Louisiana Shelter Dogs Fly Cross-Country in Search of Forever Homes

On Wednesday, a group of VIPs (Very Important Pups) boarded an early-morning flight. No, they weren't headed further South for the winter. Instead, they were headed north toward brighter futures. After a three-and-a-half-hour flight, the 45 Louisiana shelter dogs landed at Waukesha County Airport in Wisconsin where they'll continue their epic journey to find forever homes. Thanks to Good Flights, a program created by Greater Good Charities with support from Mars Petcare and PEDIGREE Foundation, all 45 furry friends now have a new lease on life.

Ranging in size, breed, and age, many of the dogs were rescued from overcrowded shelters still experiencing the negative effects of Hurricane Ida. Some were homeless and others were at risk of being put down. Now, they're all well on their way to being paired with loving families. The average time to adoption through the program is one to three days.

Greater Good Charities is a charitable organization devoted to improving the health and well-being of people, pets, and the planet. Their Good Flights program conducts life-saving airlifts and supports ground transport for the country's at-risk pet population.

Greater Good Charities CEO Liz Baker said the program aims to help the most at-risk pets, meaning they focus heavily on harder-to-adopt large breed dogs, homeless cats, asymptomatic heartworm positive shelter dogs, and pets affected by natural disasters.

This year Good Flights will save the lives of more than 5,000 pets by transporting them from struggling Southern shelters to facilities in other parts of the country with more space and a healthy demand for adoption. Mars Petcare and PEDIGREE Foundation provided a $100,000 grant to help fund the flights and facilitate the adoption process.

For those looking to give back this holiday season, a $25 donation to Greater Good Charities pays for five pets to be flown 125 miles each. Now that's one airline fee we'll happily pay!