Feline chooses individuals for emergency evacuation transport.
Following Hurricane "Milton," a series of animal welfare groups relocated feline and canine companions from the affected region. Incidentally, among these animals, a Southwest Airlines plane was accompanied by kitten Avery. Before even touching down, Avery landed a new living situation.
After the conclusion of a relief mission, pilot Matthew Prebish discovered an unanticipated stowaway - a new furry companion. Southwest Airlines joined forces with various animal welfare organizations on October 12 to shift over 150 animals out of hurricane-stricken states like Tennessee and Florida to safe havens. They also delivered critical resources to communities in North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The pets, primarily cats and dogs, came from shelters and first stopped in Florence, South Carolina, prior to taking off on the relief sortie to the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in Wisconsin. During the journey, one four-legged friend forged a connection with Prebish, the flight captain, and ended up moving in with him even before reaching their destination.
Meant to Be
An inexplicable connection sparked between kitten Avery and the flight commander. "Love flew at an altitude of 30,000 feet (around 9,100 meters)", stated Mirah A. Horowitz, CEO of Lucky Dog, in an interview with People magazine. "Captain Matt hasn't expected that he'd welcome a hurricane evacuee from Tennessee onboard the flight, but sometimes dance with fate is inevitable."
In a photograph taken by animal rescuers, Avery is seen snuggling up to Prebish. Despite the unforeseen turn of events, Prebish's wife seemed to predict it. "I knew my husband was likely to return home with another animal after he embarked on the trip", Prebish mentioned. "He thought it would be a dog this time, but instead, we now share our home with another cat." Prebish commended the tireless efforts of the animal rescuers and hoped that numerous pets found new homes. "We decided to give it a go, so we adopted Avery", he said.
Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction along the Florida coast, taking the lives of 230 individuals and causing estimated losses of approximately $50 billion. Hurricane Milton hit next, resulting in at least 23 fatalities and additional damage in Florida.
After the relief mission, Pilot Matthew Prebish found a hurricane evacuee, Avery, as an unanticipated stowaway on the plane. Despite initially not expecting to bring a hurricane evacuee onboard, the connection between Avery and Prebish was inevitable, leading to Avery moving in with him before reaching their destination.
