Front Street Shelter flies fifty pups to Idaho Humane

Each dog receive identification and booster shots being making the big journey

Some pups were slightly hesitant in making their way into crates.

Chilly puppies were kept warm as they made their way from kennel to crate.

A dog receives its ID collar.

Crated dogs were loaded into several vehicles, as they made their way to Sacramento Executive Airport.

A puppy peeks through its cage.

Front St. Animal Shelter staff hurry to load the vans during the frigid morning.

The puppies arrive at Sacramento Executive Airport.

Animal Care staff move the pups from vans, to palette, to plane.

The fifty pups wait for the arrival of the plane, as media gathers footage.

One pup peers through its cage into the sunlight.

Gina Knepp, Front St. Shelter Director helps packs crates dogs into the delivery airplane.

Staff checks in on puppies before they are loaded into the plane.

Staff and media gather around the delivery plane while pups are loaded in.

Stacking pups like puzzle blocks into the plane for flight to Idaho.

Catching the tail wind of Operation Airlift, the Front Street Animal Shelter flew fifty dogs to Idaho Humane on Monday, December 9^th at 10:00 A.M., departing from the Executive Airport, photos after the jump.

This was the largest transfer of dogs in the City’s history.  Made possible by the Wings of Rescue, fifty dogs will take a two hour flight to find permanent homes.  Idaho Humane is a no-kill shelter with an outstanding record of partnership with the City of Sacramento’s Front Street Shelter.  Several previous transfers have occurred, but never quite as large as this.

The Front Street Animal Shelter typically receives 10,000 animals per year. While the primary goal is to reunite lost pets with their owners, unfortunately 85% of the dogs are never reclaimed.

Most arrive without a microchip, ID tag or license, posing a challenge if owners do not come looking.  Faced with the duty of placement, partnerships with organizations across the country make the chances of saving more lives possible.

On any given day, 20-40 animals arrive on Front Street. The flow out must match the flow in if the save rates are to increase.  Relationships with shelters outside of Sacramento make it possible.  The Front Street Shelter refuses to euthanize animals for time and space constraints, this alternative makes that possible.

Media partners at the spectacular event as we loaded up the plane and wished our four legged friends a happy and safe journey. Transport preparation will began at 8:30 A.M., followed by a caravan to the airport. Airport arrival was roughly 10:00 A.M. with liftoff at 10:30 A.M. Good luck to our pups in the air!