Just before the remains of Ida swept through New Jersey Wednesday, St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison received emergency transportation of adoptable animals that were evacuated from Louisiana animal shelters there after the hurricane.
Colleen Harrington, St. Hubert’s WayStation program director, said 32 dogs and 41 cats were on the Greater Good Charities flight from Lafayette, Louisiana to Morristown, New Jersey as of September 1.
St. Hubert organized the transport of 23 dogs only to its animal shelter partners. But there were five animal shelters at the airport that received animals from the flight.
Oola is one of the dogs from Louisiana that was transported to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey after Hurricane Ida and is ready for adoption. Caption: St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Madison, NJ
Harrington said St. Hubert’s has repeatedly worked with animal shelters in Louisiana in the past, moving animals out of the state twice a month. Just last week St. Hubert’s had received a transport of 66 dogs. But when Ida met The Pelican State, she said they had to help them.
“In the animal welfare community we are all there when a disaster strikes,” said Harrington. If everyone works together, the shelters can join in helping and keep them from becoming overwhelmed, she added.
Hasbrown is one of the adoptable Louisiana dogs transported to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey after Hurricane Ida.
Photo credit: St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Madison, NJ
The newly transported animals were already in animal shelters before Hurricane Ida. Moving to New Jersey, where people are waiting to adopt, frees up space and human resources in Louisiana animal shelters so they can help the local community with injured or displaced pets, Harrington said.
The dogs and cats will be put up for adoption soon, maybe today, she said. Organizations receiving the evacuated animals include St. Hubert’s, Monmouth County SPCA, Humane PA, Pennsylvania SPCA, Liberty Humane Society, and the Delaware Humane Association.
T Pot is one of the adoptable Louisiana dogs transported to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey after Hurricane Ida. Photo credit: St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Madison, NJ
Those interested in adopting one of these animals and seeing pictures of them can visit www.sthuberts.org. They are only open for adoption by appointment from Sunday to Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome on Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
LOOK: Here are the pets that are banned in each state
With the regulation of exotic animals left to the states, some organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States, are advocating federal, standardized legislation that would prohibit the possession of big cats, bears, primates, and large venomous snakes as pets.
Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state as well as across the country.