NEW YORK, June 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --American Airlines has agreed to continue its popular Pets and Wings Program in collaboration with the Humane Society of St. Thomas-St John in the US Virgin Islands. The partnership has been endorsed by the science philanthropist, Jeffrey Epstein, one of the biggest investors in the US Virgin islands and a financial supporter of the Humane Society.
The Pets and Wings Program allows travelers on American Airlines to chaperone a local shelter animal from the US Virgin Islands to another shelter in the United States. The Program is coordinated with the Humane Society, the largest animal protection agency in the United States.
Since the program began two years ago, more than 150 animals have been flown from the US Virgin Islands by American Airlines. As a result, approximately 300 animals have been saved since more shelter space became available. Most of the animals flown to the mainland have gone to one of three organizations: Save a Dog; Angels Helping Animals; or Potter League for Animals. Others have been sent to adoptive families across the Unites States.
The Pets and Wings Program is a welcome resource for the Humane Society of St. Thomas-St. John which works at full capacity to house stray animals. In fact, an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 stray cats and dogs populate St. Thomas alone. In the US, that number goes up to an estimated 160 million.
"The Humane Society is very innovative with the dilemma of stray animals in the US Virgin Islands," Jeffrey Epstein asserted, who helped finance the Humane Society's move to a larger 15,000 square foot facility in St. Thomas, a couple of years ago. "They are also a tremendous presence in the community, offering volunteer and educational programs to the young."
Jeffrey Epstein is the founder of the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation, which sponsors cutting edge science and education. He is a former member of the New York Academy of Science, a former board member of Rockefeller University and sits on the board of the Mind, Brain and Behavior Committee at Harvard University.
http://www.jeffreyepsteinusvi.com
SOURCE Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation
