By Jeff Wall,

My intrepid rescue friend Heather Hobby of True North Animal Transport and I met at Madison, MS (KBMO) before 7:00 am September 7th to load Bonanza N727BV with two red ruffed lemurs named Ferris and Rafe. They are from Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro, MA headed to Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX. These endangered primates are indigenous to the East African island of Madagascar.

Heather had completed the northern end of the transport from near Boston, MA to Brandon, MS by ground in her specially equipped van. They drove straight through on Tuesday and Wednesday with two drivers rotating duties. This was my first Pilots N Paws mission with lemurs on board.

We filled the remaining space in the plane with donated animal rescue supplies that we’ve been collecting since hurricane Harvey devastated the Central Texas coastline on August 25th. The lemur transport to Brownsville, TX had been planned since well before the storm but it gave us the perfect opportunity to fly relief supplies as our route of flight had us overflying the entire Texas gulf coast both ways.

The weather was beautiful on the north end but very windy on the south end as there was yet another hurricane to the south off the Mexican coast. We landed with a quartering crosswind of 16 knots gusting 22. We met the zoo contact and delivered the lemurs into her care.

After refueling we departed Brownsville for Port Lavaca, TX, located between Corpus Christi and Houston.  They were among the hardest hit areas. We delivered the first load of what will be many with donated rescue relief supplies that we had received from local Mississippi schools, Chambers of Commerce and private donors, Capron Park Zoo employees and friends from a drive that Friends of Homeless Animals, Inc of RI conducted. The area had been so hard hit by hurricane Harvey, and they were so appreciative for what we brought.

We carried just over 400 lbs. of food and various shelter needs. I wish we could have carried more. We will be back! So much more to deliver to the affected Texans. We refueled again and made for home. It was an almost 12 hour day with 9 hours in the air, 1590 miles covered and I’m ready to go back again. I really don’t know why I’m the fortunate guy that gets to do this on my day off. I’m truly blessed beyond measure.

Petmate and Subaru are proud sponsors of Pilots N Paws.