GA Pilots Again Show They Care
More often than we
realize, private pilots across the country fill their planes with
unlikely passengers, transporting them to safe new homes. And
during the week of September 12-20, a group of these good
Samaritans have committed to helping save 5000 of these special
passengers.
Who are they? They are our animal friends who need homes and are
being flown to safe havens and out of shelters that can no longer
house them, and in which the pets are most often facing
euthanasia.
Pilots N Paws, an online forum for animal rescue groups and
pilots to coordinate animal transports around the country, has
dubbed the event The Pilots N Paws 5000, and is currently seeking
volunteers to join the crusade to rescue shelter pets and get them
to safety and adoptive homes.
"The goal of The Pilots N Paws 5000 is to increase awareness
among pilots and aircraft owners across the country of the dire
need for animal transports," says Jon Wehrenberg, co-founder of
Pilots N Paws. "Pilots' involvement can help to save thousands of
animals from euthanasia. We are committed to increasing the number
of pilots and plane owners involved in Pilots N Paws so that no
request for transport goes unanswered."
Of course, this event cannot take place without strong support
from pilots, animal shelters, rescues, and fosters. If a shelter or
rescue is from an area that has high rates of euthanasia, Pilots N
Paws would like that shelter or rescue to pencil in the week of
September 12-20, and commit to making an animal or multiple animals
available to an animal shelter or rescue in an area where these
animals can be placed in forever homes.
Photo Courtesy Pilots N Paws
Rescues and fosters will need to locate their counterparts in
areas of the country where high kill rates are not the rule, and
have them find fosters and make space available for the animals
that will be rescued. Ideally the distance between the sending and
receiving parties should be approximately 300 miles, which is an
average distance for general aviation pilots. The sending and
receiving pair will then team up with a pilot volunteer who will
provide the transportation during this special rescue week. The
process is made easy through the use of the Pilots N Paws website,
which is designed to bring the parties together and facilitate the
making of all necessary transport arrangements.
Pilots, plane owners, animal rescues and shelters are currently
being sought out to be a part of this important countrywide
humanitarian event in September. Pilots N Paws is a 501(c)3
organization so pilots' expenses relating to transports are tax
deductible.