The Utah-based sanctuary Best Friends Animal Society says it’s planning a major pet rescue effort for cats and dogs trapped in the war-torn city of Beirut, Lebanon.
The organization says that Sept. 25 it will send a cargo pane to fly 300 dogs and cats from Beirut to Manchester, England and then to New York City’s JFK Airport. From there, the animals will be flown to Las Vegas.
Once in Las Vegas, trucks will transport the dogs and cats to temporary facilities at the animal society’s sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.
The animal group is preparing for the pet rescue mission by building temporary shelters to house the pets until they are adopted. As of last week, 21 dogs had been adopted in advance, according to Best Friends spokeswoman Barbara Williamson.
Hundreds of pets were left homeless in Beirut beginning July 19, when the U.S. began evacuating its citizens from Lebanon because of ongoing and escalating violence in the region. Evacuees were not allowed to bring their pets, and many animals were left to fend for themselves.
For more information on the rescue effort, visit bestfriends.org or call (877) 919-5463.