Pilots N Paws wants pilots from all 50 states to take part in its fall flyout of shelter dogs, scheduled for Oct. 3.
The first National Flyway builds on the group’s yearly fall regional flyouts, which have been staged at a South Carolina airport. Pilots from nearby states fly the dogs to animal rescues in Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, and Washington, D.C.
That event will take place on Oct. 3, but Pilots N Paws is asking pilots who can’t come to South Carolina to register for the national event. “The national detailed schedule is still being determined and pilots who register for the flyway will be notified of the progression of this schedule by email once they register,” Pilots N Paws Executive Director Kathleen Quinn said.
The traditional flyway will stage out of Rock Hill (York County) Airport-Bryant Field (UZA).
The nonprofit Pilots N Paws matches volunteer pilots to transport rescued, sheltered, or fostered animals to new homes. In 2013, the organization received a $10,000 grant from the AOPA Foundation through the Giving Back program.
This year’s flyout has been dubbed “Brock’s Memorial Flight” in memory of the first dog flown by Pilots N Paws in 2007. Pilots N Paws co-founder Debi Boies adopted the Doberman, who died in February 2015. Brock’s rescue flight inspired the organization of more than 5,000 pilots and more than 12,000 nonpilot volunteers who together have saved more than 75,000 lives, Quinn said.
Interested pilots should register their availability on the website. Additional details will be emailed to those who register.
