Sadly, more than 4 million U.S. pets are euthanized every year but thanks to a few incredible organizations some animals are getting a second chance at life.
California-based group Wings of Rescue and South Carolina-based Pilots N Paws are two of the major organizations leading the way in rescuing and relocating animals to give them a better chance at adoption. Through these programs, volunteer pilots lend their planes, fuel, and their time to help move these loving animals from places with an overpopulation of animals for adoption to those where more people are looking for their next best friend.
Areas like California, South Carolina and Georgia tend to have more pets than can be adopted while states like Florida, Washington, New York, New Jersey and Oregon actually need more pets to satisfy the growing demand for pet adoptions. To help this location problem, some volunteers with big hearts are taking to the skies.
Kate Quinn, the Executive Director of Pilots N Paws says, “We have seen the number of animals rescued go up every year since we started in 2008” and in each of the past 2 years, the groups 5,000 plus volunteer pilots have flown more than 15,000 animals to their new homes. More than 75,000 animals have been relocated in the last 7 years and according to Pilots N Paws, the number just keep rising.
It’s good news on each end of the journey as the overcrowded shelters euthanization rates are dropping and those shelters receiving the relocated animals say that the furry friends are getting adopted out as quickly as they’re being brought in.
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