Nearly 100 pets flew to new homes from Rock Hill this week, finding “forever families” while making room in South Carolina shelters for lost and endangered pets separated from their owners during the state’s record floods.
The charity Pilots N Paws took off with their last airlift of dogs Sunday, taking about a half-dozens to rescues in Washington, DC. The rescues have matched the dogs with families who want them.
The group said it has flown roughly 75,000 pets to new homes in its seven-year history, by matching pilots who are willing to make trips with pets who need to go places.
The pilots often pay for the flights themselves or use them as charitable deductions.
Flooding this week around South Carolina has overwhelmed shelters there, said Pilots N Paws founder Debi Boies.
“I’d say it triples, or more,” said Boies. “There are a lot of pets in our shelters. That’s why it’s so important to get them out into rescue organizations and partner with other rescues outside of our state right now, and they’ve willingly opened their doors to take in as many as they can, so we can help those at home.”