APOPKA, Fla. — Just in time for the holidays, one group is offering puppies for adoption.
A local project called Puppy Rescue Flights rescues puppies from rural Alabama, where stray dogs are an issue. Then they transfer them to Central Florida, where they have several local rescues that come and pick them up to be adopted or fostered.
Lauren Bordeaux is an Orlando Police Department officer by trade, but when she’s not wearing her badge, she’s at the Orlando-Apopka Airport helping with the Puppy Rescue Flights — Orlando.
“I try to be out here every weekend. The more I come, the more I feel like I can’t miss a weekend. I feel like when I’m not here, I’m going to miss out on the cutest little pups. It’s a way from stress of work and life. It’s like therapy being out here,” said Bordeaux, volunteer for Puppy Flight Rescue – Orlando.
And as she transferred these cute little pups from the plane to the ground, she can’t help but smile, as a year ago this is how she met her own four-legged best friend, Harley.
“She was the most social dog, running around to everybody. And I was like that’s my dog,” said Bordeaux.
The Puppy Flight Rescue also educates their volunteers on the importance of adopting rather than shopping. While the organization is the middleman between the number of rescues, they see first-hand how many of these dogs need a loving home.
“There’s so many dogs that need to be rescued. Coming here the past two or three years, seeing 20 plus. There’s no way I could go and buy a dog. When these dogs are here waiting and wanting a family,” said Bordeaux.
As these dogs settle down, it’s time for the Central Florida rescues to come in and pick them up for someone to adopt them.
“These guys are going to a foster next, they go to the vet to get checked, but after they go to a foster home until they are adopted,” said Bordeaux.
As the saying goes, as one door closes, another one will open for these dogs awaiting their forever home.
For more information on volunteering or donating to Puppy Flight Rescue, click here.