Wauwatosa plane crash dogs ready for adoption, several adopted by first responders who helped them

WAUWATOSA, Wis. -- First responders who raced to the scene after a plane carrying more than 50 shelter dogs crash-landed onto a Wisconsin golf course this week have helped rescue the pets in more ways than one.

The video featured is from a previous report.

The large twin-engine aircraft, which was transporting the dogs to shelters in southeastern Wisconsin from Louisiana, crashed on the golf course at the Western Lakes Golf Club in Pewaukee on Tuesday.

Three people and 53 dogs on board all survived, with some of the animals suffering minor injuries like bumps and scrapes. The three people were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

In the days following the crash, several first responders who worked the scene have adopted the dogs they helped rescue.

"As soon as I found out all of them were okay, my first thought was that, one of them is coming home with me. So this is my little Lucky," Elle Steitzer, a firefighter and EMT at Lake Country Fire Rescue, told ABC Milwaukee affiliate WISN while cradling her new puppy.

Streitzer and two of her colleagues at Lake Country Fire Rescue who responded to the scene of the plane crash adopted dogs on Friday.

"He just kind of fell out of the sky in front of me, so here he is," Amber Christian, a firefighter and paramedic with Lake Country Fire Rescue, told WISN of her dog, Artemis.

Deputy Chief Tony Wasielewski said Marley jumped into his arms after the crash. The next day, he went to find her at the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County, which took in 21 of the dogs involved in the crash.

"When they let her in the door she bypassed my wife, ran to me, jumped kind of into my arms, gave me kisses. I started to tear up a little bit and I said, 'Oh boy, I guess we got a dog,'" Wasielewski told WISN.

The dogs were taken to shelters in counties across Wisconsin.

The Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County, also known as HAWS, triaged all 53 dogs. A little more than half went to partner shelters, like Elmbrook.

Elmbrook Humane Society took 11 dogs, with "first dibs" going to the first responders of the plane crash.

"We had quite a few of them calling asking," Stephanie Deswarte, a front desk manager for the shelter, told ABC News.

"We normally don't let people adopt until we have them up on our website because we want to give anybody as fair of a chance as possible. But since they were obviously in the thick of it, and they did such a great job trying to help with the whole crazy situation, that we gave all first responders first dibs so to speak to adopt before they went up on the website," she continued.

Deswarte said so far three people involved in the rescue -- one of the first responders on the scene, another first responder and a worker at the golf course -- have adopted the puppies Charlie Brown, Linus and Sally, while the family of another first responder was looking at adopting a puppy on Saturday.

"We have never had something quite like this happen before," Deswarte said. "It was a miracle that everybody really was OK."

Matthew Haerter, assistant chief at Lake Country Fire and Rescue, commended the pilot during what he described as a "relatively catastrophic landing." The plane went through trees, losing both its wings, before it belly-landed on the course.

"I think all of us collectively have a soft spot in our heart, especially for dogs that have been rescued," Haerter said during a press briefing Tuesday. "And now to think that they have to go through this before they find their forever home."

"This could have turned out so much worse," he said.

Some of the other dogs are also now ready for adoption.

Mike Bindel was overjoyed when he saw Sally for the second time. They reunited at the Elmbrook Humane Society, WTMJ reported.

"Yeah, yesterday she was shaking like a leaf," he said.

Bindel is the golf course superintendent at Western Lakes Golf Club.

He and his coworkers rushed to help Sally and dozens of other dogs after the plane crashed onto the course.

"It actually shook our building," Bindel recalled. "They stepped up to the plate. I can't thank them enough, they did such a wonderful job."

Bindel picked up Sally, a dog from the south, to try and keep her warm during the first snow of the season.

"I talked to my mom last night and she goes, 'You know, maybe this is a sign that dogs do fall out of heaven,'" Bindel said.

Volunteers at HAWS spent time comforting the 21 that stayed, which have been dubbed "Western Lakes Loves."

At least seven were ready for adoption by Wednesday.

"It felt really appropriate to also recognize our friends at Western Lakes that really stepped in yesterday to make sure that everyone involved was safe and well cared for," said Maggie Tate-Techtmann.

After an eventful arrival here in Wisconsin, Pedro is one of the dogs ready to find his forever home. The rest of the dogs will be ready for adoption after they're spayed and neutered.

"Our incredible friends at Stella and Chewy's have stepped up and offered to cover the adoption fees for all 21 of the Western Lakes Loves that are here at the shelter, which is amazing," Tate-Techtmann said.

Local authorities had no comment on the cause of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.