Pet project goes the distance for local animals

MEDLEY, Fla. (WSVN) -- Two dozen dogs and cats from South Florida are heading far north for a happy home.

Cage after cage with kittens inside are stacked inside a van, as well as pooch after pooch. They are packed up for a long drive. Some of the smaller ones are fitted with new sweaters because they have spent their short lives here in South Florida, but now they're headed some place drastically different.

The four-legged friends at the Miami-Dade Animal Services shelter in Medley have plenty to bark about. Wednesday morning, 25 dogs and seven cats housed at the facility will begin their long haul to their new homes in Iowa. "They take our pets in with open arms and open hearts, and they find them awesome homes," said Melissa Sorokin of Miami-Dade Animal Services.

The transport is part of "Miami Dogs on the Move," which is a program aimed at placing the pets in no-kill shelters, while also giving them a second chance at making a great family pet.

So, as the animals say goodbye to South Florida, the shelter said there's plenty more where they came from. "We have fantastic dogs, from your cute little, fluffy, desirable dogs, to the big beautiful Mastiff and yellow Labs. We just have everything," said Sorokin.

The pets are currently on their way to the small no-kill facility near Iowa City, which usually has less than 10 dogs and cats to adopt. They look to places such as Miami-Dade County to bring in more pets who need good homes.

The trip takes about two days.

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