Volunteers scrambled on the tarmac at the Boise Airport to unload a precious cargo from a plane operated by the non-profit "Dog is My CoPilot." Fifty-four pooches from San Antonio, Texas, had been set to be put down, but they will now look for their forever homes instead. Ten of them will head up to the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley. The rest will be staying at the Idaho Humane Society.
"Our mission is really shifting," said Allison Maier of the Idaho Humane Society. "In addition to helping out animals in our community, we really have space and resources to help out a lot of other areas."
This flight of four-legged cargo is the second in just over two weeks. Earlier in June, twelve dogs destined for a South Korean meat market landed in Boise. The Idaho Humane Society is expecting two more planeloads of pups before the end of the month.
"It's a pretty big month but also a time when people are adopting and looking for dogs, so we know that we have space and know they'll be able to find homes really quickly," said Maier.
While Tuesday's flight took "Dog is My CoPilot" close ten hours due to bad weather, they take advantage of warmer weather to put in more miles in the air. For them, every trip is worth it because it means one more dog will have its day.
"We're transporting 10, 50, 100, 150 at a time. But that's just a small part of the problem, meaning the problem is much bigger than that, but you have to start somewhere," said Peter Rork of Dog is My CoPilot.
The Idaho Humane Society says many of the dogs who flew in today should be available for adoption this weekend.
