Puerto Rico has far more rescue animals than can be adopted by the local population, and being an island it’s much harder to transport them to other rescues with more space or even who already have an adopter lined up for the animal. It’s not feasible for volunteers to regularly transport them.

If you are visiting PR, you can sign up to escort a cat or small dog on your return flight. A volunteer meets you at the departure airport with the animal in a carrier, and another meets you at arrival to pick them up. It’s a very easy process since PR is a US territory. The rescue pays for any costs associated with bringing the animal as a carry on, and you get an adorable travel buddy.

This is a little guy named Halo that I escorted a few years ago 🥲 I still think about him and am so happy I got to help him to his new life.

  • Vanth@reddthat.com
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    21 hours ago

    Well, shoot. I go down a couple times a year for work. That would be a delightful slice of joy to otherwise dull trips.

  • CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    21 hours ago

    How does this work? I know that PR is an US territory but I imagine there are some quarantine procedures for animals.

    Or has all of that been worked out already and you’re just the courier?

    Edit: nevermind. My mind skipped past the explanation and went straight for the cute picture.

    Volunteers are on both sides of the journey.

    • martine@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      9 hours ago

      No quarantine. Just like flying with a pet from one US state to another. The rescue will pay for extra costs if there are any, but I didn’t have any with my flight.

      A volunteer from the receiving rescue met me at the airport when I landed and picked him up before our luggage even came out on the carousel.

  • cymbal_king@lemmy.world
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    21 hours ago

    We have an 11 year old rescue pup from Puerto Rico, he’s a really good boy. They kind of have their own breed going on on the island. We DNA tested him and he’s about 1/3 Chihuahua, 1/3 “super mut”, and then like small portions of a dozen other breeds. He loves laying outside all day on the hottest days of the year.

    • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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      19 hours ago

      They kind of have their own breed going on on the island.

      I believe they are called “sato” which basically means “mutt”.

    • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip
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      15 hours ago

      I’ve got a hound-mix that came from Louisiana (I think). His mom was a bloodhound, his dad was a deadbeat who hit it and quit it.

      He’s shorthaired, tan, like 75lbs…and he loves to bask.

      In the summer he’s got two modes, bask or zoomies. That’s it.