LOS ANGELES (AP) – For some dogs, a chance at the good life takes off when the pilots do.
Thousands of pooches facing euthanasia – some just hours from death – get loaded on planes each year and flown to new homes in places with shortages of adoptable pets. Groups such as California-based Wings of Rescue or South Carolina-based Pilots N Paws lead the charge, recruiting pilots to volunteer their planes, fuel and time in a trend that’s growing as more dogs end up in shelters and more people seek out canine love.
More than 4 million U.S. pets are euthanized every year. Both pilot groups encourage spaying and neutering as a solution but know that airlifts will increase every year as they become more visible and the number of needy dogs grows.
States such as California, Georgia and South Carolina typically have too many dogs in shelters, while places such as Washington, Oregon, New York, New Jersey and Florida need more pets to satisfy demand. To solve the location conundrum, pilots fire up their engines.
In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, retirees want smaller dogs, which are easier to take care of but a tough find in the area with the high demand.