The Great Doggie Airlift is Ready for Takeoff

This week, as many as 100 dogs and cats will board 10 airplanes and flown to Florida, where it is hoped they will find permanent homes. This extreme form of animal rescue is being conducted by a group of dedicated volunteers.

According to the American Humane Association, the doggie airlift is a joint production of the North Shore Animal League America and Pilots N Paws, celebrity animal advocate Beth Stern, philanthropist Lois Pope, and others.

Their goal: to save some of the 3-4 million animals relinquished to shelters who are euthanized each year.

The lucky dogs and cats will be flown by from Alabama, in a fleet of 10 private airplanes flown by Pilots N Paws volunteer pilots, to foster families and rescue groups throughout South Florida.

Another group of 80-100 dogs will be picked up in Virginia for transport to New York, where they’ll be tended by a veterinary team from North Shore.

This whole process will be filmed by the American Humane Association’s Red Star Rescue team. It’s amazing the lengths (and heights) these volunteers will go to, to match shelter animals with new human companions.