Four Georgia shelter dogs took to the skies Oct. 28 aboard an airplane with a rock-and-roll history and a new mission: Saving animals’ lives.
The aircraft, named “Little Paw,” once belonged to Tom Scholz, founder and guitarist of the legendary rock band Boston. Scholz and wife Kim donated the plane to Pilots To The Rescue, a nonprofit dedicated to transporting at-risk animals to safety.
Piloting the rescue flight from Georgia to Tallahassee was Michael Schneider, the organization’s founder and chief pilot.
Among the four canine passengers were Flint and Addy. Both were found as strays and taken to Polk County Animal Control in Cedartown, Georgia, a small rural community where overcrowding is a constant challenge.
Rescued dogs take flight to Tallahassee
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A rescue dog waits on the tarmac in Georgia to board a Pilots To The Rescue flight to Tallahassee, Florida, where a second chance at finding a forever home awaits. (Provided by Pilots To The Rescue)
Also aboard were two puppies, Mike and Lucy, from Rockdale County Animal Services in Conyers, Georgia.
According to Schneider, animal shelters across the country are struggling with overcrowding, leaving countless dogs at risk of euthanasia simply because there isn’t enough space.
For dogs placed on space-related euthanasia lists, rescue flights can mean the difference between life and death, offering a second chance at finding a loving home.
Rescue dogs travel in secure crates aboard “Little Paw,” a Pilots To The Rescue aircraft transporting dogs from Georgia, to Tallahassee, Florida.
Following their arrival in Tallahassee, Flint and Addy were headed to foster homes through Ewenity Farm Herding Dog Haven, while Mike and Lucy will be available for adoption through Karma’s Haven Animal Rescue.
Founded in 2015, Pilots To The Rescue works with shelters and rescue organizations nationwide, transporting animals from overcrowded facilities to rescue partners where they have a better chance of finding permanent homes.
For Schneider and his team, every flight represents another opportunity to save lives. And for four Georgia dogs, a plane once flown by a rock legend became their ticket to a brighter future.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Paw-sitive news: Rescue dogs fly to new homes in Tallahassee