Animal shelters are overwhelmed and overcrowded due to an increase in intakes and a decrease in adopters. Every month, we fly at-risk shelter pets to shelters that have open kennels and adopters waiting. When this month's flight got cancelled, we arranged another way to transport the homeless pets.

On December 12, vans will arrive at various shelters in Iberville Parish, Louisiana and drive dogs like Mimi and Nino and puppies named after characters in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to The Humane Society of Broward in Florida.

Photo: Iberville Parish Animal Shelter

Mimi and Nino, 2-year-old Yorkie mixes, were surrendered by their owner after she realized she could no longer give them the care they needed. Staff at Iberville Parish Animal Shelter recounted this heartbreaking story,

"Late one afternoon a woman came to our shelter. There were tears in her eyes and her work uniform was dirty. She said, “I have to surrender two small dogs.” We inquired why she was surrendering her pets that she clearly loved. She said she had no choice. She had to move many times for work and the dogs always accompanied her and her children. Times had gotten too hard and she needed to work even more with the holidays coming up.

Tears streamed down her face as she talked about how the dogs didn’t need much but what she had needed to go to her children. “Please give them a good home, they deserve more than I can give them right now” and with that she signed them over and went back to work."

Animal Control also rescued four Aussiedoodle puppies who were left alone in a home while the family was on vacation. The dogs were dirty, smelly, and starving. According to the shelter, "The owners of the beautiful pups were contacted and they had just gone on a small vacation and thought they left the pups with plenty of food and water. They believed they could sell some Christmas puppies and were not prepared for the amount of work and commitment the puppies would be. They gladly surrendered the pups and agreed to get the parents spayed and neutered. After a meeting with the director of the shelter and a tour of our kennels they understood the need to adopt pets and stop breeding."

Photos: Iberville Parish Animal Shelter

The puppies were named after some of the Griswold family members - Clark, Ellen, Audrey - and after the nosy neighbor, Margo. They would love a family of their own to cuddle up with and watch the movie that inspired their names.

Photos: Iberville Parish Animal Shelter

All these dogs and dozens more are hoping for a "hap-hap-happiest Christmas." Will you help us give them the second chance they deserve by donating to our Drive to Freedom?

Just $5 helps cover the cost of fuel for the trip. Help us get a van load of loving pets Home for the Holidays!