While the old cliché goes “when pigs fly,” it’s dogs and cats that will take to the skies as they’re flown into the Northern Virginia area to find new homes.

“Our lifestyle has changed a little bit with regards to his pandemic. People have a little more time at home, a little more time with their families,” said Dawn Wallace, executive director of the Arlington-based Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation.

She said many people have decided to expand their families by adding a pet.

“Where sometimes adopting a new pet can be a little worrisome with regards to the time they might need to have the cat or dog settle into their home and get acclimated with their lifestyle, we’ve been given this kind of strange opportunity, time to be able to spend with them,” said Wallace.

So much so they have been transporting dogs and cats by plane and car from rural areas in southern states, where many were facing euthanasia.

“We are very grateful to have a gentleman who has provided his own personal plane to provide air transport to us,” Wallace said. “We have three missions he’s supported, able to reach areas where animals were at very high risk for euthanasia and to be able to save them and bring them to us.”

Wallace said they were seeing so many adoptions, they are able not only to save animals in the area, but have been funding transports of pets who were close to being euthanized at shelters in southern states to the area to find homes.

While they have been able to find homes for many pets, she said there are still plenty more in need.

Wallace advised that for this Giving Tuesday, consider giving a home to a new pet, or sending a few dollars their way so they can bring pets here to find a forever home.

The adoptions are a win-win, obviously saving the lives of the pets who were on death row but also a help to the new owners who adopt them.

“You hear lots of stories about concerns with isolation and struggles people have had through the pandemic,” said Wallace. “People have reached out and looked at that and the comfort adopting an animal can bring to their home.”