March 21, 2009

On Saturday morning, pilot Dale Gaudet,  in co-ordination with Animal Rescue Flights, left the New Iberia Regional Airport with Margie, an American Bulldog seized by St. Martin Parish Animal Control last year in a cruelty investigation.

Margie had since been adopted and then returned to the shelter and was painfully thin.  Her tragic story was taken to heart by Monique Louvier, coordinator for St. Martin Parish Animal Control and two local animal welfare activists, Cheryl Angelle and Fran Borges.

Margie’s plight was also noticed on dogsindanger.com by Julia  Ryan, another pilot with Animal Rescue Flights, who in turn contacted Jodi Specter with American Bulldog Rescue in Pennsylvania.  Cheryl Angelle, Fran Borges and Jodi Specter logged in countless hours putting together the six leg journey involving six different pilots across the United States transporting both Margie and several other rescued pets to a new and safe home.

Many thanks also to Dr. Reaux of New Iberia, who opened his clinic early Saturday morning to provide the necessary paperwork for Margie’s flight.

As new co-ordinator of St. Martin Parish Animal Control, Monique Louvier is dedicated to working with as many animal rescue organizations as possible to provide the abandoned and abused animals in the parish with a new start in life.  “The current adoption rate would not be possible without the tireless work of many volunteers and we hope this isn’t the last time we have a happy ending at the airport” stated Ms. Louvier.