SAN FRANCISCO -- The second major airlift rescue of pets from the tattered Gulf Coast arrived at San Francisco International Airport Tuesday evening.
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The Continental Airlines flight from Baton Rouge, La., is the second such flight to be chartered as part of "Operation Pet Lift," a now-national effort to save thousands of forlorn dogs and cats separated from their owners by Hurricane Katrina, according to Marin Humane Society spokeswoman Sheri Cardo.

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Carrying some precious cargo with about 200 animals on board, the plane was greeted by the Marin Humane Society and the Peninsula Humane Society/Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PHS/SPCA).

The first Operation Pet Lift flight took off on Sept. 11, with some 29 dogs and two kittens going to the Marin Humane Society, Cardo said. This time around the Marin Humane Society will be taking in 14 dogs and two kittens, according to Cardo.

The PHS/SPCA reported that it plans to take in as many as 65 of the animals from Tuesday's flight.

According to Cardo, the majority of the animals coming to the Bay Area are dogs.

"Right now the dogs are our priority," Cardo said. "They are just so much harder to house."

All in all, Cardo said the animals from the first flight were in fairly good condition, and she hopes the pets coming in Tuesday are in similar shape.

"All are doing well," Cardo said. "Some dogs are more resilient then others ... but they are all doing well, generally speaking."

Cardo said the organizations involved with the animal rescue efforts have agreed to house the pets for up to 30 days, exhausting all of their resources in bringing the pets and owners back together.

"We are just very anxious to reunite them with their families right now," Cardo said.

Until the much-anticipated reunions, Cardo said the humane society is searching for foster homes.

"We need foster homes so we can give these animals some sense of a home," Cardo said.

According to the PHS/SPCA, which has turned a portion of the back parking lot at 12 Airport Blvd. into an emergency shelter, donations are needed as well.

Blue tarps with metal grommets in the corners to shield the caging crates, bags of pine shavings to cover the asphalt, and food and water bowls are among the key items being collected at the makeshift shelter, according to the PHS/SPCA.

Cardo reported that additional San Francisco-bound flights transporting 200 animals each are being set up for Wednesday and later this week.

Those interested in offering a foster home to the animals may contact PHS/SPCA Customer Service Director Kathy Freis at (650) 340-7022.