Before Dawn, a Hybrid Mission Carried Hope North

Before Dawn, a Hybrid Mission Carried Hope North

Before the sun had fully risen, a journey filled with hope was already underway for 16 dogs and 9 cats who had been waiting for a second chance. What began in Richmond Hill, Georgia, became a beautiful example of how compassion and teamwork could change lives in just a single day.

Drivers Mike Bertini and Anthony Santiago started their morning in Greenville, South Carolina, before heading south to pick up the animals. With wagging tails, quiet purrs, and nervous hearts packed safely inside the van, they made their way toward Elizabethtown, North Carolina, where pilots Vas and MacKenzie were waiting to continue the mission north.

Among the passengers were Raymond and Reyna, who had been abandoned and later found trapped inside an eight-foot deep ditch before being rescued. Leah, Lana, and Leila had been left behind near a shopping center beside a dangerously busy road, where they faced constant risk. Connor carried his own painful story after being hit by a car and suffering a fractured leg.

Each animal boarded this mission with a past filled with fear, uncertainty, or heartbreak. By the end of the day, they were surrounded by people determined to give them something better.

This hybrid mission moved by both road and air, allowing the animals to travel safely and quickly toward brighter futures. Every hand involved helped carry them one step closer to healing, comfort, and the loving homes waiting ahead.

We are incredibly grateful to Everglades Animal Coalition and Darbster for working alongside us to make this lifesaving mission possible. Because of this teamwork, dozens of animals were given the chance to leave hardship behind and begin again.