South Florida got some 'good boys and girls' this weekend when 20 golden retrievers arrived after being saved from the streets and potential slaughter in China.
The mission, a collaboration between Kristine Minerva and Golden Rescue South Florida, took five days to complete with the dogs arriving Sunday morning at Miami International Airport.
“I had a dream and it became a reality yesterday,” Minerva said in a story by NBC affiliate WFLA-TV. “It was like, ‘somebody pinch me.'”
Minerva said she got the idea after seeing a story from an organization in Oregon about the golden retrievers needing rescue. Plans were put into place and the dogs were placed in crates for the flight.
However, the plane carrying the dogs was delayed for 50 hours in Taiwan due to a mechanical issue. Officials were approved to give the dogs food and water, but they were not allowed to be taken out of their crates.
“I did not sleep at all that night,” Minerva said.
Once they arrived in Miami, the dogs were cleaned and examined before being taken to their ‘forever homes’. Minerva said the main obstacle was finding homes for the dogs since they don’t come from ordinary adoption facilities or breeders.
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“It’s not a typical owner surrender. These dogs come from very traumatic experiences. They’ve never been in a home, they’re out on the street, never shown love,” she said. “It’s going to take a little bit for them to evolve and get out of their quiet zone. Some are timid and frightened.”
