BOONIE Flight Project, a Guam-based organization co-founded by Lauren Cabrera, is partnering with Boonie Babies on Saipan to deliver 30 dogs to their adoptive families in the mainland U.S. on Monday, Jan. 23.
Founded by Aria and Grace Keilbach, Boonie Babies rescues and rehabilitates boonie dogs, and finds permanent owners for the dogs they rescue.
Cabrera said the 30 dogs will be adopted by individuals living in Colorado, Washington, Virginia, Florida, Texas, and California.
“Aria and Grace do an amazing job saving and improving the lives of our special dogs, but it can be difficult to find adopters here, which is why this opportunity is so important,” Cabrera said.
It will be the first large-scale collaboration between Boonie Flight Project and Boonie Babies on Saipan this year, she added.
Cabrera is on Saipan as a volunteer assistant to Boonie Babies, which will spay and neuter dogs on Jan. 24 to 26 at the Saipan Mayor’s Office dog shelter in As Perdido.
Cabrera and Boonie Babies are working with licensed pet shipper, Lisa Meador-Schoppa, who is responsible for chartering the planes.
“This is an enormous and challenging undertaking, and we are so appreciative of her help,” Cabrera said.
She added that they are experiencing difficulties to fly dogs off Saipan due to several major hurdles that include pet quarantine.
According to Cabrera, the World Health Organization has not declared the CNMI a rabies-free island, thus dogs being transported from the island to other parts of the world must undergo quarantine.
The boonie dogs that will be transported on Monday will undergo quarantine on Guam and in Hawaii where they will transit.
Aside from airfare, the quarantine phase is an additional cost, Cabrera said.
She is hoping that community members can assist in the transportation of the animals by providing cash donations to Boonie Babies.
“[The quarantine] adds a tremendous amount of cost and coordinating to an already expensive and complicated journey. We hope the community can help us,” Cabrera added.
Aside from cash donations, she said they also need more pet carriers, towels, and puppy pads for the flight and for the upcoming spay and neuter clinic.
“Most importantly, monetary donations are needed to assist with flight costs,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera started Boonie Flight Project on Guam in April 2021 with her friend Kelsey Graupner.
Since then, the organization has transported more than 450 boonie dogs to adopters in more than 26 states including Alaska, Hawaii and New York.
“We are happy to help send out the rescues of Aria and Grace to their prospective owners in the mainland,” Cabrera said.
To make donations of any kind, reach out to islandrescue@booniebabiessaipan.com or Boonie Babies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/booniebabies/ or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booniebabiesrescue/.
This is the cutest puppy that will be flown to the mainland U.S. on Monday.
Lauren Cabrera with a dog she adopted from the Saipan Mayor’s Office.
These dogs were transported by Boonie Flight Project from Guam to the mainland US.
This dog is going to travel from Saipan to the mainland U.S. on Monday.
