Anyone ever flown Pilots n Paws?

LoLPilot

LoLPilot

Line Up and Wait
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Jun 30, 2018
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626
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St. Louis, MO
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LoLPilot
If you can't guess from my avatar, I am an animal lover, and I'm interested in getting involved with Pilots n Paws. I'd like to get the scoop from someone who has worked with them before. Anybody here have impressions they'd like to share?
 
dozens of times. lots of fun and rewarding and oh yeah sometimes poop. but mostly fun.
 
I do. It is very rewarding but you're dealing with people too. Sometimes they don't show up, most the time they do. It can be frustrating at times but its a good cause and of course you get the tax write off.
 
I've flown a bunch over the years. I have two rules:

1. I never get involved with a trip that consists of more than 2 legs. First, (with rare exception) I think it's stoopid to move a pet 1/2 to 2/3 of the way across the country, surely it can find a home or shelter closer. And, more importantly, there's way too much that can go wrong on 4...5...6 leg trips and it puts too much pressure on pilots to do something that they may not be comfortable doing.

2. it must be a non-profit at both ends or be going to the adopting party. Preferably the latter, those are the most fun and fulfilling, especially when kids are involved.

Watch out for breeders scamming rides for the dogs they've sold. It happens.
 
timwinters said:
First, (with rare exception) I think it's stoopid to move a pet 1/2 to 2/3 of the way across the country, surely it can find a home or shelter closer.
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I'd go further and say that moving dogs etc around in private airplanes at all is pretty ridiculous. I have done a load of flights for the novelty of it, and if I'm going somewhere anyway I'll look to combine it with a transport, but I can't see the dedicated "lets fly dogs around" charities as much more than a way to subsidise people's flying and owning, using donations. Fair play to them, but let's not pretend it's an efficient use of money. Putting that money into spaying, neutering and local efforts would make a much bigger difference, but just isn't as fun.

It's still better than not doing anything at all, of course.

Whenever I want to do an actually sensible charity flight, I do Angel Flight, PALS, or fly medical people around Africa.
 
Katamarino said:
I'd go further and say that moving dogs etc around in private airplanes at all is pretty ridiculous. I have done a load of flights for the novelty of it, and if I'm going somewhere anyway I'll look to combine it with a transport, but I can't see the dedicated "lets fly dogs around" charities as much more than a way to subsidise people's flying and owning, using donations. Fair play to them, but let's not pretend it's an efficient use of money. Putting that money into spaying, neutering and local efforts would make a much bigger difference, but just isn't as fun.

It's still better than not doing anything at all, of course.

Whenever I want to do an actually sensible charity flight, I do Angel Flight, PALS, or fly medical people around Africa.
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Not all of us can get to Africa.

I fail to see how it "subsidizes" owning and flying. You still have to pay for it and you can't accept money. The only financial benefit is the tax deduction.
 
LoLPilot said:
Not all of us can get to Africa.

I fail to see how it "subsidizes" owning and flying. You still have to pay for it and you can't accept money. The only financial benefit is the tax deduction.
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you'd be surprised to find out the amount some people have received in donations that go towards very expensive upgrades and subsidized, extremely long flights.
 
I would *LOVE* to fly PnP missions, but my work schedule makes it really hard, my location is well out of the way for most missions, and my 150 is small.
 
GMascelli said:
Haven’t done PnP flights but I have flown Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel rescue missions.

I’m based at KOXB and flights range from PA,MD,NJ,WV and VA. It’s been fun, and something my wife and I really enjoyed.

Our last rescue flight - http://gmflightlog.blogspot.com/2017/06/cole-transport.html?m=1
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I’ve done a few fill-ins for a PnP buddy, very cool and fun, but a Springer focused group?

I grew up with a Springer but see few around. Who abandons this breed? Terminal ear tangle so we leave her at the shelter? The Springer in the pic has been groomed and groomed recently. Definitely not a breeding error or anything. What happened to difficult to place black adult mutts? Just wondering...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
I've done dozens as well.
Learned a lot about people from every flight.

Some insights (helpful or not):
Don't expect every transport to be charitable (as already pointed out). There are some who game the system.
Don't expect every transport to be tax deductible either.
Don't expect transport requesters to have a working brain (their bit heart makes up for it). YOU need to be in charge of the flight, many of them can't do basic math.
Have a backup plan for the pup at your origin and destination in case stuff happens.
Never promise a sure flight to a transporter. Always tell them there's a chance things might not work out and they need to plan accordingly.
Have phone numbers for volunteers/pilots at origin and destination.
If flying into a small airport, choose one where you don't mind getting stuck overnight if something happens.
Have an extra leash.
Bring treats.
And the most important one: have fun and post pictures! :)
 
Katamarino said:
I'd go further and say that moving dogs etc around in private airplanes at all is pretty ridiculous. I have done a load of flights for the novelty of it, and if I'm going somewhere anyway I'll look to combine it with a transport, but I can't see the dedicated "lets fly dogs around" charities as much more than a way to subsidise people's flying and owning, using donations. Fair play to them, but let's not pretend it's an efficient use of money. Putting that money into spaying, neutering and local efforts would make a much bigger difference, but just isn't as fun.

It's still better than not doing anything at all, of course.

Whenever I want to do an actually sensible charity flight, I do Angel Flight, PALS, or fly medical people around Africa.
Click to expand...
I used to sign up for a number of Angel Flights...more than half got cancelled due to weather or the PAX not understanding about little planes. The last flight I signed up for, everyone agreed on a 10 am departure. It was well after 2 pm when parent and pax (the son) showed up with zero remorse and zero apology and zero courtesy call to me during the 4 hours waiting, that they were running late. I explained summer afternoons in Colorado and Kansas were prime thunderstorm events and it was not safe to fly this afternoon. She was incensed that she'd have to drive back to Kansas. Hm...maybe that's why they kept a car in Denver, they scammed AFW that frequently? Don't appreciate being treated as a freebie cab driver. Learned later this was normal occurrence for this parent.

In all fairness, all my other AF flights were great. One weather issue kept me from flying so I drove the pax from Denver to Pueblo myself.

Hence my decision to fly dogs. It's a better reason than the $100 hamburger. I don't care about the deduction, altho it's nice. And with the changes to the tax law this year, keeping track of deductions may not be worth it.
 
eman1200 said:
you'd be surprised to find out the amount some people have received in donations that go towards very expensive upgrades and subsidized, extremely long flights.
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Yeah no kidding! There was a guy here who had a gofundme page or one of those sites and was wanting money for an engine overhaul.....or some other expensive upgrade if I remember correctly
 
BigBadLou said:
I've done dozens as well.
Learned a lot about people from every flight.

Some insights (helpful or not):

[ . . . ]

Have an extra leash.
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Adding to Lou's list.... In addition to an extra leash, acquire and use harnesses for the times when you're in charge of the dog....

I have had two collars break on me when the dog startled and pulled hard on the lead. One was a Chihuahua Poodle mix that ran away from us and crossed the runway into the big open space on the other side. Took an hour to finally find him and follow him until he was tired enough to stop and allow us to gather him up again. Thank goodness the FBO had a golf cart and a radio, and the ground controller was accommodating to our needs.
 
timwinters said:
Much of my reason for flying dogs and not humans is that I've never known a dog to sue.

If I had a twin then I might fly angel flights but a single? Ummmmm...no.

Besides. I like dogs far better than I like people.
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I always say I like pets more than people as a general rule. My friends and loved ones know that they are the exceptions! (present company included!) ;)
 
I flown three trips for pilots and Paws. Very rewarding but also very stressful! Make sure you stay below 8000 feet
 
210pilot said:
I flown three trips for pilots and Paws. Very rewarding but also very stressful! Make sure you stay below 8000 feet
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I've been up to 11,000 with dogs and no problems.
 
Has anyone ever flown a hedgehog? Can they handle 12,000' and the noise?

210pilot said:
I flown three trips for pilots and Paws. Very rewarding but also very stressful! Make sure you stay below 8000 feet
Click to expand...

The highway goes up to 7200' here so 8K is not workable.
 
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timwinters said:
I've flown a bunch over the years. I have two rules:

1. I never get involved with a trip that consists of more than 2 legs. First, (with rare exception) I think it's stoopid to move a pet 1/2 to 2/3 of the way across the country, surely it can find a home or shelter closer. And, more importantly, there's way too much that can go wrong on 4...5...6 leg trips and it puts too much pressure on pilots to do something that they may not be comfortable doing.

2. it must be a non-profit at both ends or be going to the adopting party. Preferably the latter, those are the most fun and fulfilling, especially when kids are involved.

Watch out for breeders scamming rides for the dogs they've sold. It happens.
Click to expand...

I think many of the long cross country multi-legs ones are breeders scamming rides. The other thing that apparently happens a lot these days is rescue organization purchasing animals from breeders who then claim they have been "rescued". Some of these are then put on PnP flights to move them across the country. This just incentivizes the breeders to breed even more animals to be sold as "rescues".
 
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