It’s tails up and wheels down for some very lucky Texas pets.
As summer fills North Texas shelters with puppies and kittens, a special rescue flight is giving them a ticket to a brighter future. Wings of Rescue is once again swooping in— airlifting furry passengers from DFW and Houston to new homes up north, where open arms and empty kennels await.
It’s not the group’s first time flying pets to safety. Back in April, NBC 5 joined Wings of Rescue for a look at how the nonprofit transports dogs, cats, and even rabbits to shelters with more space—and more adopters. This latest flight builds on that mission, and this time, it came with some adorable updates.
At the Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth, Nelda Corbell helped prep the furry travelers, including a kitten headed for a mega adoption event in Pennsylvania. “I mean… Who wouldn’t want to do this?”
Shelters in northern states often have more space and fewer pets thanks to different laws and a shorter breeding season.
“They have stricter spay and neuter laws,” Corbell said. “And they also have four seasons. In the South, animals tend to have babies year-round.”
Getting the animals ready to fly is no small task. Each one undergoes medical and behavioral screening before boarding.
“They do vet checks. They do behavior exams. So there’s a lot that goes into it,” said Corbell. “And then they have to find receiving partners who have space and homes waiting for these adorable babies.”
Wings of Rescue co-president Ric Browde described the process as a strange kind of animal logistics.
“It was like trying to figure out how many dogs it could fit on a plane,” he said. “And do logistics for dogs. But that’s what we do.”
From Fort Worth to Houston to Maryland, then White Plains, New York, and eventually, New Hampshire, 166 animals made stops along the way to meet their new families or foster groups.
NBC 5’s Brian Curtis joined the journey and described the organized chaos on the tarmac.
“So as you can see here, it’s a little bit like organized chaos, but trust me, there is a really detailed plan.”
As the final group of pets headed north, Browde addressed the volunteers.
“We want to thank each and every one of you for getting up this early. We couldn’t do it without you. You guys are the heroes of this flight.”
Once the flight was complete, videos from new pet parents began to roll in— dogs and cats waving goodbye to the cameras as they started life in loving homes.
This mission is part of Wings of Rescue’s ongoing effort to ease the strain on Texas shelters during the busy summer months. Since its founding in 2012, the group has saved more than 78,000 animals.
And it’s a perfect time for a reminder: NBC 5’s Clear the Shelters campaign is coming up soon, with more details to be announced. Until then, 166 tails are wagging a little brighter thanks to a flight that changed everything.
Wings of Rescue flights are funded by donations. You can find more information at www.wingsofrescue.org.