Pilots and Paws here is a flight that took place today. Pilots Howard Turek and Craig Hutain of Houston Texas.

Thank you for all you do for the animals PNP!! — it is an honor to work with great like minded people who care about animals.

Kristi

Devon is a beautiful yellow Labrador Retriever, approximately four years old, found bloody on the side of the road near George Ranch High School in Rosenberg, Texas & picked up by Animal Control on April 15th, 2015.  The President of the non profit Barbara Vass was at the shelter when Devon came in and was alerted by the shelter staff to her injuries.  After being evaluated the conclusion was Devon had been dragged behind a vehicle and may have suffered being shot, but without x-ray equipment, there was no way to confirm this conclusion.  Because this was a medical emergency, Devon was pulled by SOCA, (Saving Our Companion Animals-Fort Bend County), a 501c3 rescue affiliated to Fort Bend County Shelter and taken to their vet by volunteer Renee Begue and Renee’s son, Carl Pellegrin.  Devon was at the vets overnight with no definitive progress which is when the founder of Save A Lab Rescue, Christy Williard, Save A Lab New England Director, Rebecca Clark and Save A Lab Texas Director, Sanchia Sagalimbene saw the plea for help on the shelter’s Facebook page through multiple shares.

Save A Lab sprung into action immediately contacting the shelter holding Devon and arranging for Rita Garretson, (secretary for SOCA) to transport Devon to Dr. Michelle Withrow  at Long Meadow Veterinary Clinic in Richmond, Texas on April 16th 2015. Dr. Withrow heard of Devon’s story asked for her to be brought in immediately.  Dr. Michelle and her team were ready for Devon and immediately performed various tests & x-rays.  The x-rays revealed multiple fractures in Devon’s right rear foot and a recent gun shot wound.  The bullet was still lodged behind her right shoulder.  Devon was at Long Meadow Veterinary Clinic for several days on IV Fluids and around the clock care due to her extensive injuries.

When Devon was stable enough she was moved to the home of  Save A Lab foster,  Anu Chari.  Devon had to be kept isolated and restricted activity, due to the injuries and taken for a check ups and wound bandage changes every few days for a period of time.  Devon was a trooper through the entire process.

Save A Lab, spared no expense when it came to Devons medical needs.  Devon has healed beautifully and is ready to begin her new life with an approved adopter Cindy Bilbo.  Cindy Bilbo resides in Atlanta Georgia and has 2 yellow labs of her own, Madison who is 12 and Presley, who is 7 years old.  Cindy has been a Save A Lab supporter for many years participating in fundraisers, transports, & events among taking on other functions within the Save A Lab Rescue. Cindy ultimately fell in love with Devon the day she was rescued and kept up with her progress. She couldn’t stop thinking about her and decided to adopt her.

Devon’s request for transport was posted on the Pilots N Paws Transport Request board. On June 26, 2015 around 9:00pm, Sanchia Saglimbene  received a call from us asking if we could help by flying Devon to her new home in Atlanta GA on July 7.

Our family enjoys giving back to the community and one of the ways we can do this use our aircraft to help move shelter animals around the country, allowing these shelter pets to be adopted to a furever home and to a family who is going to love them. Another way is participating with an organization called Veterans Airlift Command, which provides free air transportation to post 9/11 combat wounded and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.

On July 7, we had a flight we were flying two wounded Army Veterans from Texas to Atlanta, GA where the Veterans were volunteering as camp counselors at Adventure Amputee Camp for children.  As luck would have it when we looked on the Pilots N Paws forum board to see if we could fill a request which would match up with the Veteran flight scheduled,  Devon’s transport request matched!

Devon’s flight to her furever home left July 7 at 9:00 am out of Conroe, Texas, heading over to San Antonio to pick up the other two VIP passengers and their service dog and then headed to Atlanta, Georgia.  Devon met her new mom Cindy Bilbo and there were wagging tails and tears to be had by all that afternoon. It was a great day!

Devon has had a difficult, but amazing journey to get to her new home but it is a very heartwarming feeling to be a part of a group of volunteers, strangers, from all walks of life come together for the ONE cause, saving these precious babies and helping give them amazing second chances at wonderful loving futures, they so deserve !

Devon will surely have a wonderful spoiled life from here on out and we look forward to updates from Cindy and Devon.

Blessings Devon, you have many long happy years ahead of you.

And  a BIG THANK YOU to all involved in getting this girl HOME!

-Kristi Turek, Pilots N Paws

Subaru and Petmate are Proud Partners of PNP!