MSPCA-Angell Taking In Dogs Impacted by Los Angeles Wildfires

SALEM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem is getting ready to bring in nine dogs impacted by the Southern California wildfires, the MSPCA-Angell announced Friday. 

The fires displaced thousands of people and pets, and shelters across the country are pitching in to take the load off shelters in the Los Angeles area. 

The shelter dogs are flying in from the Pasadena Humane Society. Josie Waldron, MSPCA-Angell relocation manager, said that makes transporting the animals a lot more complicated. 

“Cross country flights are really expensive and hard to coordinate,” said Josie Waldron, MSPCA-Angell relocation manager. “The plane needs to be completely full, which is a huge number of animals — more than all shelters in Massachusetts and even New England could take in at once.”

After landing in Delaware, the dogs will be taken on another flight to Massachusetts, and finally arrive in Salem Friday night. 

The organization said the dogs range in age from 1 to 10 years old, and the group includes a mix of hounds, German shepherds, pit bulls, and cattle dogs. 

This comes just one week after the organization coordinated the transport of dozens of cats from Louisiana. 

The record-breaking snow down South forced many stray cats into shelters to stay warm, overcrowding the shelters. The Northeast Animal Shelter took in 37 cats from a number of shelters in Louisiana, mostly domestic shorthairs. 

All of the cats have been available to adopt since early this week. The dogs will be available to adopt after a two-day quarantine, but Waldron said the animals already at the shelter need homes just as badly. 

“We would love for people to come out and adopt these dogs, but we also have a lot of amazing dogs already in our care looking for homes,” Waldron said.

Waldron also encouraged people to foster pets, if they’re not able or ready to adopt.

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