Aug. 31, 2017

In light of the human toll wrought by Hurricane Harvey, it’s easy to overlook the other victims left in the wake of the devastating storm. Pilots N Paws founder Debi Boies is seeking business aircraft operators willing to transport shelter animals from the affected areas.

“Our immediate goal over the next week is to pick up dogs, cats and other animals from area shelters, thus opening space for pets displaced by the storm,” Boies said.

While moving shelter animals out of the Houston area is the goal, airports in the areas hardest hit by the storm are expected to remain closed to general aviation aircraft at least through Labor Day.

In the interim, Pilots N Paws is working to arrange pickups from airports in Fort Worth, Austin and other “safe zone” communities in Texas and Louisiana, with those flights then handing off the recovered animals to other volunteers in surrounding states.

Pilots N Paws Seeking Business Aircraft to Fly Animals from Houston Region

Noting that many of Pilots N Paws’ more than 5,200 volunteer pilots are “champing at the bit” to assist, Boies explained that most fly smaller aircraft not suited for the adverse weather conditions in Harvey’s wake. “This will require larger aircraft, like a Pilatus [PC-12] or similar,” she explained. “We need planes able to handle large numbers of crates and that can safely navigate the weather.

“There will be an ongoing need to transport these animals over the next several weeks,” Boies continued. “Even if you may not be able to help today, we appreciate all the help we can get tomorrow.”

Business aircraft pilots are encouraged to contact [email protected] for additional information. Pilots N Paws is a 501c3 non-profit organization, so operators may be able to write off operating expenses for the rescue flights.

Learn more about Pilots N Paws.