If you’ve been following iHeartDogs this July, you may have noticed we began fundraising for a Wings of Rescue flight to save over 100 at-risk dogs from Oklahoma. In fact, you may have even supported the Operation Second Chance: Oklahoma Pet Rescue Flight. And if you did, every single one of us and all 123 dogs you saved are eternally grateful!

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Oklahoma reported its highest unemployment rate of all time in April 2020 at 13.7%. That means an increase in animal surrenders, and shelters there are already overcrowded. There’s no reason these perfectly adoptable dogs should be euthanized just because of where they’re located. That’s what our “Operation Second Chance: Oklahoma Pet Rescue Flight” was all about.

Ric Browde, CEO and President of Wings of Rescue noted:

“Right now, because of the pandemic in Tulsa, people are losing their homes, unfortunately when they lose their homes sometimes they have to give up beloved pets, and on top of that you perpetually overcrowd your shelters.”

For a dog in an overpopulated shelter region, surrender could be a death sentence. By relocating these at-risk dogs from overcrowded areas to areas of higher demand, Wings of Rescue saves lives.

Operation Second Chance: Oklahoma Pet Rescue Flight Was A Huge Success!

On July 18th, 2020, Wings of Rescue flew 123 dogs from Oklahoma and Arkansas to Michigan. With Operation Second Chance: Oklahoma Pet Rescue Flight, iHeartDogs aimed to raise $20,000 to make this happen. Thanks to your purchases and support, we raised enough to cover all the costs of the flight!

Nonprofit Wings of Rescue has flown 99 flights, transporting 7,161 animals (4,868 dogs, 2,276 cats, 13 pot-bellied pigs, 3 rabbits, and one Cockatoo) to safety. Their pilots are all volunteers, so Wings of Rescue relies on donations for funding. It’s through a mutual love of dogs and charitable giving that so many lives are saved each year.

For every product purchased from our Second Chance Movement Collection on iHeartDogs, “miles” are donated via our charity partner GreaterGood.org to rescue groups like Wings of Rescue that transport at-risk pets to safety. The “miles” get the animals from areas of low-demand to areas of high-demand by reducing transportation costs. You are all the reason dozens of dogs escaped tragic fates this month!

A little help goes a long way. In this case, all the way across the country for 123 dogs.

All Of These Pups Were Saved

This happy girl’s name is Adele. She’s spent the last 5 years of her life in shelters, waiting to go home. That is until she boarded the flight on July 18th.

This sweetheart is Reece, a four-month-old Miniature Pinscher mix. When his family lost their jobs and home due to Covid-19, he and his siblings were surrendered to the Humane Society of Tulsa. Reece is still a loving, playful puppy ready to find a family to play with!

Little Sunshine here has already spent a year living in a shelter. After flying from Oklahoma to Michigan, he’s ready to live in a home with a loving family.

Each pup that flew on this Wings of Rescue flight has his or her own unique story. Now, they all share something in common: a second chance at life. These dogs that may have faced euthanasia in OK and AR now get to live out their lives loved and cared for. And it couldn’t have happened without your support!

“Some of these dogs may not have made it out of our local shelters from all over the Tulsa area. We even went to Arkansas and got some dogs that had been stuck in a shelter for up to 5 years.” -Gina Gardner, Humane Society Tulsa

The Michigan Humane Society shared on Facebook that these newly relocated dogs all gathered huge adoption interest. Hopefully, they will all be home for good very soon!