Less than ideal weather, worth pushing through for these dogs.

The scene begins with a beautiful Golden/Bassett mix mom, digging a hole in someone’s front yard, delivering her litter of puppies overnight in 40 degree temps.  The troupe is then picked up by strangers, placed in cages, and left in a high kill shelter with little chance of surviving the next 10 days.  They are placed right next to another abandoned mom and her five 2-week old pups facing the same fate.  This is where we start with two moms and 13 pups all just days old needed some help getting from Marianna, FL West Palm Beach, FL.

Momma and Pups Two

Thanks to Pilots N Paws pilot Art Dreyer, wife Patty, and A Second Chance in West Palm Beach for stepping in to save these 15 lives and getting them to loving homes.  The weather in Marianna was beautiful.  In West Palm, let’s just say, it was “uncomfortable” for a VFR pilot.  This was one of those days when the forecast wasn’t so accurate, reality was much worse, and the combination almost forced a diversion.  The pups ended their trip with a landing in moderate rain, winds gusting to 26 kts, and 1000 foot ceilings.

Momma and Pups

Fortunately, there was help on the ground as both crew and passengers were at their limits.  The Golden mom was terribly afraid but yet so attentive Patty instantly fell in love.  Patty has asked to adopt the Golden once the day-old pups are weaned and adopted out.  The second time this has happened!  If she keeps this up, Art’s going to have to get a bigger house!