Winter has been transformed into spring and the highways are busy. But it's not just people on the road.

 

Thanks to some dedicated volunteers, a number of pets are being transported state to state. Many times, the rides they take are lifesaving.

 

“Transports are amazing to help transfer dogs from high kill shelters to other rescues,” said Frankie Michelle Dennison, executive director, Humane Society of Harrison County.

 

Located on Saltwell Road, HSHC uses Kindred Hearts transport service. Just recently, that service organized the transport of a coonhound named Cleo cross country to Utah.

 

“Different people drove different legs – from one and a half hours to up to several hours – all through the kindness of their heart and the love of saving these souls,” Dennison said.

 

HSHC volunteer and Bridgeport resident Joe Izzo helped with Cleo’s transport. A fairly new transporter, Izzo said many other locals are more deeply involved with the work and have put in much more time than he has. He sees why they find it so rewarding. 

 

Within the last few weeks, he has done three transports and has made some new canine friends, including three basset hound mix pups – John, Paul and Ringo – who he drove to Basset Hound Rescue of Old Dominion “BROOD” in Hagerstown, Md. He was also one leg of a cross country adventure from Texas to New Jersey. His passengers were a poodle and a Chihuahua.

 

“I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with them from Nebo, West Virginia to Morgantown,” Izzo said.

 

Dennison said she has personally been involved; once being part of an effort to transport a dog  from New England to Las Vegas.

 

Just this week, Sarah Meads Dodson and Gretchen Ross conducted a “freedom ride." The locals set out on a journey to help transport Jax, a malnourished golden retriever, from a high kill shelter in southern West Virginia to Pennsylvania, where he would be cared for by WAGS (With A Golden Spirit) rescue. 

 

“We have adopted two wonderful goldens from WAGS,” Dodson said. “They really do an amazing job at caring for and evaluating the needs these rescued pups have and placing them in the best situation for both people and the dogs.”

 

She and her husband Jeff adopted Rudy Moon in 2001. He was part of the family for 10 years until he died of cancer. Next, it was Rusty who joined the Dodson family. 

 

"Rusty came to us underweight, with no undercoat, hoarding water when he was given a bowl, but with a big heart and was ready to embrace our family," she said. "The rescue does a great job of evaluating the dogs for health and behavioral issues to make sure the dogs are placed in homes that fit their needs." 

 

Dodson said when she received an email from her WAGS contact - Chuck Weintraub - that  a freedom ride was being organized for Jax, she wanted to help. 

 

"Freedom rides are highly coordinated with meeting times and instructions of how to properly transport the dog to ensure the safety of the dog and drivers," she said. 

 

Jax's ride with Dodson and Ross was one of four it took to ultimately transport him to southwestern Pennsylania. She said she has just learned that Jax was taken into a foster home and there is a good possibility that they may adopt him. 

 

WAGS has been working to rescue golden retrievers since 1998 and have rescued more than 500 dogs. 

 

In nearby Braxton County, the animal shelter is active in transporting dogs.

 

“Last year, I personally transported 630 from my shelter and 29 from other shelters up to rescues in the Buffalo, New York area,” said Julie Reese Covert, shelter director. “I recently started working with a Humane Society in Canada too, so I'm hoping our transport number will increase.”

 

The rescues which Covert deals with do home visits and vet reference checks before approving adopters. They indicate to the local shelter which dogs they can place, after which Covert “gets them all vetted” and drives them to western New York, where many preapproved adopters await. 

 

Dennison said an organization called Pilots to Paws actually flies pets from state to state. 

 

For more information, visit the Facebook pages of the organizations mentioned above.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top is Izzo; Dodson and Ross.