Dogs Rescued From Puerto Rico Are Now Up For Adoption At This Manhattan Shelter

SOHO, NY — Dozens of stray dogs who were rescued from Puerto Rico arrived at a Manhattan animal shelter on Sunday, giving the pups a chance to find a new home in New York City.

A local nonprofit in Puerto Rico rescued rescued 53 stray dogs from the island, and the John and Wendy Neu Family Foundation chartered a cargo plane to fly them to New York City. The dogs are now at Animal Haven, located at 200 Centre St., and will be up for adoption starting Tuesday.

The plane arrived in Puerto Rico filled with supplies including generators, gas stoves, water filters, diapers and feminine hygiene products, plus animals supplies and food, to support the victims of Hurricane Maria. On the return trip, the plane carried 53 dogs, all of which were rescued by the Puerto Rico nonprofit The Sato Project. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

"Pets bring their owners joy and help them relax, especially during the stressful aftermath of natural disasters like Hurricane Maria," City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said in a statement. "This effort will provide comfort to those who are reunited with their beloved pets, and help stray dogs from the island find some respite here in New York City after all they have gone through."

Animal Haven has been working to recuse animals from all the areas impacted by recent hurricanes. The group has also rescued a dog and her four puppies from Texas, more than 20 dogs and cats that were evacuated from a shelter in Florida, a litter of puppies from Antigua and multiple dogs that had been scheduled to be euthanized at a Miami shelter, according to the Animal Haven website.

Image credit: Courtesy of Animal Haven