Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and FedEx team up to relocate 100 shelter pets after Hurricane Irma

Miami-Dade Animal Services is teaming up with the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and FedEx to relocate 100 pets that were displaced by Hurricane Irma to adoption shelters in San Francisco and Washington State.

The goal, the county says, is to “make space at the shelters in order to extend the stray hold—the time period a before a stray is eligible for adoption,” which will give families extra time to make it to shelters and search for their lost pets.

“We are committed to assisting other counties impacted by Hurricane Irma so they can better take care of the animals in need in their communities,” said Alex Muñoz, Director of Animal Services. “The main goal is to care for these pets during this difficult time and re-home them into loving homes.”

Check-in for the pets’ airlift began this morning from the Miami-Dade Animal Services Pet Adoption and Protection Center at 3599 Northwest 79th Avenue in Doral.

Micky Arison, who owns the Heat and is the acting Chairman of Carnival, and his wife, Madeleine, also pledged an immediate $2.5 million donation to Direct Relief, UNICEF and United Way of Miami-Dade County to support the most urgent hurricane relief efforts. Carnival, the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund, and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation are additionally pledging up to $10 million in funding and in-kind support.

Earlier this week, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pledged $1 million to immediate and long-term rebuilding efforts.