Shelter Dog Transport Alliance

25/11/2024

As we continue with all the things we’re grateful for this Thanksgiving week 🙏🦃🐾, let’s give some thanks to…

Our Medical Team 🩺👊

Every single shelter animal we send on transport has to have a health certificate to travel signed by a licensed veterinarian. This mandated document proves that an animal is healthy and able to catch a ride with us North 🚐

The majority of our rural shelters don’t have an onsite vet to complete this requirement. So a shelters only option if they wanted to access transport would be to travel to a local vet and pay an exam fee 🤦‍♀️ Knowing this would be too great of a financial strain for our shelters, we wondered if there could be another solution…

Our solution was simple: Find some really cool, local vets that would volunteer their time for free, day or night, at an airport or a parking lot, oftentimes last minute, to complete these forms for every shelter animal needing to travel North 😘

How about that! Let’s give A HUGE Thank You to our medical team—Dr. Rich Sefcik, Dr. Jennifer Logan Knepshield and my friend Kelly Brown for making sure EVERY shelter is able to participate in this life-saving outlet 🙏❤️ We are so thankful for you 🐶

24/11/2024

From today until the end of this Thanksgiving month, we’ll continue to post about all the things this program is THANKFUL for 🙏🦃🐾

Our Local Rescues and Shelters 🫶

Oftentimes we simply don’t have enough room on transport, or a pup is too medically compromised to make the journey North 🚐 Saying no often means lives will be lost, so we had to come up with a way to say Yes!

When I started this program 4 years ago I knew that one person, one rescue, one transport program alone could not by themselves bear the responsibility of reducing this States abysmal shelter euthanasia rates 💔 So I envisioned an alliance of many of us, sharing our resources, while working TOGETHER so that our life-saving capabilities could be maximized 🙌

No becomes ‘Yes’ when I becomes ‘We’ and that’s how this rescue show works 👊 Whether it be delivering life-saving parvo or heartworm treatment, making room for newborns, caring for a senior, or simply holding tight to a dog until our next transport departs ~ We are thankful for our local rescues and shelters!!!

Valley River Humane Society Animal Shelter, Mountain Pet Rescue Asheville, Rusty's Legacy, Almost Home Dog Rescue NC, Yancey County Humane Society, APL (Animal Protection League Of McCreary County)…These are just a few of the lives that are here today because of you 💙

23/11/2024

From today until the end of this Thanksgiving month, we’ll continue to post about all the things this program is THANKFUL for 🙏🦃🐾

Next up ~ All Of Our Volunteers!!!

In our previous post, we shared that 9,836 shelter animals have been given a second chance through this life-saving program!

How is this possible you ask??? Because we have an army of compassionate individuals that believe our shelter animals DESERVE a better future! They know through transport, the suffering and neglect many of these precious souls have endured, is now simply a thing of the past 👊

So our volunteers show up, rain or shine, day or night because in the face of need they acknowledge ~ if not us, who else will?

It’s a testament to the Power of We that a 100% VOLUNTEER DRIVEN, grassroots organization has forever changed the lives of thousands of shelter animals AND will continue to do so 🫶Yet, when many work together as one, nothing is impossible!

To all of our volunteers ~ Thank you for always answering the call ❤️ We are grateful for you 🐾

22/11/2024

From today until the end of this Thanksgiving month, we’ll be posting about all the things this program is THANKFUL for 🙏🦃🐾

Let’s start first with our rescue family North!!!

Transport is a two way rescue street. I always say ‘We drive the miles, so we can see all the smiles’ 😘 Those delivering the smiles are our partners North, who open their rescue doors to our shelter animals and then tirelessly work to find them loving, forever homes. You could have the coolest rescue van in the world, like ours 🚐, but with no place for it to go, no smiles would be had.

To date this transport program has changed the lives of 9,836 precious souls in need of a second chance. That’s a big feat for a small, local program like ours! But when you’re backed by BIG hearts North, what once was a thing of my dreams, has amazingly transformed into a life-saving reality 🙏

I said ‘Yes we could help’ a senior pup named Max in need of a hospice home due to the hurricane BEFORE I even asked for it North. I trusted our rescue family would be there for him, and as always they did not disappoint 👊

And so on behalf of Max, his Dad, as well as the countless lives that have found forever homes through transport ~ Thank you to our rescue partners North. We are grateful for the love that binds us together for those most in need ❤️🐾

16/11/2024

A Rescue Reminder 💙

Several months ago I was visiting Valley River Humane Society Animal Shelter when a stray dog came in that had been cruelly shot. When she started to crash from her injuries I watched in amazement as shelter manager Cheyenne Spicola brought her back to life. As she slowly recovered she rested her head gently in my lap. I remember sighing with worry, whispering to her as she slept, saying: ‘What in the world are we going to do with you’. 😔

A few months later Jessie, now all healed up and acting as my copilot, took a road trip with me to Canada 🚐 🇨🇦 We were told a family up there saw a photo of Jessie and strongly felt she was meant to be their dog. They anxiously were awaiting our arrival and within a few minutes Jessie left my care and entered their lives.

This past week I received an update around Jessie in the form of the classic ‘family photo’. It brought me back to the moment at Valley River where Jessie was recovering in my lap…where I was pained over why all this was happening, and wondering how on earth I was going to fix it.

Questions that begin with ‘Why’ and ‘How’ are some of the most difficult to face in life. I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but personally I like to know what the plan is and who’s running this show. Thankfully, transport has taught me a lesson or two. It’s taught me that just because I don’t have a plan, doesn’t necessarily mean a plan still doesn’t exist. And just because it feels like no one is in charge, doesn’t necessarily mean someone isn’t 🙏

Thank you Jessie for reminding me that the world’s problems aren’t meant for me to solve alone. And although my part is small in your rescue journey, your family photos surely make it all the sweeter ❤️

13/11/2024

TRANSPORT tonight Nov. 14th 6-7:00pm at Crossroads Asheville 20 S. Bear Creek Rd 🚐🐾!!!

Chained, abandoned, unwanted, parvo-stricken. All survivors, all in need of a second chance through transport 👊 Thanks to this life-changing program and our Midwest rescue family at Animal Welfare Friends, 38 precious souls are about to get the loving homes they so deserve 🙏

Rescue works when WE work Together!

We'll need about 10 people to help with all of our puppy pens, and another 10 or so to walk dogs and assist with loading the van. Please comment below if you can make it so we can plan accordingly ⬇️🐶

10/11/2024

TRANSPORT tonight, Monday November 11th at Crossroads Asheville church 6pm-7:15pm 🚐🐾!!!

We'll need 20 adult dog walkers and a small handful of puppy pen minders as we prepare to send another van full of shelter doggos North! Please comment below if you can make it so we know how many helpers to expect🙏⬇️

Come join us as we get our shelter dogs one step closer to their forever homes 💕🐕

*Crossroads at 20 S Bear Creek Rd. Asheville, NC is our new transport departure location. Set up begins at 5:30pm!
Click here to learn more about volunteering with us -> https://www.shelterdogtransportalliance.com/volunteer

09/11/2024

THANK YOU for giving us a lift 🙏 🚐

Over the last month SDTA has successfully relocated over 500 shelter animals to safety from hurricane devastated areas throughout WNC!!!

We’re incredibly grateful for all the donors and supporters who gifted us their time, money and resources to be there for those in need 🙏

Your love has lifted ALL of us higher ❤️

04/11/2024

What a great memory today of a transport legend 👊
Try to stay out of trouble up there you two 😘

02/11/2024

Dear Foster Dad Oliver,

So I just arrived in Canada! It wasn’t a bad trip at all. In fact I pretty much slept the whole time while that Natasha lady drove through the night 🚐 P.S. I don’t know how she does it, she’s totally crazy!

Well, I know you were really sad to see me leave on transport last night, but please don’t be sad anymore. These really nice people were waiting JUST FOR ME when I got here, and they haven’t stopped smiling since ❤️ They haven’t had another dog for awhile, so I guess they felt it was time for their home to be complete again 🐾

I can’t wait to tell them how you saved my life when you answered the call to be a foster. Or how you took extra special care of me when I had my heartworm treatment. Or how you always introduced me to everyone as your BFF 🌈

I’ll always love you Foster Dad Oliver for rescuing me, but now it’s my turn to be the rescuer. Transport is meant to save lives, but it’s also meant to bless the lives of the families who choose to adopt a transport dog or cat as well 🙏

Thank you for being the life-saving bridge that led me to my people. I guess that’s what you call a foster 💙

Xoxo,
Your BFF Val 🐶

P.P.S. Natasha gave these people your number. We’re so going to FaceTime you later 😘

31/10/2024

TRANSPORT tonight, Friday Nov. 1st at Crossroads Asheville church 6pm-7:15pm 🚐🐾!!! Please comment below if you will be there👇. We need atleast 35 dog walkers (Age 18+ to walk a dog)!

We'll have over 41 shelter dogs in need of walks, hugs and treats before their big journey North! All of these dogs have been surrendered to our shelters, and now look to us to give them a happy ending to their rescue story. Start your month off by giving a shelter dog a minute of your time and love.
We promise it makes a difference 🙏

Crossroads at 20 S Bear Creek Rd. Asheville NC is our new transport departure location. Although their church was flooded by the hurricane, they are providing us with everything needed to get our shelter dogs one step closer to their forever homes ❤️ Set up begins at 5:30pm.

*Our program safely relocates surrendered shelter animals to partner rescues in the North so that we can continue to make room for those in need. North Carolina currently ranks #4 in highest shelter euthanasia rates, so transport is a critical life-saving outlet until we're able to address animal overpopulation through spay and neuter.

29/10/2024

Little did Mini know what her future would hold when she left the shelter with us…😘 Grand adventures await our shelter pups thanks to this life-saving program!!!

Big hugs to Pilot Brian, as well as our rescue family North for making sure there’s only blue skies ahead for Miss Mini and her shelter buds ✈️🐾

26/10/2024

How Rescue Works ⬇️

When shelters become critically full and are forced to make heart-breaking decisions, we relocate lives to safety within our alliance until our next transport North. The shelters these precious souls are temporarily transferred to are able to help those in need…because they themselves were just helped through transport 🚐

Many of our shelters and rescues are grateful for the life-saving space transport offers them, and in turn are eager to deliver the support they just received to other shelters now in need. This is what we envisioned when we founded this program 4 years ago, and this is why we chose to call it The Shelter Dog Transport Alliance 👊

Check out these friendly faces that made the journey yesterday all the way across the State to us thanks to our volunteer driver Sandy Jo 🙏 Many of them you’ll see on our next transport North!

Rescue works because we work TOGETHER ❤️

24/10/2024

UPDATE: Little Man made it to Asheville and had a successful surgery!!! Valley River Humane was also able to meet their fundraising goal 🙏
We look forward to seeing this puppy get to be a puppy again ❤️

We’re transporting this little man right now to Asheville as fast as we can! Please keep him in your prayers 🙏

Okay y'all. This picture says it all. We need emergency help to cover this guy's surgery in Asheville TONIGHT. He's a puppy who needs a new start on his life and Valley River Humane Society Animal Shelter and are making it happen. Please give what you can so this little puppy will know what love feels like.

20/10/2024

A Happy Reunion 🙏❤️

Nova and her Dad had been on a canoe trip together in Upstate NY when Nova’s Dad had to return South right before the hurricane. Unfortunately he lost his vehicle in the storm and had no way to get his beloved girl back. His community rallied and reached out to us on his behalf and asked …. Could we help?

Within no time our rescue friends up in NY at Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley drove to Syracuse to pick up Nova. They then met up with our van the next day which was returning South after our recent transport. Nova was then brought to Asheville where Rebecca Lynn Bailey, a good friend of Nova’s Dad, raced her back to her anxiously awaiting Dad in TN ❤️

We’re so stoked this bear chasing, hell raising,
river rafting corgi mix is back in the South with her life-long friend…and most especially her Dad 🙏
Happy life Nova, xoxo The SDTA 😘

18/10/2024

WELCOME to NY Max and Friends ❤️🗽

“Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me”

I can’t think of a better poem right now to describe the arrival of over 55 souls this morning to NY. This poem is engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty and emphasizes the value of delivering empathy and compassion to those in desperate need.

We cannot begin to express the devastation that was wrought on our communities throughout Western North Carolina, but we can at least move forward in the comfort of knowing that we, and our shelters animals, will always be welcomed with open arms in our time of need ❤️ to Humane Society of Walden NY, Paws Crossed Animal Rescue, Compassionate Animal Rescue Efforts of Dutchess County - CARE of DC Transport truly changes lives 🙏

17/10/2024

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work 🐾👊

16/10/2024

Max’s Final Adventure ❤️

One of the most humbling days since Hurricane Helene hit was when I had the privilege to meet Max and his Dad. Max had been separated from his Dad since the storm and when he found him at one of our shelters he was elated! But sadness took hold when we were told that where they were living had been completely destroyed by the storm. Making matters worse, Max’s Dad told us that Max most likely had cancer and already at age 15 didn’t have much time left.

We gave Max’s Dad a few options around how we best could support him, and then left he and Max alone to discuss what they thought would be best. After careful consideration, Max’s dad turned to me and asked if we could take Max in as our own. He wasn’t ready for Max to leave this earth, but he also wasn’t ready or able to provide hospice care to him either no matter how it was arranged.

And so Max and his Dad said their goodbyes as he gently carried him to my car. I promised him I would care for his dog as my own, and since then we have done so. Max has a hospice home waiting for him North thanks to our rescue family at Compassionate Animal Rescue Efforts of Dutchess County - CARE of DC. We’ve stayed in close contact with Max’s Dad during this last week and will continue to do so until Max is ready to finally depart this earth. Max’s family is about to get a whole lot bigger thanks to his Dad’s immense love for him ❤️

Max will be riding shotgun tomorrow night in the van as we prepare for another transport at Crossroads Asheville 6pm 20 S Bear Creek Rd Asheville. Thank you to everyone who showed up for last Sunday transport ~ all are welcome again as we depart with another van load of precious souls 🙏