12 dogs have a second chance thanks to a special air mission to South Carolina by No Dog Left Behind Pilots Jonathan Plesset and Dean Heffernan. The mission was our first of 2019 and we are thrilled to start the year with such a heartwarming rescue flight.

A 10 year old Havanese named Jackson had to be surrendered when his mom went to a nursing home. It’s heart wrenching to think that this situation happens a lot to older pet owners when they become unable to care for their beloved friends. The age of the dog made it harder to find a suitable home and a safe place was hundreds of miles away. A home for Jackson was found through Havanese Rescue Inc. in South Carolina. Jackson boarded our plane yesterday morning and flew to South Carolina where he met Rick McCue who would be taking this special dog. Good luck Jackson, you sure are a cutie!

After we delivered Jackson we met a group from Petsense who had a Mom and her 9 puppies who were victims of a 170 animal hoarding case in Georgia. The mom was in bad shape when she was found, having been severely malnutrition. One of her puppies didn’t survive but the rest were healthy and adorable. Joining them was a 3 year old pup who was loving, affectionate, and very excited to take an airplane ride! All 11 dogs were loaded up and flown back with us to Pittsburgh and taken to Cross Your Paws Rescue where they will be loved for, cared for, and then adopted out.

Thank you to the pilots, the volunteers, and the people who work behind the scenes to make missions like this a reality. We are thrilled to see 12 more souls have the opportunity to live long and happy lives enriching the lives of the people who adopt them. Sad situations like this remind us that at every turn there are people ready and willing to help make a difference. Great job to everyone who helped!