Pilot, Michael Solomon; Calhoun County Airport Manager, Dianna Stanger; and Chyrl Burris of Great Escape Rescued K9s preparing to take Sista to her new home.

Being a pilot is much more than about having a passion for flight. True aviators and aviatrixes enjoy utilizing their passion to help others. In this case, local pilots are taking flight to complete a very special mission and help two organizations, Pilots N Paws and Great Escape Rescued K9s.

Each year, the volunteers of Pilots N Paws save thousands of lives. Those lives come in the form of any animal that can be transported using a plane. Dogs, cats, pigs, reptiles and rabbits are just a few who have taken one of their flights.

The flight began at Calhoun County Airport (KPKV) with pilots, Dianna Stanger and Mike Solomon departing into a clear beautiful sky on an IFR (Instrument flight rules) flight plan. The mission — to transport a German Shepherd that was four years old named Sista to Cleborne Regional Airport (south of Fort Worth) and transport a second dog, Buddy, who was rescued from a kill shelter in Arlington on the return flight.

Pet overpopulation is a disturbing problem in the United States. More than 4 million no-longer-wanted pets are euthanized each year. While spay/neuter programs have worked to decrease domestic animal populations in some parts of the country, other areas are considered high-kill. A staggering 70% of dogs that enter shelters in the southern part of the country are euthanized. Until now, there have been few options for these innocent victims. Pilots N Paws is helping to change that.

Chyrl Burris of Great Escape Rescued K9s brought the German Shepherd to the Calhoun County Airport (KPKV). Chyrl is the co-founder/co-director of Great Escape Rescued K9s, which is currently in the process of obtaining a 501c(3) non profit status. “We started Great Escape last summer when we were made aware of the plight of hundreds of German Shepherds being killed in “kill” shelters in Los Angeles California. We decided we were going to try to help save some,” Chyrl said. They rescue other breeds as well, and as well and since last summer to date, have rescued 50 Texan and 39 Californian dogs!

Their objective is to save “last call” dogs with no other options (about to be euthanized) from “high kill” shelters with a focus on German Shepherds. They bring awareness to the general public of the millions of animals killed each year as well as educate them so that they will not turn their dogs into “kill” shelters to be someone else’s problem. They also rehabilitate the rescue dogs to save in order to help them find a great forever home — in addition they want to help reform high kill shelters into “NO KILL’ shelters.

Stanger said, “Sista was a very sweet girl who seemed to sense that any journey she was on was taking her to a better place than the list she had been on to be euthanized. The little girl, Kylie Delafuentes, who got Sista will have a friend for life as Sista touched everyone the day we moved her, she could’ve easily been adopted four times just while we had her.”

The pilots and pup arrived at Cleborne Regional Airport in just under an hour.

“It was great from the very beginning when we met our young German Shepherd passenger for the flight,” Solomon commented, “with the aircraft doors wide open, the dog jumped right in just like she’s been riding in airplanes for years. She was calm and relaxed the whole flight, I didn’t much notice she was there, except to pose for the occasional in flight pictures with her.”

There is a whole underground rescue railroad if you will, Chryl said further, consisting of rescues and transport coordinators trying to save dogs and transport them all across the country. There are several transport groups on Facebook.

By simply looking at the request board on the Pilots N Paws web site will give you an idea of the hundreds of dogs a day that need to get somewhere. The site provides a location where private pilots willing to provide free transport, and people and organizations who rescue, shelter or foster animals, could connect to save lives. Today the organization, Pilots N Paws, has 2466 pilot volunteers and 8281 volunteers.

Great Escape Rescued K9s are constantly transporting dogs to their destinations. Normally the organization tries to have volunteer drivers, but for longer distances, Chyrl says, “I love to use Pilots N Paws. They are awesome!”

“Buddy, a sweet little guy, took the back seat over and then insisted on trying to join us in the cockpit while flying to his new family back in Victoria,” Dianna said with a smile.

At the moment, Chyrl has rescues in Los Angeles, California which need transportation to Texas, and local rescues that need transit to and from Austin, Hutto, Cleburne, Wharton and Houston, Texas.

“It’s something I hope to do often. It’s doing something I love, and at the same time helping bring a deserving animal who would otherwise face euthanasia, to a loving family.” Mike said, “Who wouldn’t want to do that?”

Mike has flown over 160 hours total. He has a high performance endorsement and around 15 hours in a high performance airplane. “As for IFR I’m about 10 hours into my training. My goal is to progress through my training to the point where aviation becomes my chosen career.”

As this was the first time for both pilots to fly for Paws N Pilots it is easy to see that it will become de rigor at Calhoun County. Pets touch peoples lives and the gift of getting a pet to a forever home is a very special ability that makes pilots better pilots and people. For students it is an opportunity to travel with a seasoned pilot mentor and reach their ultimate goal while completing a very worthwhile mission.

Buddy, relaxed and at ease, ready to arrive at his new home in Victoria.

Buddy, happy to be home.

Sista sitting comfortably in the Cirrus says, "are we ready?"

Pilots Michael and Dianna with Sista preparing for take-off.

Kylie Delafuentes of Cleburne, Texas with her new friend, Sista.