General Aviation on a Mission: Over 100 Dogs Find New Homes During Pilots N Paws Fly Away Event

By Carmelo Turdo

Eight rescue dogs were flown from St. Louis Regional Airport to Airlake Airport in Lakeville, MN on Friday as part of the Pilots N Paws Fly Away event scheduled for last weekend. Originally envisioned as a 50 aircraft effort flying over 100 dogs on Sunday, it was modified due to winter weather moving in between the two airports. Through some creative planning, 22 volunteer pilots flew 71 of these lucky dogs from several St. Louis area airports while another 30 went by ground transportation. The mission was coordinated by Rachel Jouppi, a pilot and former Mrs. Minnesota who has dedicated much of her time and talent to "Flying with a Purpose."

Six of the rescue dogs from this location were provided by Dog Saver Rescue, a non-profit, no-kill shelter located in Washington, MO. Dog Saver Rescue was licensed in 2010 and has since found homes for over 3,000 dogs. St. Louis Regional Airport Director Danny Adams and Assistant Director Drake Blackwell welcomed the volunteers as they positioned their vehicle on the apron for easy transfer of the dogs to the three aircraft.

The aircraft arrived and departed between 3 P.M. and 5 P.M. on what was a breezy but still clear afternoon despite the gathering threat of weather for the weekend. Here we feature Ryan with his recently acquired Piper PA-46 (M350) Malibu Mirage based at KSUS; Dexter and Tori in the Piper PA-28-181 Archer II from Ames, IA; and Peter and his wife in the Lancair Columbia from the Chicago area. The accompanying video clearly shows the enthusiasm exhibited by everyone involved at St. Louis Regional Airport.   

The Aero Experience thanks Pilots N Paws, Dog Saver Rescue, St. Louis Regional Airport, the volunteer pilots and drivers and everyone who contributed to this successful event!