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Category: “Adoptions”

Freedom Flights: How Pups Get Home 

So you´ve fallen in love with one of ADLA´s satos. We get it; they´re pretty adorable. Don´t let the fact that you live outside of Puerto Rico stop you from adopting. Did you know that ADLA can ship our dogs across the United States to get them to their new home?

Two satos on their way to Pennsylvania

Flight Angels

If your new best friend is pint-sized, they can be flown to you by a Flight Angel. Flight Angels are compassionate volunteers who add a dog to their reservation when they fly from Puerto Rico to the contiguous United States. Thanks to Flight Angels, Puerto Rican satos who would likely never be adopted if they stayed on the island are flown to their forever home or one of our partner shelters. By simply swapping their normal carry-on bag to a pet carrier, Flight Angels play a vital role in changing a sato’s life.  

Peabody brought no weapons or lithium batteries and passed safely through SJU security! 

The first step to getting a sato off the island is ensuring that they are caught up on their vaccinations. ADLA dogs all have the necessary vaccines and paperwork for adoption in the United States. In addition, depending on the airline, the minimum age for a pup to fly in-cabin is either 8 or 10 weeks. The maximum weight permitted is often 20 pounds, though Spirit allows up to 40 pounds. ADLA makes sure that dogs are matched with the right Flight Angel on the right airline.

The fee to add a dog to a flight reservation ranges from $95 to $125. Some airlines even allow two dogs per carrier if need be, so a Flight Angel can transport more than one sato. On the part of ADLA, carrier dimensions matter as well. Maximum carrier dimensions can be as large as 18 by 14 by 9 inches, depending on the airline.  

If you are interested in volunteering as a Flight Angel, fill out their online form to be matched with a dog or cat from various animal rescues in Puerto Rico. You can also reach out to ADLA at info@amigosdelosanimalespr.org to let us know about your upcoming flight plans.

Flying in Cargo

ADLA director Ruby reassures Domino, who is boarding in cargo.  

Some satos who are adopted on the mainland are too large to fly in-cabin, in which case they must travel in cargo. In these cases, ADLA waives our adoption fee, which includes spay/neuter, flea, tick, and heartworm prevention medication, vaccines, and the SNAP 4DX test. In addition, we cover the cost of the health certificate required for bringing the dog to the United States.

The adopter only pays for the shipping crate and cargo flight. For most dogs, this works out to approximately $450-$500 in total. ADLA can ship dogs anywhere in the continental United States. However, if we are shipping to the West Coast, the dog may need to stay overnight in a hotel, which could add to the cost of adoption. While we are unable to ship to Hawaii or Alaska, if you live outside the United States, we may still be able to send a dog to you. Just ask!

Welcoming Your New Best Friend Home

Nube with his new dad Dimitri in New York. Dimitri fell in love with Nube while on a vacation in Puerto Rico, and we made sure they got to stay together.

No matter how your new dog flies, you can rest assured that they will get to you safe and sound. We will take care of all of the necessary paperwork; you just need to pick them up at the airport with two forms of id.

So what are you waiting for? Right now, ADLA has several dogs waiting patiently for a new home. Fill out an adoption form and let us help you find your perfect match.

Two puppies with repeat Flight Angel Gillian

Meet Micah, Kay and Grace

Meet Micah, Kay and Grace

Meet Micah Kay and Grace

Meet Micah, Kay and Grace: Just a handful of our favorite Shelter pups waiting for their own big day: the day they’ll find their forever homes! Like all satos, each of them have their own special back story and quirks. And (like all satos) they are each lovable and have the same goal: to make us happy!

Since August 18th is Clear the Shelters Day, all sato adoptions now through August 18th are only $50. Let’s meet Kay and Mercy, two doggies waiting for their chance at a family…

Kay: A crazy girl looking for love <3

Kay is hand-down the most attention-grabbing dog at the Shelter! She’s also generated much social media interest and is really a “twitter” all through the Shelter. She loves following whomever happens to be near her, and is just an energetic bundle of love in need of a home all her own.

Here is Kay’s own special Adopt-me video made by one of our volunteers and one of Kay’s favorite peoples!

To see more videos like these, follow us on Facebook!

(If you already are following us and wondering why you didn’t see this video, make you set your setting to see all our posts: Click the Follow button under our cover photo; Check the box marked “See First.” Thanks!)

Back to Kay…

A Twitter follower recently generated this lovely poster (and others!) to help get Kay adopted. We love them and thought we’d share.

 

To see more of Kay and our other adoptable pups, follow us on Twitter!

DONATE NOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A SATO’S LIFE.

Grace: Full of grace, she’s a little lady: independent and sweet

Meet Micah, Kay and Grace

Grace is our quiet little love who we’ve had since mid-April. She’s come out of her shell since then and seems to definitely be a “people” dog: in fact it looks like she might prefer people to her own species. We’ve received a couple adoption interests in Grace, but she’s still waiting for that lucky someone.

Will it be you?

Micah: rescued with an open wound; we are happy to announce he is one step closer to his own Happy Beginning!

Our Shelter Director Adri was on her way back from grocery shopping for the shelter when she saw Micah on Route 187. He was sitting on a mount, perfectly content watching the cars pass by. When Adri approached, he wagged his tail and went up to her. She could see he had a horrible burn on the left underside of his belly, which had left his flesh open to possible infections. She immediately knew we had to take him.

 

 

 

 

 

Micah was brought to the vet who medicated the wound and it is now almost healed over! Here is a picture of Micah two months after his rescue getting looked over by a veterinary assistant student from Edic College. On July 31st, Micah is set to make his forever flight to Hearts and Tails Alliance in New Hampshire. We look forward to sharing the first leg of the voyage with you!

DONATE NOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A SATO’S LIFE.

Meet Micah, Kay and Grace

We hope you enjoyed meeting Kay, Grace and Micah!

If you think you’re the forever mom and dad that will change the world for one of our rescued dogs, email ela@amigosdelosanimalespr.org and we’ll take it from there!

We are also looking for volunteers to give us a hand with getting our pets adopted on Clear the Shelters Day. Let us know if you are available!

STRAY DOG BECOMES “KISSER THERAPIST”

STRAY DOG BECOMES “KISSER THERAPIST”

Carmen: Stray Dog Becomes “Kisser Therapist”

By Debra Malinics, adopter of ADLA alum Carmen, the “kisser therapist

I have owned neurotic dogs, psychotic dogs, crazy dogs, but never one as wonderful, sweet, smart, and loving as Carmen, a sato adopted from Amigos de los Animales through Wag on Inn in Oakhurst, NJ.

Carmen the kisser therapist

When my husband and I walked into the pet store to meet her, this little ball of fur ran right into our laps, licked us and next thing I knew, she was coming home with us. We had found our dog! and she was perfect from the start.  We named her Carmen in honor of her Spanish heritage.

At that time, I was on the board of a non profit planning a fashion show fund raiser. I suggested we add a dog or two to the venue, and three weeks later, Carmen stole the show wearing a Burberry coat accessorized with a brown and green braided leash, and behaving absolutely flawlessly.

Carmen on the catwalk with her Burberry coat

Carmen on the catwalk with her Burberry coat

On the way across the stage, I dropped her leash, put her is a sit stay command, and kept moving onto the runway. Carmen sat perfectly still, looking out over the audience, her eyes wide with wonder. She was perfectly poised and calm. While I whirled and twirled, Carmen remain seated, looking chic in her outfit. I picked up Carmen’s leash on leaving the stage and we walked off together to the audience’s delight and applause. Many attendees came to ask me how she was so well behaved and what was my secret…I said simply, Los Amigos de los Animales.

Friends kept telling Carmen should be a therapy dog because she emits such love but I didn’t have the time to take her to classes. “She doesn’t need classes,” friends insisted… she’s perfect already! She’ll pass without trying, repeated a friend and bet me $20 that she would. I couldn’t resist.

Carmen giving Debra's late husband Bernard some kissing therapy

Carmen giving some kissing therapy

I took Carmen to the next available Therapy dog certification class without any usual classes or preliminary training.  Do you have your good citizen papers the woman asked when I registered her.  Clueless, I said, “No, no, I’m a citizen.”. Looking at me oddly, she said, “I mean for your dog.” “Oh, she’s a citizen too,” I replied, “she was born in Puerto Rico.”  The woman just shook her head and asked me to fill out a form to begin. Carmen was perfect. I lost the bet, but Carmen won the class. Out of 14 well trained dogs, three passed the test and Carmen was one of them. I was so proud!

As a therapy dog, Carmen brings joy and love to children, students and adults. Everywhere I go, people fall in love with her and on her therapy visits, they call her the “Serial Kisser” because she spends her time kissing everyone in the room. Some colleges arrange their schedules around Carmen’s schedule. She has magic and when I look into her eyes, it seems they see into the universe.

When people say how lucky Carmen is to have us, I say, “WE are the lucky ones.” There are so many wonderful ways to share your life and your love and sharing it with an animal is one of the best. Animals make the world a better place for all.

When my husband was ill, Carmen was at his side 24/7, and after his death, she gave her love and support to me when I grieved. Carmen is an ambassador for all good things and I wish the world had more Carmens to set an example for us, the people who need it. Thank you Amigos de los Animales for bringing her into our lives. Now if I can figure out how to clone Carmen…If they did it with Dolly, surely they can do it with Carmen, my kisser therapist.

Carmen posing as a jungle princess

Here are some links to other articles written about Carmen and her kissing tactics!