plane load of over 150 homeless cats and dogs lands in the Twin Cities

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A plane load of cats and dogs arrived in the Twin Cities Sunday, as local rescue organizations took in nearly 150 homeless animals from an overcrowded shelter in Texas.

The rescue was a joint effort by the Animal Humane Society, Feline Rescue and Ruff Start Rescue. It marked the first time any of these organizations had collaborated on a rescue mission.

“It almost brought tears to my eyes—it brought shivers,” said Dana Andresen, Executive Director of Feline Rescue. “To see these organizations come together to bring 130 some odd cats, and dogs, and even pot belly pigs to try and help these shelters down south.”

Organizers say they were well equipped to accept the out-of-state animals, as their intake usually slows in the winter.

“A lot of it is the temperature down there. Cats can breed year round in Texas and here you don’t really see that,” said Andresen. “This time of year, it’s really hard to find cats and keep our foster program full.”

While the pigs were transported to a shelter in Iowa, all the dogs and cats that arrived Sunday will be available for adoption as early as Monday.

“Just to know that they’re going to be on someone’s couch tonight or tomorrow and the otherwise would have been euthanized tonight or tomorrow is amazing,” said Azure Davis, Executive Director of Ruff Start Rescue.

The air transport of the animals was made possible by the nonprofit organization Wings of Rescue.

For more information on adopting one of these pets, you can visit:

Ruff Start Rescue https://www.ruffstartrescue.org/

Animal Humane Society: https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/

Feline Rescue: https://felinerescue.org