Dozens of adoptable dogs flew to Elyria after Hurricane Ian

ELYRIA, Ohio (WJW) – Dozens of dogs had a crazy day after being evacuated from the damage caused by Hurricane Ian.

“It was a huge undertaking with over 130 animals going to different shelters all over. We were on the last leg, we were on the last leg of the journey which involved four different shelters including Toledo,” said Greg Willey, director of Friendship APL.

Willey says they took in seven dogs while the rest were sent to shelters here in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and even Canada.

He says all the animals they received were already ready for adoption from shelters in Florida, but they were sent because those shelters now had to deal with hundreds of dogs, cats and other pets who been lost, abandoned or abandoned by their owners.

“As people are displaced, their homes have disappeared. There is nowhere to return. Not all shelters in place allow people to keep their pets. They may temporarily need a place for their pets or they may be moving around trying to find a place to keep a roof over their heads or the heads of their children and these animals are a secondary thought,” Willey said.

Willey says the Florida Dogs are just a small group. He says they would have taken more but they also have their hands full.

He says that right now they have dozens more cats, about 40 rabbits and many more dogs who all need good homes.

Every animal that gets another home, another animal has a chance to have a better life.

“You descend, you adopt, you add a life and you make room for another life to come in and have a second chance.” said Willy.

Willey says half of Florida’s dogs still need to be spayed or neutered. He says they should all be up for adoption in a few days.

If you would like more information about Florida Dogs or would like to adopt one of the many other dogs, cats and rabbits from Friendship APL, Follow this link.