Over 130 Abandoned and Abused Pets Find Loving Homes for the New Year Thanks to Rescue Flight

The Sato Project and Wings of Rescue teamed up to fly 133 animals to new homes in the northeastern U.S. on Dec. 28

Dozens of dogs celebrated the start of 2024 in new homes thanks to a committed group of rescuers.

On Dec. 28, The Sato Project and their partner Wings of Rescue carefully packed up 133 homeless pets pulled from the streets of Puerto Rico in carriers. The pets were then flown to Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, where eager adopters were waiting to take all the animals to new homes.

The Sato Project is a nonprofit dedicated to helping the animals living on the streets of Puerto Rico. All of the pets on the recent rescue flight were saved from abuse and abandonment by the rescue organization, which gave the pets treatment and thorough health checks before the "freedom flight," per a release from the group.

"There are currently an estimated 500,000 stray dogs roaming the island's streets and beaches. With no access to food, fresh water, or veterinary care, many of these dogs are living daily lives of severe suffering. The municipal shelter system is drastically overwhelmed, with only five shelters across all 78 of the island's municipalities. All of them have incredibly high euthanasia rates. For thousands of stray and abandoned dogs in the area in which we operate, we are their only hope." Chrissy Beckles, who founded The Sato Project in 2011, said in the group's release.

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Wings of Rescue, a charity that flies at-risk pets from overcrowded shelters and disaster areas to new homes, conducted the airlift. The flight was also made possible by support from Sonesta International Hotels and Pets a Go Go.

The Sato Project and Wings of Rescue often team up on freedom flights like the one on Dec. 28, which took months of planning to pull off. But the Dec. 28 trip marks the first time Sonesta International Hotels has contributed to a freedom flight. The company offered the families adopting pets on the plane an overnight stay at the Sonesta White Plains Downtown, so they were ready and refreshed when they welcomed their new family members.

Related: Harry Connick Jr. Is Adopting a Puerto Rico Rescue Puppy He Fell in Love with on His Show

"Travel is better with your furry companion, which is why partnering with Wings of Rescue on this flight was so important to Sonesta," Elizabeth Harlow, the chief brand officer of Sonesta International Hotels, said in a statement. "Rescuing animals is a testament to the transformative power of love, and pet-friendly accommodations become the sanctuary where our loyal friends find solace and families find joy."

Among the 133 pets that landed in New York on the evening of Dec. 28 to meet their new families was a senior pooch named Pancho. According to The Sato Project, the canine was abandoned in 2019 and has been under the rescue's care for over 18 months. It took Pancho years to attract the attention of an adopter, but he remained patient.

"Pancho has seen countless other satos [a term for street dogs in Puerto Rico] come and go into forever homes," Melissa Giordano, the adoption and foster manager at The Sato Project, said. "It can be harder for senior dogs to get adopted, and Pancho is around 8-10 years old – but that never made him any less of an incredible candidate to join a loving family. We didn't give up on Pancho."

Related: Indiana Animal Rescue Worker Uses 'Dangle Test' to 'Show Dogs That Kind of Get Overlooked'

Now, Pancho and the other pets on the freedom flight are all enjoying the first few days of 2024 in new homes across the northeastern U.S.

To learn more about The Sato Project and how to support the organization's efforts, visit the nonprofit's website.

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