Giuliana Rancic and her family are trying to get rescue pets out of overcrowded shelters and into loving homes for the holidays.
The entertainment reporter, 51, recently teamed up with Wings of Rescue, a nonprofit dedicated to providing free flights to rescue pets, and arranged for 109 dogs stuck in overcrowded California shelters to be flown to U.S. rescues that have a demand for adoptable pets.
Wings of Rescue provided the plane to make Rancic’s heartwarming plan possible. On Nov. 15, the 109 dogs spent a rainy morning getting loaded onto the aircraft at the Van Nuys Airport. The dogs then set out on a cross-country journey, stopping in Chicago, New York, and Maine. At each stop, some of the dogs deplaned to meet shelter representatives, fosters, and, in some cases, pre-approved adopters.
Courtesy of Wings of Rescue
Shelter dogs boarding a Wings of Rescue flight
Giuliana, her husband Bill Rancic, and their son, Duke, all played a role in making the rescue flight possible and ensured the dogs had plenty of cuddles and kind words to last them until their final destination. The family even formed a welcome committee to greet the dogs as they got off in Chicago. And it was another member of Giuliana’s family that inspired the flight in the first place: her rescue dog, FiFi.
“Overcrowded shelters are euthanizing healthy, adoptable dogs in many cases simply for ‘space,’ which is truly heartbreaking. So, while shooting a segment at PAWS Chicago to highlight the work of rescue organizations, I started fostering, and eventually adopted, my first rescue dog, FiFi,” the TV personality tells PEOPLE.
Courtesy of Wings of Rescue
Dogs boarding a Wings of Rescue flight
While caring for FiFi, Giuliana learned more about the challenges animal shelters and the pets they care for face daily.
“The more I learned about the shelter crisis, the more personal it became. Los Angeles, where I lived for more than 20 years, has been hit especially hard. I felt compelled to help in any way I could,” she explains, adding that she first started helping rescue dogs find homes by “arranging for one or two dogs on euthanasia lists in L.A. at a time to be transported to the Midwest, where I have strong relationships with rescues that could help them find loving homes.”
Courtesy of Wings of Rescue
Shelters pets deplaning from Wings of Rescue flight
After learning about Wings of Rescue, Giuliana knew she wanted to beef up her rescue efforts with the nonprofit’s help.
“I remember thinking the shelter situation in LA is absolutely a disaster, so I picked up the phone and told them exactly that. They agreed, and together we coordinated a transport from LA to the Midwest. Before long, we added two East Coast destinations, which were perfect since there are many wonderful rescue partners there as well. Initially, I thought we might save forty or fifty dogs on this first flight—but in the end, we were able to save 109 dogs in a single transport,” Giuliana shares.
Wings of Rescue is thrilled with the success of the Nov. 15 rescue flight as well.
Courtesy of Wings of Rescue
Giuliana Rancic greeting rescue dogs in Chicago
“We’re most excited that this flight gives every pet on board a real chance at a brighter future. Many of these animals have been waiting in overcrowded shelters with little hope of adoption, and now they’re headed somewhere where their chances dramatically improve. Celebrity involvement helps us bring national attention to that lifesaving work,” Nelda Corbell, co-president of Wings of Rescue, says.
Along with being the first Wings of Rescue flight that Giuliana played a part in organizing, the Nov. 15 flight stood out because it contained Wings of Rescue’s 84,000th pet passenger, and an impressive statistic for the charity that started in 2012.
Wings of Rescue shows no signs of slowing down. The nonprofit had several other rescue flights occur during the same weekend as Giuliana’s and is scheduling more lifesaving adventures for the weeks ahead, including a rescue flight from Jamaica.
Courtesy of Wings of Rescue
Bill Rancic with a rescue puppy
And even though Giuliana’s rescue flight required countless hours of coordination and screen time, she is eager to support another rescue flight soon.
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“This mission changed me. Without a doubt, I would love to do more transports like this, but my real hope is that one day, missions like this won’t even be necessary because people will remember to spay and neuter their pets, adopt their next pet from a shelter or rescue group, and help make sure every dog has the chance at a loving home,” Giuliana shares.
To learn more about Wings of Rescue and how to support their lifesaving work, visit wingsofrescue.org.
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