Furry landing: Lois Pope, Beth Stern welcome 60 rescue pets to Florida

Lois Pope can’t help herself.

Despite the 20 rescue dogs and one cat waiting for her at home, she decided to add another pet to her family Saturday while helping the American Humane Association fly in 60 rescue pets from Greenville, Ala.

The Palm Beach philanthropist spent Saturday at the North Palm Beach County Airport in West Palm Beach awaiting the arrival of two planes carrying 60 pets from shelters that euthanize so they could be be fostered at homes and no-kill shelters in West Palm Beach, Orlando, Palm Harbor, Naples and Tampa. The rescue was a joint venture between the Humane Association, Pope and part-time resident Beth Stern, wife of radio and television personality Howard Stern.

“I’m on a mission,” Pope said. “I want nothing more than to save dogs from being euthanized in gas chambers. I want to take them from kill shelters and find them forever homes.”

Pope had her eye on a kitten with white fur during the rescue. It was one of five kittens and their mother that will be fostered with Stern, who purchased a North End oceanfront estate with her husband in 2013 for a recorded $52 million. Pope plans to adopt the kitten from Stern once its able to leave its mother.

This is the first time Stern, a longtime animal advocate, has worked with a local rescue effort since purchasing the home in town.

“It’s so exciting to finally get to participate in a rescue here,” Stern said. The Sterns hopes to move to town permanently in a few years, she said.

Waiting at the airport for the 2 p.m. landing were two of Pope’s animal rescue busses and dozens of volunteers to help get the animals delivered to the foster care homes or shelters.

“I want to set an example for the country and the world,” Pope said. “These animals are part of us. We’re all one. The gas chamber days are over.”