Group to Fly Homeless Pets out of Gulf: With Help from Petmate, Pilots N Paws to transport animals from Gulf Coast to stable areas
Pilots N Paws, an online forum that connects animal rescue groups and volunteer pilots, moves thousands of homeless pets each year.
The weekend of September 18, pilots and other volunteers will participate in the Pilots N Paws Gulf Coast Rescue Flyway, trying to relocate hundreds of animals from the Gulf Coast disaster areas to shelters and fosters in other parts of the country.
“These animals need help now,” says Debi Boies, co-founder of Pilots N Paws. “Many had families who loved them and are victims of the oil spill. Their owners have lost their jobs, their homes and are barely surviving. They no longer have the means to care for their pets.”
According to the National Council on Pet Population, 9.6 million shelter animals are needlessly euthanized each year. Since the oil spill, one shelter in Louisiana euthanized 900 in a single month! The aim of Pilots N Paws is to decrease this number by connecting shelters and rescue groups with pilots willing to transport animals to safe homes.
With the help of the Pilots N Paws website, rescuers and foster homes in high-kill areas are able to locate their counterparts in areas of the country where high-kill rates are not the rule. These no-kill shelters then make space for the animals being rescued. The sending and receiving pair team up with a volunteer pilot, who provides transportation.
To make this life-saving, heart-warming event a success, many more volunteers are needed. Opportunities include:
Pilots – Register online to fly pets from shelters to their foster or forever homes.
Short- and long-term foster homes – Take care of pets, ranging from overnight stays en route to extended periods, while adopters are found.
General volunteers – Local shelters always need help walking dogs, cleaning cages and filing paperwork.
In addition to volunteer roles, there are other ways to help:
Spread the word – Tell your local animal shelter about Pilots N Paws. If there’s a small airport nearby, ask the manager to let its pilots know about the event.
Donate – Pilots N Paws, rescue groups and shelter donations are usually tax-deductible.
Adopt – Consider taking one of the rescued pets into your own home.
“Volunteers are the key to our success,” says Boies. “Without the pilots and rescue groups, our program wouldn’t exist. The more volunteers we have the better chance of saving helpless animals.”
If you are interested in covering this amazing event or if you would like images from this event, contact Kelly Nelson at Kelly.nelson@mac.com.
Pilots N Paws is a 501(c)(3) organization, so pilots’ expenses relating to transport flights are tax-deductible. Pilots N Paws is an excellent example of the critical role general aviation plays in our everyday lives. For more information, or to help out with the Pilots N Paws Gulf Coast Rescue Flyway, visit www.pilotsnpaws.org. To learn more about other ways general aviation pilots help every day, visit GA Serves America. Petmate and Subaru are proud sponsors of Pilots N Paws and the Pilots N Paws Gulf Coast Rescue Flyway.
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