Some of the more than 100 dogs flown out of LA this week are now ready to find new forever homes in the Midwest. It’s the latest chapter in a growing cross-country rescue effort with pet-lover and TV personality Giuliana Rancic at the helm.
Shortly after the group of at-risk shelter dogs touched down, 42 dogs arrived at PAWS Chicago’s medical center Tuesday afternoon following a flight into nearby Gary, Indiana.
The transfer comes as Los Angeles shelters remain overwhelmed in the aftermath of a large animal seizure from a property in the Lake Hughes area amid allegations of animal cruelty, with hundreds of dogs and cats flooding the system virtually overnight.
Rancic, a restauranteur and former E! News anchor, was on hand to meet the furry friends at a private Chicago airport on Tuesday afternoon. Her team told the California Post that the flight was an “incredible mission” that was “close” to her heart.
She also warned that animals faced being euthenized if accommodations could not be made.
As The Post previously reported, dozens of dogs were already flown out of LA this week to free up desperately needed kennel space. Authorities recently seized more than 300 dogs and cats from a Lake Hughes property, forcing shelters — already stretched thin — into crisis mode.
Many of those animals are now being held as evidence in an ongoing investigation, meaning they can’t be adopted or relocated for months — clogging shelters and leaving other animals at risk.
“That space is taken up for months on end,” rescuers explained. “So now they will euthanize more animals because they just don’t have the room.”
Animals found at the home of Christine De Anda were found filthy, in need of medical care, and living in overcrowded conditions, animal control officials told The Post.
De Anda, of Rock ‘N Pawz Animal Rescue, has disputed the animals weren’t cared for properly and has vowed to fight for their return.
Nonprofit PAWS Chicago took in the latest group of 42 dogs — many of whom had already been living in LA shelters and were reportedly slated for euthanasia to make space for the newly seized animals.
Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, officials are scrambling to prevent further euthanasia. LA County has reportedly waived adoption fees in an urgent bid to clear space, while shelters plead with the public to foster or adopt animals immediately.
