Bird dog: ‘Pilots N Paws’ flies Hawkins shelter dog to new owner in Tampa
Since 2008 ‘Pilots N Paws’ volunteers have flown approximately 75,000 animals to safety in all 50 states and Canada. (photo courtesy of Pilots N Paws)
ROGERSVILLE — “Harley” the alpha male “Min Pin” was among seven Miniature Pinschers abandoned inside a Hawkins County mobile home in late September, trapped in extreme filth with no food and no escape.
What a difference a month can make.
Today Harley has a new home in Florida, thanks in part to a Hawkins County Humane Society (HCHS) advertisement on Facebook.
But, Harley’s real hero is an organization called “Pilots N Paws” which flew him free of charge from Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport to Tampa his new family last week.
Pilots N Paws is a non-profit was founded in 2008 by Florida animal-lover Debi Boies and pilot Jon Wehrenberg.
They came up with the idea after Wehrenberg agreed to fly an ailing dog for Boies from Florida to South Carolina for a life saving treatment.
Today the organization has more than 5,000 volunteer pilots, and more than 12,000 volunteers on the ground.
Each year Pilots N Paws saves thousands of animal lives. Any animal that can be transported using a plane — dogs, cats, pigs, reptiles and rabbits — are eligible for a free flight to a new home or needed medical treatment.
Since 2008 Pilots N Paws volunteers have flown approximately 75,000 animals to safety in all 50 states and Canada.
But, until a couple of weeks ago, no one at the HCHS had heard of Pilots N Paws.
On Sept. 27 the HCHS was contacted by a woman who purchased property on Tranbarger Road in far eastern unincorporated Hawkins County that she thought was vacant.
But, after the woman had closed the deal, the property seller reportedly told her there’s a mobile home on the property, and the dogs inside that mobile home were now her problem.
HCHS assistant manager Sandy Behnke said the new owner went straight to the trailer and found the seven Min Pins trapped inside the trailer living in extreme filth.
“They went to the trailer and there was like four inches of feces covering the floor,” Behnke said. “They had to go get some boots just to get inside, and they got all seven animals out and transported them here. (The property buyer) was overjoyed that we could take them.”
As it turns out the Min Pins were all pure breads, and they were all spayed or neutered. Fortunately they were all also in good health.
“We took pictures of each one of them and posted their sad story on Facebook, and the comments we received were overwhelming,” Behnke said. “Reba, the red Min-Pin, was the first to be adopted, then came a phone call from Paula Griffith of Tampa Fla. The story touched her heart in such a way, and she (Mrs. Griffith) wanted to adopt ‘Harley’ — the alpha and the protector of the pack.”
Behnke added, “We thought of several ways to get Harley to her. Finally she called back and said ‘I got Pilots N Paws’ — and if we could get Harley to the Knoxville airport on Monday (Oct. 20), a Pilots N Paws volunteer would fly him to Tampa.”
HCHS manager Vanessa Collins and a volunteer drove Harley to McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville to catch his flight.
Paula Griffith was waiting for Harley when he arrived in Tampa. She texted a photo of their first meeting to the HCHS.
“She is so excited to have Harley in her life,” Behnke said.
Now that the HCHS personnel have a connection with Pilots N Paws, they plan on using the organization more often.
The HCHS has a large following on Facebook, and has already arranged for a second adoption flight for another shelter dog from the Hawkins County Airport in Surgoinsville to Massachusetts.
The flight was originally scheduled for this past Monday, but was cancelled due to weather. Now the flight is scheduled for this Friday, weather permitting.
There are still four of the seven Min Pins at the HCHS up for adoption — as well as many other varieties of dogs and cats hoping to receive a new home.
Learn more about the HCHS and the animals up for adoption by “liking” its Facebook page, or by calling (423) 272-6538. The shelter is located at 5180 Highway 11-W just east of the Rogersville city limits.
You can learn more about Pilots N Paws on the organizations website athttp://www.pilotsnpaws.org/.
