Pilot adopts cat during airlift of hurricane rescue pets to Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Greater Good Charities, in partnership with Southwest Airlines and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, transported 145 shelter pets from the Southeast to Milwaukee to find new homes on Saturday, Oct. 12.

The organizations coordinated an emergency airlift in response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Among the pets arriving aboard the flight was a cat named Avery, who was adopted mid-flight by Southwest Airlines Captain Matthew Prebish, the pilot of the rescue mission. Avery’s quick adoption was what Southwest called in a Monday, Oct. 14 press release "a match made at 30,000 feet."

The animals were previously housed in shelters in Tennessee and Florida before being relocated to South Carolina due to the storms before ultimately being flown to Milwaukee from Myrtle Beach.

They will receive necessary medical care before becoming available for adoption at shelters in Wisconsin and Illinois, including the Humane Animal Welfare Society and Elmbrook Humane Society.

Anyone interested in adopting can contact local shelters for more information.