These missions leave an imprint on our hearts as we form bonds with both the animals and the passionate people who share our goal: to leave no dog left behind. Today 46 dogs have a chance at a new beginning because the love we share for animals bonds us together.
No Dog Left Behind Landpilots Elizabeth Zappa and Diane Fasciano set off a few days ago for Kentucky, where 46 dogs were waiting. These dogs come from rural areas where there just aren’t enough people to adopt them all. Instead of living on borrowed time in a shelter, their salvation comes because of people like Michele Elam Caldwell, Tonya Spencer and Lara Whitt, who our team met at the Morgan County Animal Shelter -West Liberty,Kentucky. Dogs from Morgan County, Wags 2 Riches Dog Rescue and the Wolfe County Animal Shelter were all kissed, hugged, and patted on their little heads as they were loaded into the No Dog Left Behind Landplane for their journey north.
Elizabeth and Diane arrived back in Pittsburgh to deliver some of these amazing animals to Paws Across Pittsburgh, Senior Hearts Rescue & Renewal, and Cross Your Paws Rescue.
After the delivery, No Dog Left Behind Landpilots Kelly Genovese and Val Jackson then took command of the Landplane and headed off to Pals4Pets Rescue Inc where a special program is in place for some of these lucky Kentucky dogs! Five of the dogs were in the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex inmate program and lived with the inmates for 8 weeks. The dogs not only learn basic commands taught by the prisoners, but bring love and purpose to non-violent prisoners. When you see a person in an orange jumpsuit crying and kissing a dog because it’s time for their “roommate” to move on it gives us hope that these dogs have made a difference.
It doesn’t stop there. The dogs are then placed with veterans at no charge through our friends at Pals4Pets. It’s amazing when we think about it. We are an animal organization but in the end it’s people we help. Amazing dogs, who can better rehabilitate people and show us how to love one another? Everyone wins.
