Subaru caravan, plane aid Towaoc Animal Shelter

A volunteer crew from Mark Miller Subaru in Salt Lake City and the Utah animal rescue Nuzzles and Co. load Mark Miller’s plane with dogs and cats from the Towaoc Animal Shelter. The two groups joined in an effort to transport animals from the Towaoc shelter to the Salt Lake City area, where there is a greater demand to adopt pets. A caravan of Subarus came to Towaoc to help clear space in the shelter and to help the strays find new homes.

Erika Alvero/The Journal

×

A volunteer crew from Mark Miller Subaru in Salt Lake City and the Utah animal rescue Nuzzles and Co. load Mark Miller’s plane with dogs and cats from the Towaoc Animal Shelter. The two groups joined in an effort to transport animals from the Towaoc shelter to the Salt Lake City area, where there is a greater demand to adopt pets. A caravan of Subarus came to Towaoc to help clear space in the shelter and to help the strays find new homes.

Erika Alvero/The Journal

A “caravan of Subarus” and a plane transported more than 100 dogs and cats from the Towaoc Animal Shelter to Salt Lake City this week.

The noontime Thursday transport flight was the second one of the day. The first flight aboard the Mark Miller Subaru plane earlier in the morning focused on transporting puppies, cats and animals in need of emergency medical care from Towaoc to Salt Lake City.

Erika Alvero/The Journal

×

The noontime Thursday transport flight was the second one of the day. The first flight aboard the Mark Miller Subaru plane earlier in the morning focused on transporting puppies, cats and animals in need of emergency medical care from Towaoc to Salt Lake City.

Erika Alvero/The Journal

Mark Miller Subaru partnered with nonprofit Nuzzles and Co. for the car dealership’s annual “Pet Rescue Mission.” The purpose is twofold, according to the event organizers: By taking the animals from the Towaoc shelter, they are helping the local shelter clear space for other homeless critters, along with being able to bring them to the Salt Lake City area, which has a greater adoption demand.

Nuzzles and Co. is a nonprofit based in Summit County, Utah. The group conducts pet rescue missions once a month, but the plane allows the group to transport a higher number of animals, along with shortening the duration of the journey for high-needs dogs and cats.

This time around, for example, the crew included a few very pregnant dogs.

In total, the car dealership and nonprofit transported around 104 animals Thursday, said Kathleen Weron from Nuzzles and Co. Of that number, 47 went on the first flight, 35 flew on the second, and the rest are riding to Utah on a nine-car “caravan of Subarus.”

Erika Alvero/The Journal

×

In total, the car dealership and nonprofit transported around 104 animals Thursday, said Kathleen Weron from Nuzzles and Co. Of that number, 47 went on the first flight, 35 flew on the second, and the rest are riding to Utah on a nine-car “caravan of Subarus.”

Erika Alvero/The Journal

The nine-car “caravan of Subarus” made the six-hour trek from Salt Lake City to Towaoc on Wednesday, carrying nearly 3,000 pounds of dog food to donate to the shelter.

Early Thursday, volunteers from the car company and nonprofit loaded up the Subarus with dogs and cats from the Towaoc shelter, drove them to the Cortez Municipal Airport, and then loaded them onto Mark Miller’s plane.

Miller then flew them to the Nuzzles and Co. facility and ranch in Park City, Utah, and then repeated the journey, with the second flight departing a little after noon.

In total, the car company and nonprofit transported around 104 animals on Thursday, said Kathleen Weron from Nuzzles and Co. Of that number, 47 went on the first flight, 35 flew on the second, and the rest are riding to Utah in the Subarus.

Nuzzles and Co. seeks to complete one pet rescue mission a month. The Mark Miller Subaru plane allows the group to transport a higher number of animals, along with shortening the duration of the journey for high-need dogs and cats.

Erika Alvero/The Journal

×

Nuzzles and Co. seeks to complete one pet rescue mission a month. The Mark Miller Subaru plane allows the group to transport a higher number of animals, along with shortening the duration of the journey for high-need dogs and cats.

Erika Alvero/The Journal

Puppies, cats, and animals in need of urgent medical care were priority passengers on the early morning trip, said Megan Robison from Mark Miller Subaru.

In addition to transporting animals, the volunteers cleaned the shelter, donated dog food, and installed dog feeders.

By taking away some of the animals, Weron said, they cleared space for other dogs and cats, along with allowing the shelter’s trainer to concentrate efforts on supporting a few needy animals.

ealvero@the-journal.com