Brandywine Valley SPCA rescues 96 dogs from Tropical Storm Cristobal in airlift mission

The Brandywine Valley SPCA on Saturday helped rescue nearly 100 dogs impacted by Tropical Storm Cristobal.

The dogs were airlifted to safety so that local animal shelters could make room for pets displaced by the storm, without the need for euthanasia to accommodate them.

Wings of Rescue, with support from Petco Foundation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, operated two emergency evacuation flights over the weekend. The nonprofit made stops in the Bahamas, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, picking up hundreds of homeless pets.

“What has 996 legs, weighs 7,151 pounds and flies?” Wings of Rescue wrote in a Facebook post. “The answer is the 201 dogs, 43 cats and five rabbits who flew on Wings of Rescue’s flights over the last 48 hours from overcrowded shelters.”

Ninety-six of the shelter animals were transported to the BVSPCA’s New Castle campus.

The pets on the flight were fully vetted and health certified, according to the BVSPCA.

On Tuesday, the dogs will begin to become available for adoption at the BVSPCA’s New Castle, Dover and Georgetown campuses.

Earlier this year, the BVSPCA rescued 60 dogs who were airlifted from an onslaught of seismic activity in Puerto Rico.

In 2019, the BVSPCA rescued 54 dogs airlifted from a Dorian-ravaged Bahamas. Ahead of the historic Category 5 storm, the BVSPCA also helped evacuate more than 300 animals from Carolina shelters affected by Hurricane Dorian.

Those interested in donating to the BVSPCA can do so here. Supplies can also be donated by purchasing items on the shelter’s Amazon Wish List.

Further Information

• How to help: Volunteer | Foster | Donate
• Animals available for adoption: Dogs | Cats
• Other resources: Pet owners in need | Lost pets | Pet surrenders