Rescue a Pet, Build the Connection

Pilots help furry friends while building flight experience.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, February 20, 2023 at 06:25 PM ET

Verified

[Courtesy: Pilots N Paws]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots frequently engage in animal rescue, using their general aviation aircraft to transport animals in need across the country.
Pilots N Paws is a non-profit volunteer organization that connects pilots with rescue animals requiring transport, typically involving individual pilots flying shorter legs and covering their own expenses.
Wings of Rescue is a larger-scale operation that utilizes bigger, often chartered aircraft to transport numerous adoptable pets and humanitarian aid from disaster zones or overflowing shelters, with the organization covering operating costs.
Both organizations demonstrate how aviation provides a vital, fulfilling means for pilots to combine their passion for flying with animal welfare, saving thousands of animal lives annually.

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There’s a connection between aviators and animals. You have probably been to an FBO that has a resident dog or cat on the premises. These animals often have aviation-related names like Piper or METAR——and are very often rescues from a local shelter. Animal rescue is a cause that many pilots can and do support. If it has fur, fins, or feathers, there is probably a volunteer pilot organization dedicated to its transport.

Pilots N Paws

The group Pilots N Paws is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and one of the most active volunteer animal transport groups in the U.S. The website forms a digital meeting place for volunteers who are “engaged in the valuable services of rescuing, sheltering and adopting animals, and volunteer pilots and plane owners willing to assist with animal transportation.”