How many pilots does it take to get one deaf, seven month old bull terrier from Las Vegas to her forever home in Vancouver, BC?
Four!
“Welcome to Washington, Mochi!” I texted to the mission team, as the Columbia River slid beneath the wings of my Cessna 182, marking the border between Washington and Oregon, and thus, the mid-point in this third leg of her rescue journey from Roseburg, Oregon and its terminus in Gig Harbor, Washington.
Figure 1 – Rescue dog Mochi crossing into Washington in my airplane
Mochi’s story began at a bull terrier rescue where she had been fostered from an early age. By all accounts, she was safe and well tended, but the family that ran the rescue could no longer care for her. They described her as being deaf, but went on to say you’d never know by watching her behave.
Enter a woman in Vancouver, BC, who wished to adopt Mochi, but didn’t have the means to either drive down to Las Vegas to pick her up or to pay for transport by other means. The foster reached out to Pilots N Paws, an animal rescue operation.
Mochi’s travels commenced when she was transported by car from her foster home to the North Las Vegas Airport. There she hopped the first leg of her journey in Pilot Allen Dutton’s Mooney M20 for the two-and-a-half-hour flight to Nevada County Airport in Grass Valley, California. She shared the ride with a puppy who was being ferried to the Cleft Puppy Brigade also in Grass Valley.
Due to low fog weather in California and the Northwest, the remaining legs of Mochi’s flight were postponed. She awaited the resumption of her trip in the comfort of a temporary foster home, arranged by Pilots N Paws.
Figure 2 – Mochi in volunteer pilot Allen’s Mooney airplane (Photo courtesy of Allen Dutton)
The weather finally cooperated and Mochi’s travels resumed. Lorelei Craig, her foster volunteer, transported her by car to the Grass Valley airfield for a scheduled 9:45 am departure, where she was greeted by retired Airline Pilot Mike Gennis and his gorgeous bare metal silver and red Cessna 180. Mike flies with his back and copilot seats removed so he has more room for crates and dogs as needs dictate. He prepared bedding for Mochi in the rear of his plane where she curled up and made good use of her accommodations.
Figure 3 – Mochi Snoozing in volunteer pilot Mike’s airplane (Photo courtesy of Mike Gennis)
After a brief weather stop in Ashland their flight concluded two and a half hours later in Roseburg, Oregon. There, Mochi and Mike were able to get out and stretch their legs while awaiting my arrival. They explored the grassy areas of the airfield and Mochi took care of her needs. Once I was on the ground, Mike and I compared notes about our airplanes, our animal flying configurations, and the narrow weather window in which we’d been able to make this work.
Figure 4 – Mochi Snoozing in volunteer pilot Mike’s airplane
The passenger compartment of my airplane is configured for dog-friendly comfort with seat extenders, a heavy-duty seat cover, and absorbent pads as an added measure of protection for nervous or infirm passengers. Mike assured me that Mochi traveled well uncrated as I loaded her up and got her settled into the back seat of my plane. She rode tethered by her harness to the headrest, so she’d be secure, and yet have the freedom to move around and make herself comfortable. Because she’s deaf, hearing protection wasn’t a concern.
Figure 5 — Rescue dog Mochi getting situated in my plane
Mochi alternated between looking out of the window and assuming a wide variety of postures that would make the most experienced yogi jealous. Although she couldn’t hear, I did still wonder if some of her other senses were overstimulated by the various sensations that come with the constant drumming and vibrations of your average General Aviation airplane.
Figure 6 – Rescue dog Mochi in flight in my airplane
The roughly 280 statute miles from Roseburg to the Tacoma Narrows airport in Gig Harbor, Washington, took about two hours to traverse at 8,000 feet altitude. The sun was disappearing just behind the Olympic mountains as we taxied to the restaurant where Mochi would connect with Pilot Lane Gormley and his Cessna 182 for the final leg of her freedom flights. This leg would terminate in Arlington, Washington. Mochi again rode tethered in the comfort of the cabin’s back seat, enjoying more space than can be found in the economy section of a standard commercial airliner.
Figure 7 – Volunteer pilot Lane and rescue dog Mochi in Gig Harbor, WA
Once on the ground in Arlington, a volunteer from a local rescue outfit drove Mochi across the border to Vancouver, BC to meet her new mom.
Pilots N Paws
Founded in 2008 as a non-profit organization based in Landrum, South Carolina, Pilots N Paws was created when co-founders Deb Boies and John Wehrenberg teamed up to collect a dog who needed to be relocated from Florida to South Carolina in order to save his life. Deb, an animal lover, enlisted the help of John, a pilot, to transport the Doberman Pincher by plane. Recognizing the magnitude of the need, and the countless dogs who are euthanized each year when not adopted, Deb and John wanted to do more. Thus, the Pilots ‘n Paws website was born. Its purpose is to connect willing pilots with rescue organizations and foster dog owners to provide life-saving relocation services to dogs and other animals. Since its inception, Pilots n Pawns (PNP) has successfully saved the lives of thousands of animals per year. A gallery of rescued animals and their stories are featured on Pilots n Paws online.
The organization’s motto is “Saving the lives of innocent animals.”
With the exception of its Executive Director, PNP is an all-volunteer organization that relies on donations to keep the site going and on volunteer pilots to transport the dogs. The website allows foster and rescue organizations to request transports and for pilots to volunteer and fly the missions with no recompense. Time, fuel, and operating expenses are all absorbed by the pilots. The reward comes in knowing that an innocent life has been saved.
Pilots n Paws doesn’t limit its services to dogs. Its pilots have successfully transported cats, rabbits, pigs, deer, reptiles, etc. Its reach covers the entire continental United States and some parts of Canada and Mexico.
Every mission starts with a request from a shelter of some kind. Representatives must fill out and submit a template containing required information, including an explanation of why services are needed. The website is able to send notifications to pilots within the departure or arrival vicinity with a link to the request. Pilots can then agree to fill a leg and coordinate all pertinent mission details among themselves.
For more complicated transports, a mission coordinator may get involved. Ferries that include more than two legs or that transit multiple states generally require this added level of coordination. These often take longer to pull together, though, so aren’t ideal for emergent situations.
As for the over 5,000 pilots who volunteer their time and resources towards this purpose, a common theme pervades their motivation. Mike, who has been rescuing animals with PNP since 2020 and flew over 60 rescue flights in 2022 alone, explains, “I love dogs, and I love to fly so it’s the perfect combination. It gives me a mission that is not just boring holes in the sky.”
A Pilots N Paws rescue is, “Quite possibly the most rewarding flight you’ll ever make” according to their flyer. Speaking from personal experience I wholeheartedly agree — The rewarding nature of helping animals in this way can’t be overstated.
For more information, contact Pilots n Paws at:
Pilots N Paws
4651 Howe Rd.
Landrum, S.C. 29356
Email: [email protected]
Website: pilotsnpaws.org
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