The Wheels of Hope Turn for Rescue Groups

   

Since 2005, the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals has transported 80,000 cats and dogs to partner rescue groups, adoptive and foster homes, spay/neuter appointments, and veterinary providers with our Wheels of Hope transport program. Our six transport vans run seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, to help NYC’s shelter pets and feral and stray community cats. This month, we are bringing you stories of organizations and individuals who are saving the lives of animals in New York City with the help of our Wheels of Hope. We hope you enjoy these Wheels of Hope: Tales from the Road!

Nancy Skluth says that her non-profit organization, Labs4rescue, has been using the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals’ Wheels of Hope (WOH) transport program for years to transport rescued Labrador Retrievers and Lab mixes. “Without Wheels of Hope we would have no way to get our dogs from the shelters to fosters, vets, or their forever homes,” says Nancy.

WOH drivers have picked up dogs whose owners can no longer care for them for a variety of reasons, ranging from eviction to health problems to divorce and more. According to Nancy, the drivers have handled each situation with compassion. And, she says, they certainly do get involved in their work — apparently, the very first Lab WOH transported wound up being adopted by the driver’s sister!

Nancy can recall many other dogs WOH drove to better situations. This includes Eddie, a 12-year-old chocolate Lab, who developed kennel cough while at Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C). Labs4rescue pulled the dog and, thanks to WOH, transported him to a place where he could recover. WOH later drove Eddie to a foster home. Nancy is happy to report that Eddie has not only made a full recovery, but he’s been adopted.

She also credits WOH for helping Karma and Jackson make it to their happily ever after. The two Labs were surrendered when their owners divorced, and later found themselves separated for the first time ever when one foster home could not be found for them both. However, one person did eventually adopt both dogs, and WOH was on hand to drive them to their reunion in their new home.

“Each story is special,” says Nancy, “and each dog has made a family’s home more joyful. And it’s all been made possible thanks to the Wheels of Hope.”