Greater Good Charities Partners with Southwest Airlines and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue to Transport Humanitarian Supplies to North Carolina and Operate Emergency Airlift of 145 Shelter Pets

In response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Greater Good Charities, in partnership with Southwest Airlines® and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, delivered humanitarian supplies to help North Carolina communities in crisis and utilized a donated Southwest aircraft to operate an emergency airlift of 145 shelter pets impacted by the storms from the Southeast to the Midwest to find new homes.

“Since the beginning we have been supporting the people and pets devastated by these catastrophic hurricanes,” said Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities. “This donation of humanitarian supplies and our emergency shelter pet airlift are part of our efforts to bring relief to the hardest-hit communities.”

The shelter pets flown on this emergency airlift were in the care of animal shelters in Tennessee and Florida prior to the two hurricanes. To secure their safety and ensure the impacted organizations could serve the needs of their communities, the shelter pets were transferred to Lucky Dog Animal Rescue’s South Carolina Rescue Campus in Florence, S.C. The campus serves as a life-saving transport hub for shelter pets in the South where pet overpopulation exceeds the capacity of local adoption. This emergency airlift allows Lucky Dog Animal Rescue to support more displaced and injured pets from these disasters while they continue to support overcrowded animal shelters in impacted communities in the Southeast, including Florida. The first of the pets adopted from this group was a match made at 30,000 feet. Avery the kitten was adopted from Lucky Dog Animal Rescue by Southwest Airlines Captain, Matthew Prebish, who piloted this rescue flight.

“At Southwest Airlines, we lead with our Hearts to provide assistance where it is needed, and we were honored to lend an aircraft for this rescue flight to transport these animals to their forever homes,” said Whitney Eichinger, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Southwest Airlines. “We know there are many experiencing devastation due to the recent hurricanes, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to help by delivering humanitarian supplies and making donations to partnering organizations.”

On October 12, the Greater Good Charities’ team and Southwest Employees on the ground at Myrtle Beach International Airport loaded more than 150 shelter pets that were flown to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in Wisconsin. Earlier in the week, Greater Good Charities delivered humanitarian aid, including shampoo, hygiene products, and emergency packs filled with mylar blankets, socks, laundry sheets, and more for displaced and impacted families in Asheville, N.C., and surrounding communities. These emergency packs were included in 6,000 pounds of aid items flown via Southwest Cargo free of charge.

“After Hurricane Helene hit, we knew we needed to provide some relief to the shelters in impacted areas. Our Rescue Campus in Florence was perfectly situated to do that,” said Mirah Horowitz, Founder & CEO of Lucky Dog Animal Rescue. “Of the 38 animals we evacuated from Florida, 20 will be on this lifesaving flight as well as an additional 32 dogs and 93 cats who have spent the last three days in our care after being safely evacuated from the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. We are truly grateful to Southwest Airlines for making this flight possible because it gives breathing room to shelters dealing with unprecedented numbers of animals displaced by the storm who need care until they can be reunited with their owners.”

Greater Good Charities worked with a local licensed veterinarian from Banfield Pet Hospital to examine shelter pets prior to the flight and provide health certificates needed for travel. The medical director and lead veterinarian for Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) also accompanied the shelter pets on the flight.

The receiving shelters in the Midwest included: (Wisconsin) Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), Elmbrook Humane Society, The Washington County Humane Society, Humane Society of Jefferson County, Dane County Humane Society, Eau Claire Community Humane Association, Green County Humane Society, and (Illinois) One Tail at a Time. Upon arrival in Wisconsin, the shelter pets were quickly transported from the airport to the receiving shelters. While at the receiving shelters, all the pets will be evaluated and receive any follow-up medical care needed before being put up for adoption.

Greater Good Charities responsibly transports shelter pets to areas where there is a need for adoptable pets and never displaces local shelter pets in the area. All shelter pets transported via Greater Good Charities will be done so in compliance with the USDA interstate regulations.

To learn more about how to support Greater Good Charities disaster response for the communities impacted by the storms in the Southeast, please visit greatergood.org.

About Greater Good Charities

Greater Good Charities is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit organization that works to help people, pets, and the planet by mobilizing in response to need and amplifying the good. Greater Good Charities, with a Four-Star rating on Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal on GuideStar, has invested more than $750 million in impact, including cash grants, in-kind supplies, and programmatic support to charitable partners in 121 countries since 2007. To learn more about how Greater Good Charities is amplifying the good across the globe, please visit greatergood.org or follow Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok.

About Lucky Dog Animal Rescue

Lucky Dog is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to rescuing homeless, neglected, and abandoned animals from certain euthanasia and finding them loving forever homes. LDAR relies on a network of volunteers and fosters to facilitate adoptions and provide temporary homes for the dogs and cats available for adoption. Lucky Dog operates a first-of-its kind Rescue Campus in Florence, South Carolina. LDAR has rescued over 29,000 animals since its founding in 2009.  To learn more about Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, please visit luckydoganimalrescue.org or follow Facebook, Instagram, X, Youtube, and TikTok.