Articles/News Archives - Pilots N Paws https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/category/articlesnews/ Saving the Lives of Innocent Animals Sat, 03 Oct 2015 18:08:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cropped-pnp-round-logo-32x32.png Articles/News Archives - Pilots N Paws https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/category/articlesnews/ 32 32 National Annual Flyway Oct. 2-3, 2015 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/articlesnews/national-annual-flyway-oct-2-3-2015/ https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/articlesnews/national-annual-flyway-oct-2-3-2015/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2015 12:55:01 +0000 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/?p=20028 ROCK HILL, SC – Calling all pilots and animal lovers! On Saturday, October 3, 2015 Pilots N Paws will be holding its 7th annual fall awareness event called “Brock’s Memorial Flight” Flyway. This special air caravan of more than 85 planes containing over 400 rescued animals from 37 rescue organizations from 13 states SC, NC, […]

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ROCK HILL, SC – Calling all pilots and animal lovers! On Saturday, October 3, 2015 Pilots N Paws will be holding its 7th annual fall awareness event called “Brock’s Memorial Flight” Flyway. This special air caravan of more than 85 planes containing over 400 rescued animals from 37 rescue organizations from 13 states SC, NC, TN, GA, FL, IL, DC, VA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, LA will depart from the Rock Hill Airport-Bryant Field (KUZA). Their Destination? New homes and non-kill shelters throughout the U.S. Each fall, Pilots N Paws, holds a large rescue flyway event, but this is the first national undertaking where pilots across the country will save thousands of lives in one weekend. Last year, when it was held in Greenville, SC, more than 50 private pilots volunteered to fly more than 400 animals to safety.

This year we are proud to partner with the American Humane Association’s Lois Pope Red Star Team Van , the ASPCA and our long standing partners Subaru and Petmate!

The flyway is named so in honor of Brock, the first dog flown by Pilots N Paws and the inspiration behind the start of the organization, after co-founder Debi Boies adopted him and co-founder Jon Wehrenberg flew him to his new home. Sadly we lost Brock this year but his memory lives on through our work.

“Many healthy and adoptable animals are euthanized each year. While neutering or spaying animals is the ultimate goal because it helps reduce new births and overpopulation; there are animals that are already here that need to be saved,” stated Pilots N Paws President & Co-founder Debi Boies. At least once a year, volunteers come together for a huge transport effort to help raise awareness of the problem and find others willing to step in to help on the ground, through a donation or of course, up in the air!

Pilots N Paws is a 501 c (3) charitable organization that has connected, via an online forum, over 5.000 volunteer general aviation pilots, from every state in the U.S., with people helping animals in need to organize lifesaving flights for over 75,000 animals.  Portions of these flights are also tax deductible. Want to help?  Volunteer pilots and donations are always needed.  For more information, please visit https://pilotsnpaws.org/

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Congratulations PNP Pilot Jeff Bennett On Your 3,000th Animal Flown To Safety! https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/congratulations-pnp-pilot-jeff-bennett-on-your-3000th-animal-flown-to-safety/ https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/congratulations-pnp-pilot-jeff-bennett-on-your-3000th-animal-flown-to-safety/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:12:34 +0000 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/?p=16958 We’re so incredibly proud of PNP Pilot Jeff Bennett for flying his 3,000th animal to safety!!! Below we’re sharing pictures Jeff sent us and one of the many stories that aired about this huge milestone. We’re proud of you Jeff!     Florida man flies 3,000th rescue animal to safety By TAMARA LUSH, Associated PressPublished: […]

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We’re so incredibly proud of PNP Pilot Jeff Bennett for flying his 3,000th animal to safety!!! Below we’re sharing pictures Jeff sent us and one of the many stories that aired about this huge milestone. We’re proud of you Jeff!

 

 

Florida man flies 3,000th rescue animal to safety

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A black and white French Bulldog named Reggie became a milestone for retired businessman Jeff Bennett.

The squirmy canine became the 3,000th rescue dog Bennett has flown to a better life.

Bennett volunteers with Pilots and Paws. The South Carolina-based charity that enlists small plane pilots to take animals from overcrowded shelters that have high euthanasia rates to foster homes, rescue groups and less-crowded shelters that don’t kill them.

On a windy December day, Bennett flew in his four-seat plane from the Florida Keys to Gainesville, where he dropped off a potbellied pig named Iggy at a swine shelter. Then he went on to the Panhandle, where he collected nearly two dozen dogs, including Reggie, from a shelter in Alabama

The dog was surrendered by his owners and is headed for new owners in South Florida.

Bennett estimates that he’s flown about 1,100 hours in his small, four-seat Cirrus aircraft since starting his volunteer work with the group six years ago.

“Most of the time I do puppies and kittens, but I’ve done snakes, rats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, snakes, tortoises, sea turtles, falcons, pigs and a kinkajou,” he said.

Ruth Douthitt of Second Chance Puppies and Kittens Rescue in West Palm Beach, was waiting to take most of the two dozen dogs and two kittens back to South Florida when Bennett stopped in Tampa on his way back south.

Reggie has people waiting to adopt him, and all of the other animals on Bennett’s flight that day will be taken in by fosters or no-kill shelters.

“The problem is, where we deal a lot with Alabama rescues, they’re such rural areas up there, they have shelters that may hold only 10 animals,” said Douthitt.”

Once the 10-animal limit is reached, officials put a sign on the door saying the shelter can’t take any more.

“We’ve had dogs thrown out of vehicles on the highway, they’re dumped on the side of the road, they’re dumped in the woods, we’ve had some, they just leave them by the side of the river,” Douthitt said. “And the rescue groups up there are really good about saving these dogs and getting them to us.”

 

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Order Your Pilots N Paws Calendar! https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/articlesnews/pre-order-your-pilots-n-paws-calendar/ https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/articlesnews/pre-order-your-pilots-n-paws-calendar/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:35:00 +0000 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/?p=16503 The 2015 Pilots N Paws Calendar is coming! Support PNP and save a life! Order your 2015 Pilots N Paws Calendar for only $15 using the PayPal button below. Orders are being shipped this week and will arrive in time for the holidays. Please order today. All proceeds go directly to our mission of providing free transport […]

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The 2015 Pilots N Paws Calendar is coming!

Support PNP and save a life!

Order your 2015 Pilots N Paws Calendar for only $15 using the PayPal button below. Orders are being shipped this week and will arrive in time for the holidays. Please order today. All proceeds go directly to our mission of providing free transport for rescue animals.
**For all orders already placed, calendars are shipping this week and will arrive next week in time for the holidays**

 


Order With PayPal:




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Wings, Tails & Wags! – September 20, 2014 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/articlesnews/wings-tails-wags-september-20-2014/ Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:26:03 +0000 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/?p=16279 Join PNP at our newest event! Wings, Tails & Wags! Sat., Sept. 20, 2014 | 2 – 5 p.m. Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO) 1001 Sycolin Rd., SE, Leesburg, VA $25.00 each Pre-Register by Aug. 20th & save $5 off the single ticket price Click here to download the event PDF full of information! Purchase your […]

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Join PNP at our newest event! Wings, Tails & Wags!

Sat., Sept. 20, 2014 | 2 – 5 p.m.

Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO)

1001 Sycolin Rd., SE, Leesburg, VA

$25.00 each Pre-Register by Aug. 20th & save $5 off the single ticket price

Click here to download the event PDF full of information!


Purchase your ticket by clicking the button below:



PNP wings wags flyer 2014

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Leaving on a Jet Plane https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/leaving-on-a-jet-plane/ Sun, 24 Aug 2014 10:48:39 +0000 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/?p=16103 TEXT BY REBEKAH OLSEN PHOTOS COURTESY PILOTS N PAWS link to original story Over 16,000 years ago, the bond between dogs and humans was forged. Some researchers debate that it was the wolf that first approached the human, and not the human domesticating the wolf, but regardless of who loved whom first, we can’t deny […]

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TEXT BY REBEKAH OLSEN

PHOTOS COURTESY PILOTS N PAWS

link to original story

main

Over 16,000 years ago, the bond between dogs and humans was forged. Some researchers debate that it was the wolf that first approached the human, and not the human domesticating the wolf, but regardless of who loved whom first, we can’t deny the unique and remarkable relationship that is now in 56.7 million homes in the United States.

Dogs bring to our homes the gift of unconditional love and loyalty; some also bring gifts of protection, some bring the gift of therapy and others bring the gift of laughter. Whatever special gift a dog may bring to a home, they never ask for anything in return other than to be loved.

Despite their unwavering devotion and altruistic behavior, millions of healthy dogs and cats die in shelters every year. Due to a lower use of spay and neuter practices, many of those pets are sheltered in the southern parts of the United States, where there also seems to be a lack of adopters.

Enter the practice of sending many pets to the northeast, where spay and neuter is more common practice, overpopulation is not such a problem, and where many people are looking to adopt a pet. It seems like an easy fix, but unfortunately, these four-legged companions don’t have access to the Greyhound bus, and their kibble can never seem to fit in the allotted 3-ounce containers at the international airport. While ground transportation options are available, many rescue groups and shelters aren’t always able to fund the costs or donate the lengthy travel time, and so the pets sit out their short lives in shelters while homes far away remain empty.

In 2008, Debi Boies, who had always been active in animal rescue, wanted to adopt a Doberman named Brock, but needed him to be transported from Florida to her home in South Carolina. Jon Wehrenberg, a friend of Boies, offered to fly Brock to her in his plane. When the trip was successful, the two landed on an idea that would widen the field—or sky, rather—of animal rescue. That’s when they formed the nonprofit organization Pilots N Paws (PNP) of Landrum, S.C.

“Transportation is usually one of the hurdles involved with placing an animal in a new home, so overcoming that obstacle widens the field to allow the adoption can take place,” says Kathleen Quinn, executive director of PNP. “We are [expanding the adoption range] from the south… a home can now be found in Ohio or New Jersey.”

Volunteer pilot Pat Picornell in front of her Rockwell Commander 114 at the Melbourne, FL airport KMLB with her adopted dogs Parker, Lily and Dalton.

Volunteer pilot Pat Picornell in front of her Rockwell Commander 114 at the Melbourne, FL airport KMLB with her adopted dogs Parker, Lily and Dalton.

PNP’s website, pilotsnpaws.org, is a forum board where rescue groups, shelters or even individuals can go and post a request for an animal transport. The transport can be for any animal, from a furry kitten or pup to a slivering boa constrictor, as long as it’s a rescue, military or service animal in need. Volunteer pilots who have set up a profile on the website can see the requests and respond to the thread on the forum if they are able to help. The parties then exchange information and begin planning the actual transport for the animal.

“The premise for Pilots N Paws is that if you’re already flying for business or for pleasure, why not check out the ride board to see if there is an animal that needs a ride your way? Pilots have an amazing gift with the potential to save an animal’s life. The pilots are very generous and very willing to share this gift, which is truly inspiring for everyone involved in rescue,” says Quinn.

The pilots share their gift in the same way our furry friends do, without expecting anything in return. They cover the cost of the fuel, maintenance of the aircraft and many even pay to rent the airplane. The transports come at virtually no cost to the sending or receiving party of the rescue pet, and the pets are able to find their new homes in all different parts of the country.

On average, pilots can cover about 300 nautical miles in their general aviation aircraft. A transport flight originating from Nashville could easily travel to cities such as Bowling Green, KY; Atlanta, GA; Ashville, NC; or even Columbus, OH. Longer transports are called relays where several pilots work together to split up the different legs of the trip.

“We have some transports where one pilot flies from point A to point B, and another pilot from point B to point C, and then people who drive the rest of the way,” Quinn explains.

Volunteer pilot Pat Picornell in front of her Rockwell Commander 114 at the Melbourne, FL airport KMLB with her adopted dogs Parker, Lily and Dalton.

Volunteer pilot Pat Picornell in front of her Rockwell Commander 114 at the Melbourne, FL airport KMLB with her adopted dogs Parker, Lily and Dalton.

As of 2014, 4,200 pilot volunteers have flown over 60,000 rescue animals to their new homes. Terry Janiak, owner of Terry’s Service Center in Nashville, has personally flown over 100 dogs through PNP. Janiak obtained his pilot license eight years ago and wanted to add purpose to his trips. His wife, Marge, stumbled upon PNP when researching volunteer opportunities online and the match was made.

“It was a way for both of us to bring our hobbies together. I was big into dog rescue and he was in love with the plane he had just bought,” says Marge.

Whenever the Janiaks decide to take a trip, they share their plane ride with others. “We take the back seats out of the airplane and put blankets down and put cages in there,” says Terry. “Dogs that don’t fit in crates just run around the airplane, but they can’t go far because there’s no room!”

The Janiaks own a Piper Arrow which seats four people, or up to ten dogs depending on size. The pair hasn’t encountered any obstacles or accidents (well, some accidents do occur, but nothing a pooper scooper can’t fix!) and the sound of the engine tends to lull the animals to sleep. So far, none of their passengers have complained about the lack of peanuts, pretzels or cookies during flight.
“The way I look at it, the tax deduction pays for the fuel, the airplane and the maintenance is all on me and I’m going to fly the airplane no matter what, so I might as well do something good with it,” says Terry.

For Marge, the motivation is simple: “You have the responsibility as a person to be [an animal’s] voice; I really feel that. They can’t tell you what’s wrong, that they’re hungry, that they don’t have a home.”

In September of 2013, Terry, Marge and several other volunteers of PNP became the voice of one such animal, Rocket, a Pointer mix found as a stray in Dyersburg, TN.

Pat Nichols of Durham, NC has a soft spot for Pointers and spends her free time rescuing and fostering them through the Pointer Rescue Group that operates across the United States. Nichols noticed six-month-old Rocket on the Dyers County Humane Society website and knew she needed to save him. “Dogs there have almost no chance. [The shelter is] small and they don’t have much time and he was so adorable. I had luck on my side.”

Nichols’ close friend and fellow dog rescuer, Sue Blackman, lived nearby in a suburb of Memphis. Blackman agreed to foster Rocket until a transport could be organized, and the lucky pointer got his first taste of a real home, “We never have less than six dogs [in the house]. Rocket came in and he was a baby and he started playing and he had the best time. He fit right into the rest of the gang,” says Blackman.

With Rocket safely out of the shelter, the campaign to organize a transport began. Nichols posted to the PNP’s website a request for transport from Memphis to Durham, and the first pilot to respond, Chris Hilty of Memphis, TN, took it from there.

“I had actually been working with the trip and trying to get Rocket moved for several weeks, but we were unable to secure transport for the entire trip. I was working closely with Marge and Terry Janiak and learned that they were attending a Pilots N Paws fly-in over in Knoxville. Seeing the opportunity, I reached out to the organizer and he was able to spread the word, so we were able to find additional pilots willing to take Rocket out to North Carolina.”

Chris Hilty flew Rocket on the first leg of the trip from Fayette County Airport to the Jon C. Tune airport in Nashville. The Janiak’s scooped up Rocket from there to fly him to the Downtown Island Airport in Knoxville where Rocket went from “the dog next door” to A-list celebrity. The fly-in event was a kick-off party for a documentary, called “Tales in Flight”, which focused on Pilots N Paws and Big Fluffy Dog Rescue Group.

“It was kind of a special flight for them because taking the dog to the airport was experiencing what the documentary was about, and people got to see firsthand what a Pilots N Paw mission is all about,” says Quinn.

Rocket’s final flight was with Tom and Ann Slater from North Carolina. They flew Rocket in their Cessna 172 Skyhawk from Knoxville to Raleigh-Durham International Airport where Nichols was waiting to take him home, “It’s such a fun thing to do. There’s a lot of joy. We like to take missions where we are the final leg and we deliver the dog to the final moment. It’s a special moment, usually emotional,” says Tom.

All pilots agreed that Rocket was a model passenger, calm, curious and sleepy. In one day, he covered over 700 miles, roughly an 11-hour drive, in only 4 hours.

“The animals, it’s almost like they know that they are going to a better place,” says Quinn. “They seem very happy and excited to be going on the planes. They don’t seem anxious or anything like that.”

After a short stay with Nichols, Rocket was adopted by a friend of Hilty’s in Atlanta, GA. Samantha Giroux, a pharmacy student, gave Rocket the new name of Remus, and says he helps her get through the school year by getting her out of the house for much needed breaks. “We go to the dog park almost every day. He is a year old now. He’s super hyper… and he is a toy thief,” she laughs.

Not all rescue flights go as smoothly as Rocket’s. Inclement weather can also play a significant role in the success of a flight transport, but Quinn states that the pilots and other non-pilot volunteers always go the extra mile. Many volunteers along the flight paths keep their homes open for temporary fostering in case of a delay or flight cancellation, while others jump right into their car and finish the trip on the ground.

Rocket, a Pointer pup rescued from a shelter, flew the last leg of his transport with North Carolina based pilot Tom Slater and his wife Ann. Their Cessna 172 Skyhawk picked Rocket up in Knoxville, TN and delivered him to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina, where new mom Pat Nichols was eagerly awaiting.

Rocket, a Pointer pup rescued from a shelter, flew the last leg of his transport with North Carolina based pilot Tom Slater and his wife Ann. Their Cessna 172 Skyhawk picked Rocket up in Knoxville, TN and delivered him to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina, where new mom Pat Nichols was eagerly awaiting.

This year, PNP is expanding their reach even further by promoting spay and neuter practices, teaching children about animal education and conducting campaigns to encourage flight schools to participate in rescue flights. Terry and Marge Janiak have recently become representatives for this program and plan on spending the summer visiting local airports to give presentations on PNP.

“Not only are we saving the lives of these animals, but we are also influencing in a positive way the lives of the people who volunteer with us. It makes a difference in their life knowing the good they are accomplishing,” says Quinn.

7 FUN FACTS ABOUT PILOTS N PAWS

60,000  The total number of animals transported through PNP since their inception

15,000  The total number of animals transported through PNP in 2013

8,000  The total number of non-pilot volunteers for PNP

4,200  The total number of pilot volunteers in PNP

2,324 The total number of animals transported by Pilot Jeff Bennet of Florida

531  The total number of animals transported by PNP in one day

0  The cost of the transport to a rescue group

Rebekah Olsen lives in Southaven, MS with her husband, Matt, and their Cane Corso, Midas. She is a freelance writer, small business owner and writes a blog for Dogs 2nd Chance Rescue Group. This is her second feature story for Nashville Paw.

Subaru and Petmate are proud sponsors of Pilots N Paws.

#loveapet
#petmateproducts

Posted by Kathleen Quinn Charleston Executive Director, Pilots N Paws

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Pat Picornell Saves 250 Animals Yearly Via Pilots N Paws https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/pat-picornell-saves-250-animals-yearly-via-pilots-n-paws/ https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/pat-picornell-saves-250-animals-yearly-via-pilots-n-paws/#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2014 10:56:05 +0000 https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/?p=16093 By Maria Sonnenberg, Space Coast Medicine & Active Living  //  August 10, 2014 CENTRAL FLORIDA HUMANITARIAN SPOTLIGHT ABOVE VIDEO: Pilot Jeff Bennett talks about saving lives of dogs and other animals. About five million perfectly healthy animals are euthanized annually at shelters across the country because shelters have no room to keep them until a permanent home is found. […]

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By   //  August 10, 2014

CENTRAL FLORIDA HUMANITARIAN SPOTLIGHT

ABOVE VIDEO: Pilot Jeff Bennett talks about saving lives of dogs and other animals. About five million perfectly healthy animals are euthanized annually at shelters across the country because shelters have no room to keep them until a permanent home is found. (Filmed at Humane Society of Tampa Bay)

Melbourne’s Pat Picornell Among Pilots Who Give of Their Time, Talent and Treasure To Pilots N Paws

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Air traffic controllers at Melbourne International Airport have a good idea when Pat Picornell is coming in for a landing.

MORE THAN 250 animals a year can thank the Picornells for a new lease on life. For the pilots, it is a labor of love that can be expensive. Picornell estimates that one flight can set her back $500 in fuel, but for the Indialantic resident, it is money well spent. “I’m not leaving them behind,” said Picornell.

She is the one with all the barking dogs inside her plane.

These are not pampered pets out for a joy ride, but rather animals on a flight for their lives.

Picornell is one of more than 4,000 pilots nationwide who give of their time, talent and treasure to Pilots N Paws, the nonprofit that orchestrates lifesaving transport for homeless animals.

About five million perfectly healthy animals are euthanized annually at shelters across the country because shelters have no room to keep them until a permanent home is found.

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Humane Society Annual Tuxes, Tails Gala Set For Aug. 23

While pet overpopulation in some parts of the country has been reduced through aggressive spay/neuter campaigns, in others –particularly in the southern states – it remains a huge problem.

ABOVE: Over 50 airplanes came together to help move more than 400 dogs and puppies from high kill shelters to rescues along the East coast, from Florida to New York. Local pilots and co-pilots who participated include back row, left to right; Kevin Simmons, Kiko Picornell, Andy Pedersen, Carla Constantino and Rob Terry; and front row, left to right, Pat Picornell, David Laver and Jonathan McNeilly. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

SAVING ANIMALS AT HIGH-KILL SHELTERS

Pilots N Paws orchestrates with animal rescue groups to save critters at high-kill shelters so overcrowded that incoming animals have little hope of being adopted.

DURING A FLIGHT for the Humane Society of Grand Bahamas, Pat Picornell had 19 dogs on board, with this K-9 riding “shotgun.” “He was very good and stayed on top of the crate for the hour flight,” said Picornell. About five million perfectly healthy animals are euthanized annually at shelters across the country because shelters have no room to keep them until a permanent home is found. While pet overpopulation in some parts of the country has been reduced through aggressive spay/neuter campaigns, in others –particularly in the southern states – it remains a huge problem. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

“Some shelters have a five-day period, so even if a litter of eight-week-old puppies appears, they’ll be euthanized if they’re not adopted out in five days,” said Picornell.

The concept of ferrying animals to other areas of the country to up their adoption chances is not new, for rescue organizations have long undertaken ground relay teams that help animals through many state lines.

“In some cases, it may be a 16-leg, two day trip, but if one vehicle breaks down in one of those 16 legs, you’re in trouble,” said Debi Boies, founder of Pilots N Paws.

Boies is not a pilot, but she is a veteran of animal rescue work. Brock, her 11-year-old rescued Doberman, served as the poster boy for the win-win idea of using volunteer pilots to fly animals out of harm’s way.

Boies lives in South Carolina, but Brock was in the Florida Panhandle, where he had been abused as a sparring dog in dog fights. When pilot friend, John Wehrenberg learned of Boies’ desire to save Brock, he offered to go pick him up in Florida.

“When he got back, he started to ask me questions about rescue work,’ said Boies.

“We decided right then and there to make a difference. Brock was the impetus. He has helped us to save at least 60,000 animals.”

PILOTS N PAWS BORN IN 2008

Wehrenberg started telling his pilot buddies about the need for pilots in animal rescue and Pilots N Paws was born in 2008.

Brevard’s Pat Picornell, left, and Shannon Mulvaney with two rescued pups. Picornell is one of more than 4,000 pilots nationwide who give of their time, talent and treasure to Pilots N Paws, the nonprofit that orchestrates lifesaving transport for homeless animals. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

It’s been primarily a word-of-mouth campaign. For example, Picornell and her husband, Francisco, both pilots, learned of the program in 2012 from a North Carolina pilot.

The Picornells now schedule at least one monthly rescue trip, including trips to the Bahamas to pick up pot cakes, the nickname given to the many street dogs found in the country.

It’s no vacation, for they land, load the animals and turn right back. Their trip may be the first leg of a multi-leg journey.

“The general public doesn’t realize that there are areas very overcrowded with animals, while others have done a great job of curbing pet overpopulation,” said Boies.

WEB-BASED MESSAGE BOARD

Pilots N Paws is basically a web-based message board where pilots and rescue groups can connect to save animals. The groups find someone who wants their animals and post transport needs.

ABOVE: Rocky, with Pat Picornell, was due to be euthanized in Georgia, but saved at the last minute.  (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

“The pilots contact them directly to help,” said Boies.

“They work together to set up the time and legs. It’s amazing what people will do if you give them the means. Most of these people are not wealthy. They have regular jobs and flying is their passion. They are looking for good reasons to use their flying skills. What better reason is there than to save a life?”

The animals come from shelters, the streets, puppy mills and even labs.

“We transported some lab beagles whose little feet had never touched the ground because they had been in cages all their lives,” said Boies.

Boies also recalls Sully, a boxer so abused that he was a skeleton with skin attached.

PILOTS-N-PAWS-LOGO-180-1“He was so weak, he had to be carried to the plane,” she said.

Sully’s sad story fortunately ended happily, for thanks to Pilots N Paws, the dog was eventually adopted to a loving home far away from where he was found.

Pilots in the program know to expect the unexpected, such as pregnant dogs that go into labor during a flight. Some of the four-legged passengers also tend to get a bit overexcited.

“We had a dog bark all the way from Georgia,” said Picornell.

ASSISTS WILDLIFE IN NEED

Although dogs and cats are primarily the bulk of rescues, they are not the only creatures helped.

Air traffic controllers at Melbourne International Airport have a good idea when Pat Picornell is coming in for a landing. She is the one with all the barking dogs inside her plane. “When we fly for the Humane Society of Grand Bahamas in Freeport, we wear survival gear to include a life vest...just in case,” Picornell said. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

Through the Pilots N Paws network, injured eagles, hawks and falcons have found their wings again as they were transported to wildlife rehabilitation centers. Monitor lizards, boa constrictors and pot-bellied pigs – if they needed re-homing, Pilots N Paws was there to help.

In Picornell’s case, rescues have taken the form of as many as 16 dogs of various sizes, all neatly tucked in for the trips in crates.

“If we have the space, we take as many as we can,” said Picornell, a wealth advisor with UBS Financial Services in Melbourne.

Come Sept. 27, the Picornells will participate in a flyaway event at Melbourne Airport, where several Pilots N Paws pilots will convene to go fly animals to new homes.

Anne O’Flaherty’s Devotion To God’s Creatures UnwaveringRELATED STORY:
Anne O’Flaherty’s Devotion To God’s Creatures Unwavering

More than 250 animals a year can thank the Picornells for a new lease on life. For the pilots, it is a labor of love that can be expensive. Picornell estimates that one flight can set her back $500 in fuel, but for the Indialantic resident, it is money well spent.

“I’m not leaving them behind,” said Picornell.

For more information about the Pilot N Paws program log on to PilotsNPaws.org


Subaru and Petmate are proud sponsors of Pilots N Paws.

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Posted by Kathleen Quinn Charleston Executive Director, Pilots N Paws

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Unwanted Springhill puppies get free flight to Minnesota https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/unwanted-springhill-puppies-get-free-flight-to-minnesota/ https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/unwanted-springhill-puppies-get-free-flight-to-minnesota/#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2014 10:16:00 +0000 https://pilotsnpaws.org/?p=14927 Pilots N Paws offers free transportation for rescue animals across the United States. Mar. 13, 2014  link to original story Written by Vickie Welborn   SPRINGHILL — When a stray pregnant dog decided to have her litter of puppies on Carroll and Helen Timmons’ patio after Christmas, the retired couple was overwhelmed. They quickly reached out to […]

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Pilots N Paws offers free transportation for rescue animals across the United States.

Mar. 13, 2014  link to original story

Written by Vickie Welborn

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SPRINGHILL — When a stray pregnant dog decided to have her litter of puppies on Carroll and Helen Timmons’ patio after Christmas, the retired couple was overwhelmed.

They quickly reached out to Springhill-based Furbaby Second Chance Rescue and its leaders, Judy Teague and Liz Harkins. Hopes that homes soon would be found didn’t quite work out that way.

It seems no one wanted the Labrador mix puppies, with the exception of one of the surviving eight that did go to an adopter. Justin Thomas of Lumberjack Rescue-Springhill also helped spread the word.

“We tried so hard to find homes locally but we got no response,” Teague said. “I guess Lab puppies are a dime a dozen.”

That’s where the strong networking among animal rescue groups came into play. Through word of mouth and sharing information about the puppies on Facebook, Teague learned of No Dog Left Behind in Brooklyn Center, Minn.

She emailed a photo of the pups snuggling in a wheelbarrow to the canine rescue and shortly after five were singled out for adoption – sight unseen. “I’m sure when they get there the other two will not be far behind,” Teague said.

Then came the big hurdle: how to transport seven rambunctious Labrador puppies almost 1,000 miles to the north.

Teague was familiar with Pilots N Paws but wasn’t initially optimistic she could get any interest from the volunteer pilots to make a stop in Springhill. She was wrong. Within two hours of making an inquiry on the group’s website, Teague received two responses from pilots willing to make the trip.

“It was amazing,” Teague said.

The troublesome winter weather delayed for several weeks the effort of Pilots N Paws coordinator Carolyn Harris to prepare a flight plan. Thursday it all finally came together.

Retired 747 pilot Jim Carney arrived early at the Springhill Airport from his home near Memphis, Tenn. He was tasked with the first leg of a four-stop trip that took him, the puppies, their leashes, Ginger cookie snacks, water and puppy pads to Kennett, Mo.

Pilots Eric Cooper, Jim Bordoni and Jim Lyon were lined up to take up the other legs from Olathe, Kan., Des Moines, Iowa and ultimately to Princeton, Minn.

“They’ll be there at 7 (Thursday evening),” Carney said.

Approximately 2,500 pilots donate their time and expenses to transporting rescue animals to their new homes. The nonprofit organization was started in 2008 by Jon Wehrenberg and Debi Boies after a simple offer from Wehrenberg to fly a Doberman from Florida to South Carolina expanded into a fully established web-based message board where pilots can access information about animals in need of transport.  Pilots do not accept donations for their efforts. Donations can be made to the organization. Learn more about Pilots N Paws at www.pilotsnpaws.org

Approximately 2,500 pilots donate their time and expenses to transporting rescue animals to their new homes. The nonprofit organization was started in 2008 by Jon Wehrenberg and Debi Boies after a simple offer from Wehrenberg to fly a Doberman from Florida to South Carolina expanded into a fully established web-based message board where pilots can access information about animals in need of transport.
Pilots do not accept donations for their efforts. Donations can be made to the organization. Learn more about Pilots N Paws at www.pilotsnpaws.org

Carney said pilots such as he donate their time and flight-related expenses because they love what they do. Combine the fun in the air with dogs and you have his two passions in life.

Often, Carney said he is asked why he or the other pilots don’t offer similar transport services for people in need. His explanation is what they do does help humans because of the joy the animals bring to their lives.

It’s the rescuers, he said, who have the tough job of caring for the dogs until homes are found. “What I do is easy. … I love flying and I’ll keep on doing this as long as I can. Why not?” he asked. He estimates he’s transported about 1,050 animals in the past five years.

That experience aided Carney who calmly talked to the puppies as he positioned them inside of several crates in his white and blue Beech Baron. Their initial whimpers at the strange surroundings would stop as soon as they settled down, he assured the rescuers assembled for the send-off.

There were a few stiff upper lips as those who had a hand in the puppies’ care for the past two months watched with mixed emotions as Carney taxied down the airport runway and took to the air. Carroll Timmons joked how he’d miss how the gang — which had been sheltered at his house since their birth — would rush the back door with excitement any time he opened it. But all realized the four-legged babies, unwanted in Louisiana, were being welcomed with open arms in Minnesota.

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Pilots transport rescue dogs from Panhandle to SWFL https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/pilots-transport-rescue-dogs-from-panhandle-to-swfl/ Sat, 29 Mar 2014 10:57:14 +0000 https://pilotsnpaws.org/?p=14922 link to original story www.island-reporter.com March 14, 2014 Special to the Reporter (sancapnews@breezenewspapers.com) , Island Reporter, Captiva Current, Sanibel-Captiva Islander The Gulf Coast Humane Society received dogs transported by Pilots N Paws on March 1. Six dogs were transported to Page Field Airport from the Florida Panhandle to be rescued by GCHS. The program Pilots N Paws was […]

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Jennifer Galloway, executive director of the Gulf Coast
link to original story www.island-reporter.com
March 14, 2014
Special to the Reporter (sancapnews@breezenewspapers.com) , Island Reporter, Captiva Current, Sanibel-Captiva Islander

The Gulf Coast Humane Society received dogs transported by Pilots N Paws on March 1.

Six dogs were transported to Page Field Airport from the Florida Panhandle to be rescued by GCHS.

The program Pilots N Paws was founded in 2008 by animal lover Debi Boies and pilot Jon Wehrenberg when he agreed to help Boies by flying a rescued Doberman from Florida to South Carolina, to save the dog’s life.

The first trip was a success and the two brainstormed on how to rescue other animals. Spay/Neuter campaigns in parts of the country were working, while in others parts, primarily in the south, pet overpopulation was still a huge problem. There had to be a way to turn a problem into a solution? Former pets were dying needlessly. They needed transport.

It all became a reality when the website, pilotsnpaws.org, was launched to provide a location where private pilots could provide free transport, and people and organizations who rescue, shelter, or foster animals could connect to save lives. Today the organization has 3,168 pilot volunteers and 10,551 volunteers.

For more information about Gulf Coast Humane Society or the dogs being transported, call 332-0364 or email info@gulfcoasthumanesociety.org. GCHS is located at 2010 Arcadia Street in Fort Myers.

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Jeannette family’s new pet delivered by plane https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/jeannette-familys-new-pet-delivered-by-plane/ https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/jeannette-familys-new-pet-delivered-by-plane/#comments Sun, 23 Mar 2014 10:54:09 +0000 https://pilotsnpaws.org/?p=15039   link to original story By Greg Reinbold Published: Friday, March 21, 2014, 12:01 a.m. Jan Mikan and her family waited eagerly on the tarmac in front of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport as Bud Newhouse’s RV-8 propeller plane touched down and taxied to a stop. Her 6-year-old grandson, Andrew, battled the whipping winds to proudly hold up a […]

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Jan Mikan (left) greets Tin Tin, who is being adopted by the Mikan's, as Bud Newhouse, with Pilots N Paws, introduces the two and Tom Mikan looks on during the delivery of Tin Tin at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe on Saturday, March 15, 2014.

Jan Mikan (left) greets Tin Tin, who is being adopted by the Mikan’s, as Bud Newhouse, with Pilots N Paws, introduces the two and Tom Mikan looks on during the delivery of Tin Tin at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe on Saturday, March 15, 2014.

link to original story

By Greg Reinbold

Published: Friday, March 21, 2014, 12:01 a.m.

Jan Mikan and her family waited eagerly on the tarmac in front of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport as Bud Newhouse’s RV-8 propeller plane touched down and taxied to a stop.

Her 6-year-old grandson, Andrew, battled the whipping winds to proudly hold up a piece of posterboard emblazoned with “Welcome Tin Tin” and expressions of thanks to the charities that made the day possible.

Newhouse, with Tin Tin in a travel crate behind him in his two-seat, single-engine plane, flew about four hours from Shelbyville, Tenn., on Saturday to deliver the 3-year-old beagle to his new family in Jeannette.

“It feels good to do it,” said Newhouse, a pilot from Cincinnati who has been volunteering with Pilots N Paws for about a year. “You can always fly, but this gives you a purpose for it.”

The Lancaster-based charity Raising Aid for Dogs At Risk (Radar) alerted The Rescue Express near Philadelphia to Tin Tin’s story — he was picked up as a stray in rural Tennessee and placed in a high-kill shelter — and helped fund Tin Tin’s veterinary care and boarding until he was adopted and moved.

The Mikans applied to The Rescue Express to adopt Tin Tin, unaware he was still in Tennessee.

“I assumed when I applied to adopt him that he may have (already) been in the Philadelphia area,” Mikan said. “I had no idea where he was.”

Newhouse responded almost immediately to a thread posted on the Pilots N Paws message board by volunteer transport coordinator Doris Godwin, known to Pilots N Paws members as “Doris_in_Georgia,” seeking help to get Tin Tin to the Mikans.

“I was really lucky that Bud Newhouse stepped up right away,” Godwin said. A second pilot was scheduled to meet Newhouse in West Virginia and fly the second half of Tin Tin’s trip, but bad weather changed those plans. “Bud, instead of just flying from Tennessee to West Virginia, he agreed to fly around the mountains and did the whole trip himself. I totally lucked out.”

Pilots N Paws started in 2008 when Debi Boies enlisted the help of friend and pilot Jon Wehrenberg to move a rescued Doberman from Florida to her home in South Carolina. Since then, the charity has grown to a network of more than 4,000 pilots, Boies said, and has moved more than 40,000 animals, including dogs, cats, reptiles, rabbits and even birds of prey.

Vee Neal Aviation has worked with Pilots N Paws for more than a decade, line service manager Don Armitage said.

Jan Mikan holds Tin Tin, who is being adopted by the Mikan's, as Bud Newhouse, with Pilots N Paws, looks on during the delivery of Tin Tin at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe on Saturday, March 15, 2014.

Jan Mikan holds Tin Tin, who is being adopted by the Mikan’s, as Bud Newhouse, with Pilots N Paws, looks on during the delivery of Tin Tin at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe on Saturday, March 15, 2014.

“We just provide an area for them to stop and we also provide them with fuel and restrooms and stuff like that,” he said. “We give them discounts on fuel. If they would happen to need maintenance or hangar space, we cut them breaks on that stuff, too, so it can be more affordable for them to help people.”

The company offers the same hospitality to Angel Flight, a charitable organization that connects pilots with individuals needing long-distance transportation for medical needs.

“We enjoy doing that kind of stuff,” Armitage said. “It’s just always been a part of what we do. It’s nice to see people getting the help they need and animals getting the help they need.”

Tin Tin is still adjusting to his home and remains shy and timid, Mikan said, but he’ll have a chance to become part of the family thanks to the groups and individuals who collaborated to get him home.

“It’s quite a network of really great people,” Mikan said. “They’re all volunteers and they put a lot of time and energy and their own resources into it. … Some of these groups are amazing the way they network.”

Greg Reinbold is a staff writer for Trib Total Media.

Subaru and Petmate are Proud Partners of PNP!

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Posted by Kathleen Quinn Charleston Executive Director, Pilots N Paws

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Pilots N Paws: Group takes animal rescue to new heights https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/animals/pilots-n-paws-group-takes-animal-rescue-to-new-heights/ Thu, 06 Mar 2014 11:09:11 +0000 https://pilotsnpaws.org/?p=14746 February 6, 2014 By R. Scott BelzerStaff Writer link to original story LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — A mother beagle named Lucy and her litter of seven got a new lease on life Monday afternoon, braving ice, snow and rain via the last thing one would expect — a charter airplane. The eight dogs are the […]

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February 6, 2014

By R. Scott BelzerStaff Writer

link to original story

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — A mother beagle named Lucy and her litter of

Flight student Luke Meisner (right) and Lana Smith (left) show a concerned Lucy her babies are just fine before loading them onto the plane Monday. Photo by R. Scott Belzer - See more at: https://www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x1782777853/Pilots-N-Paws-Group-takes-animal-rescue-to-new-heights#sthash.8je7w4hH.dpuf

Flight student Luke Meisner (right) and Lana Smith (left) show a concerned Lucy her babies are just fine before loading them onto the plane Monday.
Photo by R. Scott Belzer
– See more at: https://www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x1782777853/Pilots-N-Paws-Group-takes-animal-rescue-to-new-heights#sthash.8je7w4hH.dpuf

seven got a new lease on life Monday afternoon, braving ice, snow and rain via the last thing one would expect — a charter airplane.

The eight dogs are the latest four-legged friends to benefit from Pilots-N-Paws, a 501c3 non-profit that links willing pilots to eager animal rescue groups. The Monday flight marked the first — but hopefully not the last — flight out of London in effort to put shelter animals into loving, welcoming homes.

Jim Jeffries, a resident of Crystal Lake, Ill., along with his flight student, Luke Meisner, 17, flew into London-Corbin Airport at about 3 p.m. after extending their flight time an extra hour and a half due to inclement weather.

“I don’t mind flying in the cold at all,” Jeffries said. “The cold weather is good for planes. The air is heavier.”

The flight on Monday linked Friends of Laurel County Animal Shelter — a hustling and bustling volunteer group in Laurel County — with AHeinz 57 Pet Rescue and Transportation, an equally passionate foster-based organization in De Soto, Iowa. The organization has been doing whatever it can to help cats and dogs find a home since its inception in October of last year.

Lana Smith, the volunteer coordinator for the Laurel County Animal Shelter, is one of the many who have made Lucy’s journey a reality. Her commitment played a major role in leading her to contact such a faraway foster program.  Those who know her best are quick to mention her seemingly nonstop efforts and drive.

“Lana has helped drop our euthanasia rate drastically,” said Tom Baker, director of the  local animal shelter. “The Friends of the Laurel County Animal Shelter stop in once a day — usually on their lunch breaks — to snap pictures and post them on Facebook.”

Amy Young, a transporter for Friends of Laurel County Animal Shelter, is also quick to praise Smith’s efforts in finding the animals a good home.

“This isn’t just a one-time thing for Lana; this is a 24/7 job for her,” Young said. “She’ll be searching for (families) on Facebook and updating posts well into the night and early morning.”

Young has also played a major role in covering great distances to find cats and dogs suitable homes. Only recently, her boyfriend has driven a dog to Elizabethtown to have it flown to St. Louis.

However, it was Smith who originally took Lucy home two weeks ago. She knew the young beagle was pregnant and that the animal shelter did not have the resources to properly aid the 1-year-old mother. She took Lucy into her own home to find proper foster care, but discovered her seven babies could not wait any longer.

“I didn’t know she was going to give birth so fast,” Smith said. “But she gave birth that very night.”

Smith then began seeking out foster homes and other rescue organizations. AHeinz 57 had a rescue team en route back to Iowa from Florida via car, but barely missed Smith’s distress call. The program knew of a foster home available for Lucy. Luckily, Amy Heinz — owner of AHeinz 57 — also knew of Pilots-N-Paws.

Pilots-N-Paws operates off of its website, offering forums and message boards for pilots and rescue teams. All that’s required for rescue teams is a logistical route along with sending and receiving airports. Pilots like Jim Jeffries volunteer their time and fuel to make sure dogs get where they need to be. According to Jeffries, it’s a cause worth flying for.

“I feel good doing it,“ Jeffries said. “Pets are defenseless, you know. They rely on us for help. I love dogs and I love flying. It’s a perfect combination for me.”

This was Jeffries fourth time transporting pets for Pilots-N-Paws. His previous trips have included Sheboygan, Wis.; Campbellsville, Ky.; as well as St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn. He’ll either find the dogs a home tonight or send them on their way on another AHeinz 57 transport.

Jeffries and Meisner were only grounded for approximately 30 minutes before taking off again. The pair grabbed a quick bite to eat and as well as a quick coffee and soda before preparing for takeoff. They will land back in their home airport of Lake in the Hills by nightfall.

Meanwhile, Smith, Baker and Young said some quick goodbyes.

“I said I was going to cry once Lucy was up in the sky, but I’m doing okay,” Smith said, watching Jeffries and Meisner roll down the runway. “I just hope it’s not too loud in the plane.”

For more information on Pilots-N-Paws, visit their website at www.pilotsnpaws.org. For more information on the Laurel County Animal Shelter and how you can help Friends of the Laurel County Animal Shelter, call (606) 864-6319 or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/laurelcountyshelterky.

 

sbelzer@sentinel-echo.com

 

– See more at: https://www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x1782777853/Pilots-N-Paws-Group-takes-animal-rescue-to-new-heights#sthash.8je7w4hH.dpuf

 

Subaru and Petmate are Proud Partners of PNP!

Posted by: Kathleen Quinn Charleston, Executive Director

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