Canine cuties arrive in the Upstate in time for Christmas

In search of a home for the holidays, eight rescued animals from rural Tennessee landed at the Greenville Downtown Airport on Friday.

Travel arrangements for these lucky, furry friends were made by Rural Animal Rescue Effort (RARE). And Charlie Cato, a pilot from Nashville, TN volunteered to fly a Cessna aircraft containing pet crates to hold the precious cargo.

“Up until last summer, we would all travel across our country’s roads,” Prechel said. “A pilot reached out to us and asked if he could help and now, we are also taking to the skies.” Seven flights with a total of 92 animals aboard have arrived at airports in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

RARE’s mission is to seek out fosters and adopters in more populated, metropolitan areas in order to save more animals, more rapidly, than they can find in their local area. So far in 2019, RARE has transported 1,461 animals, according to Laura Prechel, RARE Director of Transport.

This fall, RARE formed a new partnership with the Greenville Humane Society (GHS), a large, no-kill shelter with the ability to quickly find homes for the animals in their care. Greenville Humane Society is located at 305 Airport Road a little more than a block from the Greenville Downtown Airport runway.

“Together, the Greenville Humane Society and RARE are giving second chances to animals who previously had no hope for a better life,” said Greenville Humane Society Executive Director Kim Pitman.

Kelly McComas, Medical Center Operations Manager, Greenville Humane Society, added, “We invite anyone looking for a new family member to come meet them this weekend.”

About Rural Animal Rescue Effort (RARE)
Located in middle Tennessee, RARE is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission to rescue neglected animals and provide spay or neuter assistance to reduce the extreme overpopulation and euthanasia of companion animals.

About Greenville Humane Society (GHS)
The Greenville Humane Society is the second-largest no-kill shelter in the Southeast. It is a destination for animal lovers and a place where all animals are cared for compassionately. GHS offers services for both pets and shelter animals, from affordable services including vaccines and flea/tick/heartworm medications, to adoption and retail offerings. They also have one of the largest low-cost spay and neuter clinics open to the public in South Carolina.
GHS is a community-supported private non-profit which relies solely on donations and sponsorships to care for more than 6,000 animals each year.