Over 100 shelter pets airlifted from LA to Chicago following massive hoarding case - VIDEO

Over 100 adoptable pets Airlifted out of Los Angeles to Chicago amid ongoing hoarding case involving 700 animals.

An emergency animal rescue flight transported more than 100 pets out of Los Angeles shelters as rescue officials work to manage overcrowding following a large-scale hoarding case involving hundreds of animals, News.Az reports, citing People.

The early morning airlift took place on Tuesday, March 24. Organized by the nonprofit Wings of Rescue, it departed from Van Nuys Airport around 4 a.m., carrying pets already cleared for adoption to partner organizations in Chicago.

The effort was launched days after the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) responded to a call about an alleged hoarding situation in which hundreds of dogs and cats were being kept in deplorable conditions. 

The seized animals are part of an active, ongoing legal investigation involving over 700 cats and dogs, so they cannot yet be adopted or transported. This influx of long-stay animals into the L.A. shelter system placed immediate strain on facilities already facing capacity issues.

"Cases of hoarding are particularly challenging because the pets involved are often tied up in legal procedure and cannot, themselves, be transported or assigned to new homes," Wings of Rescue CEO Ric Browde said in a statement. "That's why we are moving healthy, adoptable pets out of Southern California so that the hoarded pets will have clean, safe, and medically supervised housing for as long as necessary." 

The seized animals are part of an active, ongoing legal investigation involving over 700 cats and dogs, so they cannot yet be adopted or transported. This influx of long-stay animals into the L.A. shelter system placed immediate strain on facilities already facing capacity issues.

"Cases of hoarding are particularly challenging because the pets involved are often tied up in legal procedure and cannot, themselves, be transported or assigned to new homes," Wings of Rescue CEO Ric Browde said in a statement. "That's why we are moving healthy, adoptable pets out of Southern California so that the hoarded pets will have clean, safe, and medically supervised housing for as long as necessary."Wings of Rescue coordinated with Paws for Life K9 Rescue to take more than 100 adoptable pets from Los Angeles Animal Services. Those pets were then flown out of state to rescues that could handle additional animals, opening up kennels in L.A. for animals connected to the hoarding case. Local agencies, including Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control and partner organizations, are responsible for housing and caring for the seized animals while the legal process continues.

Advocates and volunteers involved in the flight include Denise Richards, Baywatch alum David Chokachi, and influencer Nathan Kehn.

"It's always so gratifying at the end of the day, seeing how many animals now have a second chance at life thanks to these missions," animal advocate Kehn, known online as Nathan the CatLady said. "Wings of Rescue is an incredible organization, and the number of animals they've helped in such a short time is truly amazing."Kehn added that efforts like these also help bring attention to broader issues facing shelters across the country.

"Their goals align closely with my own because a big part of my mission is to bring awareness to the alarming circumstances many cats — and other animals — face, even here in the U.S.," he said. "Missions like this inspire action and help people understand the scope of the issue in a more constructive way."

Giuliana Rancic, who has supported and worked on recent flights with Wings of Rescue, also emphasized the ongoing pressure on shelters.

"The number of perfectly healthy dogs being killed every day in LA shelters simply 'for space' is heartbreaking, and we must find a solution," Rancic said in an exclusive quote to PEOPLE. "Until that day comes, these transports are critical, flying shelter animals to homes around the country so they can have a second chance at life."

In speaking on working with Rancic, Wings of Rescue calls her "the real deal," adding, "she genuinely loves pets, working tirelessly behind the scenes as well as in front of the cameras."Hoarding cases can be complex and are not always straightforward situations involving intentional harm, Wings of Rescue explained. Some cases begin with rescue efforts that outpace available resources, making it difficult for caretakers to provide adequate space, time, and medical care for their animals.The organization highlighted that the March 24 flight was part of a broader series of massive rescue efforts across the state. In March alone, the organization completed 10 rescue flights. Wings of Rescue has helped 2,459 dogs and 2,492 cats through 39 rescue missions in 2026.

Wings of Rescue's next large-scale flight is planned for May 30 out of Van Nuys, Calif., where the group will continue its effort to move at-risk animals out of overcrowded regions and into permanent homes.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova