What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Three RVs and Two Akbash Puppies

Tanya

Well Known Member
Chrysanthemum is a beautiful, 1 year old, white, female Akbash. She was found as a stray, emaciated, and rescued from a high kill shelter on the day of doom. She surprised everyone when she gave birth soon thereafter to puppies!

PNPAkbash7-Copy.jpg


Meet Angelina and Binka. They are two of the few Akbash puppies that survived. Their personalities are develping, and they found forever families in Colorado that had time to devote to raising a puppy properly and space to keep them happy once they reach their gentle giant (hopefully) status of 100+ pounds. The foster mom, Emily, put lots of time in preparing the pups for their new homes. Helping out Chrysanthemum, she bottle fed the pups since mom was too thin to produce enough milk.

PNPAkbash5-Copy.jpg


Once again, their new homes were waiting for them several states away. Enter Pilots n Paws. Mike Reddick was the first to answer the call. Mike has been trying hard to complete his first PnP flight. He'd already signed up for five flights, but each one was scrubbed due to weather. Soon thereafter, it looked like this flight wasn't destined to be 'the one' as another pilot offered to make the flight. Circumstances didn't work out, and Mike was back in the driver's, I mean pilot's seat.

Mike sent out the word to the RV community, and a cascade of assistance came forth. Tanya Card picked up the dogs in Bryan, TX (CFD) and brought them to Mike at Hicks (T67) airport north of Fort Worth. There turned out to be an unexpected welcoming committee in Hicks. The puppies took some time and bounced around on the ramp. We dropped them in the grass a few times to empty out to no avail. As they played on the ramp a little more, Binka decided the crate and Tanya's purse would be a good place instead. Looks like those items are bound for the wash machine.

PNPAkbash4-Copy.jpg


Mike was then supposed to be on his way to meet Gary Zilik in Borger, TX (BGD). The weather bug looked like it might bite Mike again. Borger was 200 foot overcast with freezing fog, not exactly weather conducive for landing, so they found another airport over in New Mexico that had better weather. The plan was hatched to head for Borger and hope the weather cleared as forecasted. Poor Mike, once again the weather was not his friend. Conditions in Borger had not improved enough, so he pressed on to Clayton, New Mexico (CAO). Somewhere between Borger and Clayton, the white, freezing undercast disappeared, but it wasn't noticeable because it just turned to white snow cover in the sparsely populated area of northwest Texas.

PNPAkbash9-Copy.jpg


The transfer in Clayton went off without a hitch, and Mike and Gary were each on their way home. The delay caused Mike to miss a meeting, these pilot's sure go the extra mile, but he wouldn't have done anything less. Gary delivered Angelina and Binka to their new families waiting in Denver, who then had a 1 1/2 hour drive home themselves. The puppies tried to chew Gary's nose off while he held them, but they didn't succeed.
 
Quite an operation indeed. I had nothing to do with it, other than watch the APRS, after I woke up. You would be amazed with the logistics/coordination involved in these lifts. Kudos to all involved. FYI, if you follow the p-n-p website, TC is becoming a primary content administrator.
 
I'll have to say that I had the good leg in the relay as I got to deliver the pups to their new families. What a great way to end a trip.
 
PnP Trip

I may have had the longest leg of this mission but I enjoyed all 4.9 hours of it, especially when I saw the pics of all those smiling faces gathered around their new puppies!
Thanks again to Gary & Tanya for helping make this happen!
 
I'll have to say that I had the good leg in the relay as I got to deliver the pups to their new families. What a great way to end a trip.

nice job guys and gals!

you know, Gary, if you ever need a co-pilot...you have my number. :)
 
Back
Top