Over the past decade, a canine lifeline has grown from the southern to the northern United States. It began after Hurricane Katrina when shelter workers rescued pets and found them homes in the North. Folks then realized the same process might work to save dogs from overcrowded southern shelters.

In general, there are fewer shelters in southern than in northern states. Couple that with the reluctance of many pet parents in the South to have their dogs spayed or neutered, and you can see why southern shelters are overwhelmed.

In the North, most dogs have to be spayed or neutered per local regulations. Those regulations, combined with the sad fact that some strays don’t survive northern winters, result in fewer adoptable dogs.

This lifeline of care has saved thousands of dogs. And until another solution can be found, it’s likely to save many more.