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Pilots n' Paws KLZU-KOCF

dmaib

Well Known Member
Bruce Sacks put together an awesome PnP rescue flight today. Four RV's and one Cherokee transported approximately 40(!!) animals from Lawrenceville, GA to Ocala, FL. This was my first rescue flight and what a way to start. Bruce is going to write up the trip, but I wanted to put these photo's on for all to enjoy.
It was colder than **** in GA today!

http://picasaweb.google.com/damaib/PilotsNPaws6Jan10KLZUKOCF#
 
Paws

I tracked Bruce for a while on APRS on his return trip this afternoon. Kinda figured this was what was happening:D
 
In the annals of aviation history, there are shining examples of the capacity of airplanes to carry large amounts of cargo between two points when the need is the greatest and options are slim. Flying the India to China Hump during WW2 and the Berlin Airlift come to mind. Now, add to those illustrious achievements the Georgia to Florida Puppy Airlift of 2010! :)

Five pilots donated their time and airplanes to the cause and arrived at Lawrenceville, GA (KLZU) at 0930 today. They bucked strong headwinds and temps in the teens to get the mission underway. All who committed to be there, were there....on time. 100% professionalism. We did have to wait for the dogs to arrive about 1.5 hrs later than planned. Just a small glitch.

When the van doors swung open we saw a lot more than the 25 or so dogs I was told about. Most of the dogs were small pups at least 6 weeks old, but there were a couple momma dogs and two cats as well. I didn't get a firm count but 40+/- is close. The shelter brought along extra crates so all were secure in a carrier of some sort. After the planes were loaded there was still a group of five or six pups in the van and they were looking oh so worried. :( Everyone in the pilot group knew what had to be done and found room for the last of the pups. A very proud moment for all of us. These guys WERE NOT going to be left behind.

For all the waiting and bitter cold we endured at LZU, we were rewarded with screaming tailwinds which boosted ground speeds by at least 25kts. :eek: The two RV10s flown by David Maib and Pierre Smith arrived first and soon after it was John Morgan in his RV6A and me in my RV9. Arriving about 25 minutes later was the Cherokee 180 flown by Steve Booth.

In no time, the FBO lobby was filled with dog crates! Volunteers from the rescue centers were there to sort them out and get them ready for the final leg of their trip. All pilots were given $1/gal discount on fuel and a nice Humane Society t-shirt. We all had lunch together at the Tailwinds Cafe at OCF before departing to our respective home bases.

Overall, a very successful mission to help a lot of animals avoid certain destruction. Special thanks to Pierre, David, Steve, and John for stepping up to make this happen. Credit also to DR for VAF and Pete Howell for setting the example!

PS: I'll post my pictures soon....left camera in the plane.
 
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Great job David.
I guess you can really pack them in on that beautiful 10 you have.
I was notified of a PnP mission from Keystone, FL to Naples, FL. By the time I could respond, someone else snatched it up.

It's nice to know that so many pilots & RVers are donating their time for such a worthy cause.
 
Mornin' all....

...I don't quite know where to start because it was a very emotional experience, just the enormity of the airlift, the fellowship and camaraderie, putting faces to names, but mainly the whole objective of so many innocent lives saved.

One of the burly, 6 foot something line guys who helped unload my airplane, became teary-eyed and offered God's blessings more than once. When I told him that there were four more airplanes coming, all loaded with animals, he froze, awed by the idea of 40 something little critters saved.

I can't recall another time about anything that I've done that has brought this much satisfaction and emotional reward! Hard to put into words.

Y'know, they also need temporary foster parents for animals making long trips, where half a dozen pilots are used to each do 300-400 mile legs. They need the animal housed for a day or two 'til the next pilot can come, either because of weather or work schedules. So go to www.pilotsnpaws.org and add your name:)

We were given forms, signed at both ends by the rescue teams, so we can get an expense deduction from the IRS.

Best,
 
Very Nice!

Pierre - now you understand, first hand, what it is all about. Great job by all involved - it sounds like it was a great day.

We will get you added to the map!
 
Another fantastic rescue! I love this stuff, and I CAN'T WAIT to be able to help when my -7 is done! Awesome, just AWESOME!!

:cool::cool:
 
Great job Guys!
I wish I could have joined you. I had to get back to Savannah for a funeral. My wife's coworker and friend had died.
 
You'd be surprised.

Great job, I hope to help out but my little RV-4 isn't setup for this.

mike

Just remove the baggage door and a small cage with a coupla pups will go in there:)

The whole atmosphere was so warm, with all of us enjoying each others' company as well.

A really good day.

Best,
 
Great job!

I've been aware of PnP for some time (the pilot in the adjacent hangar is a member) and it warms my heart to see so many RV pilots getting involved. Right now I am in the process of getting my medical back after heart surgery with the expectation of making some PnP flights this spring.

Keep up the good work guys. This has got to be good publicity for aviation in general and RV's in particular, but regardless of that, it's just GOOD to provide help to these little guys who need better homes.
 
Really wish the local media could have been exposed to this story (Or regional? The way cable TV milks local coverage, it might have gone nationwide...). Some photos of an FBO loaded with furry little pups and warm-hearted pilots would really put a positive face on general aviation.

Maybe next time the media could be alerted? At the very least someone associated with the effort could prepare a press release.
 
Excellent idea, Sam...

....and I've already given our local paper editor a memory stick with many pictures and this link since he's really keen on the story.

Great idea that we'll make happen next time,

Best,
 
Sam,
I actually did think of that but did not persue it. In hindsight, it would have been a great oppurtunity to show something positive about aviation. There have been some recent PNP bits on the major network news shows. The links to those are on the PNP site.
 
Rescue update...

...from Tampa Bay humane society:

Pierre

Thank you everyone for your efforts!!! 52 dogs, puppies, cats and kittens saved! Thank you for your time, effort, money and love you have given to these animals. I don't have everyone's contact information however please forward to those I have left off the list. I apologize that I wasn't able to get all names and pilots' emails.
All the crossposters who spread the word, Bonnie, Susan and many others who coordinated the efforts and those who cared enough to get the dogs and cats out of the shelter. Everyone made an effort, came together and gave these animals a chance to live when they were going to be put to sleep!

Thank you Landmark Aviation for being so kind for allowing 52 dogs, puppies, kittens and cats in the lobby and for giving the pilots a discounted rate, cleaning up after the dogs, walking them, petting them, transporting crates and being so wonderful to help us! Rich, Ed, Tracine, Cindy, Alicia and Stan at Landmark Aviation- Ocala International Airport

Pilots- Bruce, Steve, Bob, David and Pierre (I left off another pilot/copilot- please forward!)

Tampa Bay Humane Society where all of the dogs, puppies, kittens and cats are now.
3607 North Armenia Avenue
Tampa, FL 33607-1322
(813) 876-7138
Lisa Knight
 
Question

Great story guys!

Question - Why does it seem that there is a need to transport so many dogs from Georgia to Florida? That seems to be the direction that most of these flights go. Is there a surplus here and a shortage there? Just more of a demand? Have all these dogs already been placed with families, or just a shelter with more demand than supply? I'm sure there's a reason. Just curious about the mechanics.
 
I agree with all said by Bruce, David & Pierre. I had an email from Lee Swartz our contact with Tampa Humane Society at KOCF saying it was 52 total animals. This is probably right as I had the 6A smallest plane loaded with 2 puppies 3 mid size dogs and 2 cats all in 3 crates.It was a little tight as I am a 220 lb guy. But as Bruce said you cannot leave them behind. The puppies in the big crates in the RV10's were too plentiful to count. Note: there was not a peep out of any animal in my plane the entire flight. We got to Ocala and the 2 cats got in a fight as they were transferred to another cage for the van transport.

Apparently they did not enjoy one anothers company in such tight quarters as much as the dogs did!

It truly was a great experience!

John Morgan
 
A Few More Pictures

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Too many puppies

Great story guys!

Question - Why does it seem that there is a need to transport so many dogs from Georgia to Florida? That seems to be the direction that most of these flights go. Is there a surplus here and a shortage there? Just more of a demand? Have all these dogs already been placed with families, or just a shelter with more demand than supply? I'm sure there's a reason. Just curious about the mechanics.

As I understand it, most animals from shelters with "high kill rates" are in areas such as where I live in Memphis, where neutering rates are lower. The high kill rate is a result of the shelters being overwhelmed with the numbers of animals. I've been told that practically all dogs from these shelters can find homes in other areas of the country where there is not such a surplus of animals due to the success of neutering. The problem, of course, is getting them to the areas where they can be adopted.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no shortage of people who will not bother to sterilize their pets, preferring to dump them on the side of the road or abandon them to a shelter. We have a disproportionate share of these peoples in our southern states. Thus, a large number of transports are needed from here to the northern states or to Florida, where the state's large population means there are more people to adopt animals.

Unless our culture changes, it looks like we will have plenty of opportunities to fly puppies to new homes.
 
Applause all around!!!!

Pilots are big hearted souls! Kudos to the RV airlift!!!

One question, why aren't there more cats being moved? Just not that many or do they not travel as well?

My wife and I are huge cat people and I figure in addition to doing some good for the pets, it would get the wife in the plane a little more often.

Thanks for the info.....time to get involved!

Jon Dembs
Cozy MKIV
Rocklin, CA
 
They wouldn't give them to us either..

Me too. Several of those puppies appear to be Border Collies - wonderful dogs. And the shelter those pup's came from is located about a mile from my home field...

...for logistical reasons. We would have to go through the shelter.

Believe me, I think that all of us would have taken quite a few animals back home...we asked.

My wife suggested that Florida has a greater number of "empty nesters" with sufficient funds and also the need to have pets as comfort in their older years, as a reason for the mass airlifts to there.

BTW, I found a shelter with 60 animals near me (35 miles) in Girard, Ga and next week will ferry a Blue Merle sheepdog to Raleigh-Durham area, on his way to N.J., a three leg/pilot trip,

Best
 
I had 5 aboard....

Pilots are big hearted souls! Kudos to the RV airlift!!!

One question, why aren't there more cats being moved? Just not that many or do they not travel as well?


Jon Dembs
Cozy MKIV
Rocklin, CA

....and they mostly slept. One or two of the kittens got a little edgy getting loaded, with the crate tipped up and down but after I'd climbed through the rough air, they just kinda melted into a big, furry pile:) The grown cat was so laid back on top of the pile of crates and mostly slept....not a peep out of them:),

Best,
 
Great job guys. I had heard about this awesome fllight through the PNP grape vine.

We are vacationing on St. Simons, Island GA for 3 months tying to avoid the snow in Michigan, and doing PNP flights while we are here. First was Bainbridge, GA to Tampa. Have another puppy liter flight scheduled next week with another possible.

If you need another RV-10 wingman let us know.

Dick Sipp
RV-10 N110DV
Temporarily deployed to KSSI
 
Great job guys. I had heard about this awesome fllight through the PNP grape vine.

We are vacationing on St. Simons, Island GA for 3 months tying to avoid the snow in Michigan, and doing PNP flights while we are here. First was Bainbridge, GA to Tampa. Have another puppy liter flight scheduled next week with another possible.

If you need another RV-10 wingman let us know.

Dick Sipp
RV-10 N110DV
Temporarily deployed to KSSI

So you're the one that brought the cold down here!:rolleyes:
 
South east GA rounduup

We should have a Southeast GA RV-10 & others roundup here at St. Simons or Savannah. Ether place is great to visit with plenty to do and see.

Perhaps we could have lunch and then everyone could sight see as desired.

Dick Sipp
Visiting Yankee RV-10
N110DV
 
We're in California....

...visiting kids and parents but next week, we'll start on a date for a Southeast RV get-together, and of course you Florida guys are expected to attend:)

FWIW, the Kekyll Island Club has an incredible brunch layout on Sundays with crab legs, prime rib, shrimp all sorts of top of then line veggies and salads of all sorts.desserts,...usually costs around $120 for four.

A Delta driver, Richard van Iderstein runs Red Bug motors, the FBO there and you can reserve an electric car (Google Red Bug motors).

All you Florida guys will be expected to attend:)

Let's knock the idea around and plan something,

Best,

Best
 
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