As Hurricane Ian bears down on Southern Florida, the MSPCA and Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) are already evacuating vulnerable animals from the state and relocating them to Massachusetts. This morning a plane carrying 42 cats—28 of whom had been living at the Lee County Domestic Animal Shelter, with 14 bunking down at Tampa’s Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center—landed at Worcester Regional Airport. The flight, sponsored by the ASPCA, arrived just before noon.

After landing the cats were loaded into transport vans and driven directly to shelter. Ten were taken to the MSPCA’s Boston adoption center in Jamaica Plain and 31 went to NEAS in Salem. The cats will serve out their 48-hour quarantine before the NEAS and MSPCA make them available for adoption. The cats include kittens as young as two months and adults aged up to 13. More details on how to adopt will be forthcoming.

Less than a week after taking in 150 cats and kittens from Florida, which followed the transport of dozens of Beagles from deplorable conditions at the Envigo breeding facility in Virginia, the MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) are once again opening their doors to animals in need, despite the swelling in the number of animals already in their care. This time, the two are partnering with the ASPCA to receive 20 homeless shelter cats from Kentucky, which has been ravaged by deadly flooding. The cats arrived at NEAS in Salem on Saturday, August 6. They vary in age, ranging from seven-years-old to as young as just three-months-old.

“We’re taking cats that were already in the shelters prior to the flooding,” said Mike Keiley, MSPCA-Angell director of adoption centers and programs. “By doing so, we’re freeing up space for Kentucky shelters to help owned cats that have been displaced by the disaster, while at the same time giving the homeless cats the opportunity to find new loving homes in Massachusetts.”

The MSPCA is seeking donations to help offset the costs of caring for the new cats. Those interested in donating may do so at mspca.org/kentuckycats or via the button below.

As reported in the New York Times, about 4,000 dogs are being rescued from the Virginia breeding facility, Envigo, where they were forced to live in confined, unsanitary, and inhumane conditions.  The Virginia facility was shut down in early July.

Now, the MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) in Salem are bringing more Beagles to Massachusetts, where loving homes await. In a little less than a week, they’re heading to Virginia to transport up to 50 more dogs. And, they’re planning at least four more trips next month to bring more Beagles in.

The MSPCA and NEAS have been working with the Humane Society of the United States to bring the animals up to Massachusetts.  The organizations believe that at least some of the new Beagles will be made available for adoption the week of July 25 and interested adopters can apply via neas.org/adopt or mspca.org/adopt.

Anyone interested in donating to help care for the Beagles may do so at mspca.org/beagles or by clicking the button below.