More than three dozen cats and dogs from the U.S. Virgin Islands, which is still reeling from hurricanes three years ago, have arrived in Massachusetts and are looking for furr-ever homes, according to the MSPCA.
Ten cats and three dogs arrived on Aug. 29 at the MSPCA-Cape Cod from the Virgin Islands, while another 23 cats and kittens, one dog and one puppy arrived on Sept. 18, MSPCA officials said Tuesday. The animals were flown to Florida, then driven by van to Massachusetts.
With the devastation of two category-five hurricanes that ripped through the Virgin Islands in 2017, coupled with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, fewer animals are being adopted from The Humane Society of St. Thomas, officials said.
The need is even greater with the potential for more storms on the horizon, according to the MSPCA.
"The Humane Society of St. Thomas is over-capacity just as more hurricanes begin to form—any number of which could make landfall over the Virgin Islands in the coming weeks," said Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA-Angell, in a statement.
Some of the animals that were brought to Massachusetts have completed their mandatory 48-hour quarantine and have since been adopted into new homes, the MSPCA said. The rest are still under quarantine at the MSPCA's Cape Cod facility and will be available soon.
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The animals are all described by the MSPCA as "healthy, friendly and social."
"We would consider these cats and dogs to be highly adoptable, and would make wonderful pets for most homes," Keiley said. "Moreover, the animals will help us meet the demand for cats and dogs that has only intensified since the start of the pandemic."
Anyone interested in any of the available animals should contact the MSPCA at capeadoptions@mspca.org.
