FORT WORTH — First came Banjo, a friendly mixed-breed pup who practically leapt off the airplane, eager for attention.
Then came Spot, seemingly shy, and Cleopatra, regal with chestnut fur. There was Ernie, who barked from his crate, and Cristina, who snuggled with her five puppies. Nearby, siblings Penny, Malcolm, Francis and Mason, four orange kittens, rolled around with one another.
Some 115 animals from Texas’ flood-ravaged Hill Country landed Thursday at a private tarmac in Fort Worth, flown by the nonprofit Wings of Rescue. A trio of organizations — Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth, SPCA of Texas in Dallas and Operation Kindness in Carrollton — took in the animals.
A pair of kittens are unloaded from a Wings of Rescue flight at Meacham International Airport, Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Fort Worth. 115 cats and dogs from San Marcos and San Angelo shelters arrived in North Texas to help make space for animals rescued from the floods in the Texas Hill Country.(Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer)
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Wings of Rescue flew the animals from shelters in San Angelo and San Marcos, inundated this week with cats and dogs rescued from the July 4 flood. The relocation keeps animals from being euthanized and allows newly lost pets to stay near home if family members are searching for them.
Similar relocations happened earlier this year after the wildfires in Los Angeles.
“It’s gut-wrenching to think about,” said Cassie Davidson, a senior director for the Humane Society who also works for Wings of Rescue. “It’s literally fly or die for these animals.”
A couple dozen volunteers helped unload crate after crate, handing out chicken and turkey treats from Cuddly, a crowdfunding site dedicated to animal welfare. Reaching through slats of the crates, they pet cats and let dogs lick their hands.
Tiffany Mindt-Wood and her 18-year-old son, Jacob of Keller, helped carry crates off the plane and onto trucks headed to shelters. The family provides foster care to animals through the Humane Society.
“When something horrible like this happens, we’re gutted, but no one knows how to help,” Mindt-Wood said. “This is a small way to help.”
Volunteers and staff from local animal shelters unload dogs and cats from a Wings of Rescue flight at Meacham International Airport, Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Fort Worth. 115 cats and dogs from San Marcos and San Angelo shelters arrived in North Texas to help make space for animals rescued from the floods in the Texas Hill Country.(Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer)
Texas is already one of the top states in the country for shelter volumes and euthanasia, in part because milder winters allow for year-round breeding.
North Texas shelters, many of which were full when the Guadalupe River flooded, sent some animals to shelters around the country to free up space. Such relocations are common after floods, tornadoes and other natural disasters, said Sarah Sheek, senior director of live-saving operations for the SPCA.
Wings of Rescue alone has flown more than 2 million miles and rescued more than 80,000 pets since it began in 2012. The flights are expensive, starting at about $25,000, and fully supported by donors. Additional flights from Central Texas are likely next week.
“The animal welfare community nationwide really jumps into action,” Sheek said. “There’s an outpouring of support.”
A dog is walked down a belt loader by Nelda Corbell, co-president of Wings of Rescue, off a Wings of Rescue flight at Meacham International Airport, Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Fort Worth. 115 cats and dogs from San Marcos and San Angelo shelters arrived in North Texas to help make space for animals rescued from the floods in the Texas Hill Country.(Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer)
Veterinarians will examine the pets this week and make sure they are spayed and neutered. Some will go into emergency foster care. Others will be available for adoption by this weekend.
Adoption sites are: SPCA, 2400 Lone Star Drive in Dallas; PetSmart, 415 Carroll St. and 6572 Lake Worth Blvd., both Fort Worth; and Operation Kindness, 3201 Earhart Dr., Carrollton.