Nine Dogs Saved From Overcrowded Shelter, Shipped to SPCA
By Aiyana Baida September 21, 2011
On Saturday the SPCA Tampa Bay welcomed nine dogs from an overcrowded shelter in South Carolina. The dogs were shipped pro bono by Pilots ‘N Paws.
Cheryl Houston, SPCA ambulance driver, anxiously waited at Tampa International Airport for nine dogs to arrive from an overcrowded shelter, on Saturday.
“They were given a second chance. These guys are special,” Houston said.
The dogs were being shipped from Florence, SC, by Pilots ‘N Paws, a non-profit that brings pilots from all over the country together to transport animals at risk of being euthanized or abused.
The first dog to step out of the ambulance after arriving to SPCA Tampa Bay in Largo was Karla, a one-year-old shepherd mix. Volunteers assisted Houston in checking the dogs for any visible signs of trauma.
Karla was shaken and nervous, but was cleared by staff. That’s expected, said Jennifer Clement, SPCA medical department manager.
“For the most part they are healthy dogs,” Clement said.
“This is a high stress situation,” she added, “They went from being in an overcrowded shelter, to a plane that was held up at the airport for bad weather, then in an ambulance.”
This is the SPCA’s second year working with Pliots N Paws. Last year they took in 12 rescued pets from an overcrowded Louisiana shelter that was impacted by hurricanes and the Gulf Coast oil spill.
“These dogs would’ve been all euthanized if we didn’t take them in,” Houston said.
