PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – 78 dogs and puppies, many of them with a cough, arrived in Palm Beach County on Wednesday, where they will be in quarantine, after a long road trip. Many shelters and rescues in Texas were left without power and water after the winter storms last week, making it difficult to care for animals there.
Staff from Big Dog Ranch Rescue say they received multiple calls from shelters, so they decided to help. They drove nearly 40 hours, stopping at one shelter and two rescues in the Dallas and Houston areas.
Organizers say they were forced to load in the dark, without power, but felt it was worth it and hope to give the pups a new place to call home.
“How can you not help? How can you not go when you have the ability to? I feel Texas would do the same for us,” said Lauree Simmons of Big Dog Ranch Rescue.
As part of the emergency mission, trucks were also packed and filled with donated items like blankets, food, water and medical supplies for families with pets affected by the weather.
Local 10 News has been told that the dogs will be up for adoption in the next few weeks, after they have been spayed, neutered and seen by a vet.