Pilots N Paws took flight for the very first time in its founding year of 2008. Debi Boies, a monumental animal lover, in conjunction with pilot Jon Wehrenberg, developed their unique rescue organization when Debi requested Jon’s help in order to save a Doberman from Florida by transporting it to South Carolina. After their first mission was successful, the two contrived a way to rescue even more animals.

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Their method of rescue focuses on transportation; allowing rescue organizations and shelters the availability to pets that they would otherwise not have access to because of cost. Pilots N Paws has found a way to be the solution for the animals while helping out their rescuers.

Each year this 501c3 organization dedicates their time to save thousands of animal lives and they have a history of working in conjunction with local rescue organizations. This past May, for example, the Pilots N Paws group teamed up with Animal Rescue Foundation, Illinois (ARF-IL) in Wheaton to transport a group of 22 animals from downstate Fairfield, including 16 dogs and six cats.

While the trip would have been over five hours driving each way, Pilots N Paw made the trip in a fraction of that time and saved ARF a good deal of money and time.

Of the 2,466 pilot volunteers and 8,281 volunteers associated with Pilots and Paws, two were most accommodating to ARF. Pilot Pete Tobin and his volunteer wife, Karen Johnson were relentless when it came to the animals. Also present was Stefan Holt of NBC-5.

Holt is able to verify that Karen was all about saving as many of the animals as she could; cramming as many crates and carriers as possible into the couple’s personal four-seater Columbia 350 plane. The maximum number of animals with three grown adults present should have been 18 total, but Karen managed 22 — only leaving behind one dog, who they pray got placed elsewhere and not euthanized.

Not only were the animals saved, but the trip was paid for completely by Pilots N Paws. They have transported domestic cats and dogs as well as pigs, reptiles and rabbits, to boot.

Their goal is to help decrease the amount of “throw-away” animals residing in the United States. More than four million homeless pets are euthanized each year.

Some parts of the U.S. are better at focusing on spay/neuter programs to diminish the number of homeless pets while others are not and are considered areas of high-kill. Seventy percent of dogs in the southern part of our country face euthanasia each year. Pilots N Paws is focusing on changing those statistics.

ARF-IL is proud to have worked with Pilots N Paws and will continue promoting their great organization. If you have any questions about either organization, or would like to donate to their worthy causes, contact pilotsnpaws.org or www.arf-il.org or visit them on Facebook.

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