The smoke has cleared in California, but sadly, the animal shelters have not. Months after devastating wildfires displaced thousands, shelters in Riverside County remain dangerously overcrowded. With space running out, the risk of euthanasia was becoming a heartbreaking reality. North Shore Animal League America couldn’t let that happen.
In a second lifesaving mission to the region, our Rescue Team traveled across the country to partner with Western Riverside County Animal Services and Race for Life Rescue. The goal: save as many dogs as possible from shelters pushed to their limits.
Some kennels were so overcrowded that a single pen held three or four dogs at a time. Our Rescue Team was able to visit a new shelter partner in the rural San Jacinto Valley and rescue nine of their special working breeds who faced long odds.
Weight restrictions on the flight back limited us to a total of 36 canines, but every life saved matters. The dogs — from Chihuahuas to German Shepherds — were first flown to Lehigh Valley Airport in Pennsylvania. Despite a last-minute change in landing due to weather, our Mobile Rescue Units quickly hit the road to meet the plane on time and load the animals on the vehicles for the next phase of their journey. The convoy didn’t arrive at our Port Washington campus until 10:30 PM, but volunteers and staff were standing by, ready to greet the new arrivals.
Still in their crates, the dogs were gently carried inside and settled into warm beds with fresh food and water waiting. “Our shelter partners in California are overwhelmed and overburdened, and these animals needed our help,” said Karla Scaramuzzo, Senior Rescue Manager, who accompanied the flight. “I’m proud to be part of the teamwork it takes to bring them to safety — it’s exhausting, but it’s so meaningful.”
Without emergency intervention, these dogs might not have had much time left, but now their futures are bright. At North Shore Animal League America, we understand that when the headlines fade, the need doesn’t, and there’s truly no distance too far to save lives.