Well. Let me start my saying I don’t know how to do selfies so some of these pics may look wonky! Being a Rescue/TransportCoordinator, I was lucky and grateful to get to go on a Freedom Flight yesterday, 1/26/19 with pilot Scott Moody to transport Sperry and Mitzi from Bainbridge, Ga to Friends of Strays in St. Petersburg, Fl (HUGS Mari Salls) who I got to meet!

It was a really gorgeous day that started from the Quincy, Fl airport. We flew in a 1968 Cessna, red/white Cardinal. I was impressed by the vintage look inside and out. And even though I don’t smoke, so fascinated it has an ash tray! (lol).

Some interesting facts about these amazing pilots that fly for us. This plane uses about 8 gallons of gas per hour. We flew at 5,500 feet, most of it over water! This plane was traveling about 125 mph and we flew about 218 or so air miles one way. Huge difference from driving. Gas at the FBO’s where private planes fly into can vary…ranging from $3-4-5 and up per gallon. Sometimes, they get a Pilots N Paws discount, sometimes not.

The FBO we flew in to at Albert Whitted in St. Pete is amazing. They have a cafe called The Hangar with breakfast all day, lunch and dinner, huge bar with Jazz and Happy Hour events and a gift shop! It sits downtown so you could walk easily to nearby Dali Museum, and it is by the University. Crazy and awesome location!

I wanted to mention this as sometimes we don’t all know what the expenses can be for a pilot doing a great deed! It really adds up. And why we MUST appreciate them endlessly!

As well as the rescues, volunteers, shelter staff, Marnie Johns, Christine Ogle, Chris Rouse, Ashley White that ALL make this journey and rescue happen! I had sooo much fun! We appreciate these rescues that are willing to give all animals no matter the circumstances a second chance at a forever home! We appreciate the pilots that fly and drive for us, and all the rescuers/volunteers that save these animals and give them the chance to live ~ Thanks to an awesome pilot program, Pilots N Paws!

-Cathy Ellsworth, Rescue Volunteer