Dogs rescued from Modesto, Ceres among those flown to Northwest, Merced rescue says
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- New Beginnings shipped 132 rescued cats and dogs to homes in WA and MT.
- Fourteen dogs from Modesto and Ceres received vet care and foster support.
- Wings of Rescue and volunteers coordinated flight logistics and transports.
A Merced animal rescue is celebrating the shipment of 132 cats and dogs to new homes in Washington and Montana on Tuesday.
Fourteen of them were dogs recently rescued from squalor at homes in Modesto and Ceres, according to Sharon Lohman, founder and president of New Beginnings For Merced County Animals.
The dogs and cats were loaded into a plane that took the abandoned pets to their new homes in the Northwest.
“It’s the best natural high you can have,” Lohman said. “To see the plane take off, to know they’re going to be loved and cherished now and that they have families waiting for them ... I smile even thinking about it.”
The flight was arranged by Wings of Rescue, a nonprofit organization based in San Diego. Volunteers Anji and Kale Garcia flew the plane.
Two dogs rescued from Modesto and Ceres didn’t make the trip because they were adopted by their foster families in the Central Valley, Lohman said.
Many dogs still being fostered in Merced area
The rest of the dogs are still being fostered and socialized in preparation for going to their forever homes.
“Most of the dogs are still not friendly, some will wag their tail, but they’re still afraid,” Lohman said.
Taking care of a large number of dogs was a monumental task. “We were so overwhelmed with so many of them,” Lohman said. “We’re going to keep everybody else until January.”
Riverbank vet helps out
Since being rescued, all of the dogs have been fostered by volunteers. They also received veterinary care, including vaccinations, sterilization and dental work.
Lohman said River Oak Veterinary Hospital in Riverbank provided much of the dogs’ care for free.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, New Beginnings For Merced County Animals thanked everyone involved in the rescue mission.
“This mission only happens because of our incredible foster families, volunteers, shelter partners, donors, and rescue teams who show up again and again, proving that compassion really can change the world,” the post said.
