LIHUE — When Janet Barrall boarded a recent Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle from Lihue Airport, she had a couple extra furry passengers along for the ride.
Those kittens came from Judy Dalton, a Kauai resident who has been trapping, neutering and adopting out cats for the past 20 years on the island.
They are two of about 100 cats that Dalton has transported off the island under the care of passengers on their way to Seattle, where a rescue shelter pairs them with their forever homes.
“I pay for the fares, the flights for all the kitties, myself,” Dalton said. “It’s worth every penny to me to know that they’re getting a good home.”
She started the project in 2016 and works independently on the project by connecting with people who are on their way to Seattle before they board their flights.
“When I first started doing this, I was able to find homes for them right away. Then it got so that I didn’t get any calls and it became more difficult,” Dalton said.
So, she scored a spot outside of Walmart to help re-home the kittens that were passing through her care, and found a space outside of Petco as well.
But, that wasn’t enough to even scratch the surface of the number of cats Dalton needed to re-home, so she decided she’d foot the bill for sending them to the Mainland as often as she could.
Alaska Airlines generally has the lowest cost for transporting animals, and that’s why Dalton specifically asks to connect with people who are leaving the island for Seattle on Alaska Airlines flights.
She connects with prospective passengers through craigslist.com, by word of mouth, and by putting a sign by her car advertising the opportunity.
Dalton says the kitties have had a lot of luck in Seattle.
“I sent two kitties off Tuesday and then two on Friday. Those two arrived Friday night and the next morning they were adopted,” she said.
While most of the cats that Dalton sends across the Pacific are destined for an animal rescue, she also helps those who inadvertently fall in love with one of Kauai’s feral felines while on vacation.
“It’s happened before where a visitor is here and they fall in love with the kitties that are hanging out around their condo or whatever,” Dalton said. “If they want to adopt them and take them back with them, I’ll assist.”
Dalton can catch the cat and lend the visitors a carrier for transport, meeting them at the airport before they board their flights.
“I invite visitors, if they see a kitty they want, please call me, I’ll assist you,” Dalton said.
Info: Judy Dalton, 482-1129
So nice to hear someone is willing to help. Tip for Judy – post about this on Flyertalk dot com forums – maybe some big flying bloggers will pick up on the story as well.
She should expand the program to include roosters
What a wonderful story.
Need to shout out to all interested, there is a conflict of interest w Judy, she is a Sierra Club hike leader and spends time on the hike recruiting visitors to take cats. I and others have stopped going to the hikes because it is a conflict. Good to help the furry ones, but in the right way.
Judy is a godsend for the kittens the 2 on this flight came from my rescue, thanks again Judy
These cats should be euthanized and the money should be spent on the island’s poor and homeless first.
Judy is amazing! Kauai is lucky to have such an wonderful individual to help the community cats! She deserves all the support she can get, thank you for this story on the incredible job she is doing!
Aloha avcwbcoach and Central Scrutinizer,
When I lead a Sierra Club hike on the occasion that there is a visitor from Seattle, I ask them if they’d be interested in escorting homeless kittens on their flight back (at no cost to them) to be adopted in Washington since there are not enough homes for them on Kauai. I’ve had very favorable responses from them and they are happy to help kittens who have nowhere to go who would otherwise end up homeles. Just to let you know saving lives of animals is not a conflict of interest since Sierra Club is nvolved with both protecting the planet and its inhabitants.
Saving kittens also seems to turn off Central Scrutinezer who would prefer to see them euthanized and would like me to spend my money on saving homeless people instead. I certainly wish I could help with that, but that’s well beyond my ability and suggest that you lobby the county and state to help with this extremely important need.
Kind regards to you both,
Judy
SIERRA CLUB MISSION STATEMENT: To explore, enjoy and protect the planet. To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out those objectives THIS IS THE SC MISSION STATEMENT. If a hike leader uses her/his role to question/ grill unknowing hike participants on a hike, especially once finding out they are candidates, neglecting the other people on the hike, including not speaking about OUR KAUAI needs, that is a conflict of interest. Based on your cliche answer Judy, this has been on your evaluations before. You shouldn’t have to legislate common sense, it is not illegal what you are doing but, certainly unprofessional. Step up and handle yourself more professional this New Year!
Hi! Are you Judy from Lexington St., San Francisco?