'Wings' delivers dogs facing death to KHS
Kootenai Humane Society staff, from left, Pearl Warner, Debbie Jeffries and Diana Lillefloren. hold four puppies delivered Wednesday by Wings of Rescue.
BILL BULEY/Press
Pearl Warner with the Kootenai Humane Society with two puppies delivered to KHS by Wings of Rescue on Wednesday.
Wings of Rescue co-pilot Angela Keeling sits in the cargo area of the plane with some of the dogs it delivered to the Kootenai Humane Society on Wednesday.
Diana Lillefloren with the Kootenai Humane Society carries a dog to its kennel at the shelter on Wednesday after it was delivered by Wings of Rescue.
A dog delivered by Wings of Rescue to KHS on Wednesday looks through its kennel gate at the Coeur d'Alene Airport.
A dog looks around after leaving its kennel following its Wings of Rescue flight to the Kootenai Humane Society.
KHS Executive Director Debbie Jeffries carries a kenneled dog from the Wings of Rescue plane to a van for transport to the shelter on Wednesday.
HAYDEN — Twenty dogs facing euthanasia in Texas found safe haven in North Idaho on Wednesday.
“Overcrowded shelters is the big reason why we do what we do,” said Wings of Rescue pilot Kale Garcia. “We just relocate to places like this where they get another chance to get adopted and have a good home.”
The nonprofit delivered the dogs from Fort Worth to the Coeur d’Alene Airport on a gray, 35-degree day. The cargo was mostly smaller breeds like Yorkshire terriers and Chihuahua and including many puppies. They were greeted by Kootenai County Humane Society staff, who carried the kenneled pets to a waiting van for the short drive to the no-kill shelter at the north end of Ramsey Road.
There, they were placed in warm kennels with beds or blankets.
It was the first of what could be monthly Wings of Rescue flights this year to deliver pets to KHS.
Co-pilot Angela Keeling said the animals were at “high-risk” of being euthanized. This was their last chance to find a new life.
“Sometimes they might be on a 24-hour list of being put down,” she said.
KHS Executive Director Debbie Jeffries said she receives many calls and emails asking if they can take more homeless dogs and cats.
The answer, almost always, is yes.
“If we have room, our motto is, we can take them and we save those dogs from euthanasia,” she said.
As well, the shelter has a tremendous adoption rate, 95%. Almost every pet that comes to KHS is returned to their home or finds a new one.
“Big pat on the back to everybody in Idaho and up here in Coeur d’Alene. You do a great job,” Garcia said.
Support for KHS is strong. If you need further proof, check out the results of The Betty White Challenge on Monday. The fundraiser in honor of the beloved actress who recently died called on people to donate to local animal shelters in White’s name.
KHS received about $20,000. More than 500 people donated.
Vicky Nelson, KHS spokeswoman, noted that "Good Morning America" this week donated $20,000 each to five animal shelters around the country.
“'Good Morning America' has nothing on us,” she said, smiling. “We made $20,000 with just our community donating.”
The Wings of Rescue flight that stopped in Coeur d’Alene was next bound for Arlington, Wash., where it planned to deliver another 18 dogs and nine cats.
The dogs it dropped off at KHS will be available for adoption after clearing medical inspections.
In 2021 Wings of Rescue flew 104 missions carrying 8,566 pets (6,186 dogs, 2,357 cats, 16 rabbits and 7 guinea pigs) to safe havens and delivered 67,304 pounds of emergency veterinary and humanitarian aid.
This year already, including Wednesday’s stop in Coeur d’Alene, it has flown three missions carrying 196 pets (167 dogs and 29 cats) to safety.
Since its inception in 2012 it has flown over 59,000 at-risk shelter pets to safety and delivered over 750,000 pounds of humanitarian and veterinary aid to disaster victims.
Keeling said there are times they fly dogs marked for death to a shelter on Friday and by Monday, almost all are adopted.
“Pretty rewarding," she said.
