70 Pets From Hurricane-Ravaged Louisiana Flown To Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center received an emergency transport of adoptable pets from hurricane-ravaged Louisiana. The rescue mission arrived at the Morristown Airport on Wednesday as the remnants of Ida swept through New Jersey.

More than 70 animals were on the Greater Good Charities flight from Lafayette, Louisiana, to Morristown. The transport will help free up space in Louisiana shelters for animals who were injured or displaced from the storm.

Soon the dogs and cats will be available for loving homes on the East Coast. Organizations taking on the evacuated animals include St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Humane PA, Pennsylvania SPCA, Liberty Humane Society, Monmouth County SPCA and Delaware Humane Association.

The animals came from Acadiana Animal Aid, St. Charles Parish, St. Martin Parish Animal Services, Lafayette Animal Shelter and Care Center, Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter, St. John Parish Animal Shelter and Iberville Parish Animal Shelter and Control in Louisiana.

As people lost their homes or evacuated, Louisiana shelter partners reported an influx of pets entering their doors.

“In the animal welfare community, when disaster strikes, we’re all in it together,” said Colleen Harrington, director of St. Hubert’s WayStation Program. “Today’s transport of animals who were already in shelters prior to the storm will allow our Louisiana partners to free up resources and space so they can help displaced pets in their communities.”

In addition, St. Hubert’s and its parent organization, the Humane Rescue Alliance, sent a disaster response team to New Orleans, after receiving a call for help from the Louisiana SPCA.

The emergency response in Louisiana comes shortly after a flash flood took the lives of at least 20 people and destroyed over 270 homes in Waverly, Tennessee. The shelter in Waverly — Humphreys County Humane Society — was overwhelmed with pets in need of emergency sheltering. St. Hubert’s stepped up to assist its partner in Waverly, arranging the transport of 37 already adoptable dogs to New Jersey on Monday.

Those interested in adopting an animal or donating to help in the relief efforts can visit sthuberts.org.

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