Thanks to efforts made by The Sato Project, Saturday, Aug. 27 was a day to remember for 165 homeless dogs rescued by two “Freedom Flights.”
Joined by 135 feline friends — in separate crates, of course — the dogs made a short journey from Puerto Rico to White Planes, New York. Then, some continued on to Portland, Maine. Pet transport charity Wings of Rescue operated the planes on the journey, which was funded heavily by donations from Tito’s Handmade Vodka through their program Vodka for Dog People.
Additional donors include the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, The RTA Store, Christopher Harding and Flew the Coop, Sydney Hale and Co., Sidewalk Angels Foundation, and Bark Box.
Freedom Flights
Before volunteers loaded the planes with precious cargo, they loaded off 6,000 pounds of dog food donated by Bark Box. The donation will aid The Sato Project in their mission to help homeless dogs in Puerto Rico.
After the food drop off, two twin-engine turboprop planes departed Puerto Rico with full cabins. The pilots made a fuel stop in Florida and, shortly after, landed in White Planes. A crowd comprised of representatives from The Sato Project, other rescue partners, and eager adopters awaited their arrival.
Of the 165 dogs on board the flights, 60 had been pre-adopted. Once unloaded from the plane, they got to meet their new families. Some of the group remained in New York, where local shelters took them in. One plane stayed in New York while the other flew the remaining dogs and cats to Portland, where the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland took the reins.
“The Sato Project and the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland are among the finest rescue groups in the country, and we are fortunate to have financial support for these missions from the pet-friendly team at Tito’s Handmade Vodka, who are, along with our other supporters, committed to saving lives and generating happy endings,” said Ric Browde, President of Wings of Rescue.
About The Sato Project
The Sato Project, a Brooklyn-based organization “dedicated to rescuing abused and abandoned dogs,” focuses their efforts on the strays in Puerto Rico.
An estimated 500,000 stray dogs walk the streets and beaches of Puerto Rico. Sadly, the U.S. territory simply does not have access to funding for animal services like states in the mainland. In addition to lack of monetary resources and general overpopulation of dogs, Puerto Rico faces natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes on a frequent basis.
Without the organization’s intervention, stray dogs otherwise face a 94 percent chance of euthanasia at a local shelter. Since its inception in 2011, the organization has rescued over 6,200 dogs and spayed/neutered over 7,500 dogs/cats. Thanks to their efforts this weekend, 165 more dogs and 135 more cats have a chance at a forever family. If you’d like to donate to The Sato Project, click here.
