A “caravan of Subarus” and a plane transported more than 100 dogs and cats from the Towaoc Animal Shelter to Salt Lake City this week.
Mark Miller Subaru partnered with nonprofit Nuzzles and Co. for the car company’s annual “Pet Rescue Mission.” The purpose is twofold, according to the event organizers: They help the Towaoc shelter clear space for other homeless critters, and they help find homes for them in the Salt Lake City area, which has a greater demand for adoption.
Nuzzles and Co. is a nonprofit in Summit County, Utah. The group conducts pet rescue missions once a month, but the plane allows the group to transport a higher number of animals, along with shortening the journey for high-needs dogs and cats.
This time around the crew included a few very pregnant dogs.
The nine-car “caravan of Subarus” made the six-hour trek from Salt Lake City to Towaoc on Wednesday, carrying nearly 3,000 pounds of dog food to donate to the shelter.
Early Thursday, volunteers from the car company and nonprofit loaded the Subarus with dogs and cats from the Towaoc shelter, drove them to the Cortez Municipal Airport, and loaded them onto Mark Miller’s plane.
Miller then flew them to the Nuzzles and Co. facility and ranch in Park City, Utah, and then repeated the journey, with the second flight departing a little after noon.
In total, the car company and nonprofit transported about 104 animals on Thursday, according to Kathleen Weron from Nuzzles and Co. – 47 on the first flight, 35 on the second, and the rest in the Subarus.
Puppies, cats, and animals in need of urgent medical care were priority passengers on the early morning trip, said Megan Robison from Mark Miller Subaru.
The volunteers also cleaned the shelter, donated dog food and installed dog feeders.
By taking away some of the animals, Weron said, they cleared space for other dogs and cats, along with allowing the shelter’s trainer to concentrate efforts on supporting a few needy animals.
ealvero@the-journal.com