Mission Possible: Meet the Nonprofit Rescuing Puerto Rico’s Stray Dogs

Puerto Rico has an estimated 650,000 stray canines, affectionately known as “satos,” who dwell on the streets in poor circumstances. A mixture of low spay/neuter charges, a scarcity of entry to inexpensive vet care, and disasters like 2017’s Hurricane Maria and 2020’s earthquakes has led to a rising inhabitants of road canines.

A nonprofit known as The Sato Challenge has got down to assist these canines, partnering with totally different organizations to move them to the US to search out ceaselessly properties. Learn on to search out out concerning the wonderful work this group is doing and how one can assist!

Mission Attainable: The Rescue Flights

One in every of The Sato Challenge’s main applications is working common rescue flights that carry stray canines to the US for adoption. Right here’s how the method works:

First, the rescued canines need to cross veterinary checks and behavioral assessments. After they’re prepared for adoption, hardworking animal rescuers get the fortunate canines prepared in the course of the evening, when the warmth dangers are low and the canines are calm and sleepy. The canines are securely packed into non-public planes and flown to New York or New Jersey, the place they’re taken to their adoptive households.

Sato Project pups arriving on the Mission Possible 20 rescue flight — Sato Challenge pups arriving on the Mission Attainable 20 rescue flight | Picture credit score: ©NYCPetPhotographer, Stacey Axelrod

The Sato Challenge calls these rescue flights “Mission Attainable,” and the newest one, which happened July fifth, was Mission Possible 20. For this mission, The Sato Challenge teamed up with a brand new pet-friendly airline known as RetrievAir. With the assistance of RetrievAir, the nonprofit was in a position to ship 37 canines to new properties in america.

An adoptive family meets their lucky new member Project Sato — An adoptive household meets their fortunate new member. | Picture credit score: ©NYCPetPhotographer, Stacey Axelrod

Along with the flights, The Sato Challenge runs TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) programs to cut back future stray canine populations. TNR applications seize stray canines, spay or neuter them, after which launch them, sometimes with a tipped ear or different indicator that they’ve already been spayed or neutered.

Operation Sato

The group’s spay/neuter and vaccination program known as Operation Sato, and it affords cell clinics and vouchers to homeowners or stray caretakers who could not be capable to afford veterinary care. Based on this system, every canine handled by Operation Sato receives over $600 value of care.

By the Numbers

The Sato Challenge, which was based in 2011 and is predicated in Brooklyn, boasts some fairly spectacular statistics. Based on their web site, they’ve:

Flown 8,000 stray canines to their ceaselessly properties
Spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped 4,500 canines
Distributed over 150,000 kilos of provides throughout the island
Reunited 268 canines and cats with their homeowners on the mainland

A Mission Possible 20 dog being checked by volunteers_©NYCPetPhotographer-StaceyAxelrod — A Mission Attainable 20 canine being checked by volunteers | Picture credit score: ©NYCPetPhotographer, Stacey Axelrod

How Can You Assist?

Fundraising for Mission Attainable 20’s TNR program is ongoing, so you possibly can nonetheless donate by visiting the mission website. It’s also possible to volunteer to help the program by donating your effort and time. When you dwell in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, or New Hampshire (and even Puerto Rico!), you possibly can volunteer to foster (or transport) freshly arrived satos who don’t but have a ceaselessly dwelling.

It’s also possible to donate your social media or design expertise, get your company involved, or throw a fundraiser to assist the trigger. Following alongside on social media and sharing this system together with your family and friends helps, too!

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