Rescuers Save Over 200 Dogs From Being Put Down In Puerto Rico

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Rescuers Save Over 200 Dogs From Being Put Down In Puerto Rico

Ricardo Arduengo / AP

The tiny American territory of Puerto Rico has fallen on hard times in the past few years, and even the island's pets have been feeling the pinch.

With very few families choosing to spay and neuter their pets, packs of stray dogs - called "satos" or mutts by the locals - are common throughout the island. AP reports that a beach in the small town of Yabucoa is even called "Dead Dog Beach" because of the many strays who live there.

The island's animal shelters do their best to keep up with the crisis, but they often suffer from overcrowding and are forced to euthanize some of the animals. In the town of Caba Rojo, the only animal sanctuary was a condemned building with no running water or power.

Kimberly Alboum, who works for America's Humane Society, says "the shelters in Puerto Rico have no choice," and are forced to put animals down for their own well-being. Now, the economic crisis is making the situation even worse.

Families are being forced to leave Puerto Rico to find work elsewhere and are leaving their pets behind, adding to the huge number of strays. "I would never condone someone abandoning an animal, but I understand," says activist Christina Beckles.

But this week hundreds of these dogs were saved overnight, and some might be in a shelter near you right now.

Wings of Rescue, a charity that helps relocate dogs from kill shelters to no-kill shelters across North America, paired with local rescue groups for a huge project this week.

On Wednesday, hundreds of dogs from struggling shelters like the one in Cabo Rojo were packed into crates and shipped to Puerto Rico's capital of San Juan. Here, they were examined by a vet and loaded onto a pair of planes bound for America.

Another large group of dogs came from a small mountain town called Mayaguez, which is so remote that they have trouble finding new homes for their animals. Shelter workers cried as they said goodbye to the dogs, including some who were born in captivity years ago, but they knew it was for a good cause.

"It's bittersweet. I'm sad she is leaving," one worker said about a dog, "but she is going to a better place." The planes landed in Fort Lauderdale, and while most of the dogs were relocated in Florida shelters some traveled much further.

The rescued strays were moved to safe shelters as far away as North Carolina and New York City, where rescue workers are confident they'll be adopted. The 205 rescued dogs are just the tip of the iceberg in Puerto Rico, but hopefully they all find Forever Homes here in America.

Share this touching story if you love dogs!

[H/T: AP]

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