Quick take
- Longview Animal Care and Adoption Center and Longview P.A.W.S. partnered with Pilots to the Rescue at no cost to the shelter, executive director Jenna George told the Longview News-Journal.
- On Oct. 25, staff loaded more than 30 dogs for a van trip to Nashville, then a flight to North Shore Animal League America in New York. The dogs arrived in less than 24 hours, shorter than the usual van handoff in Roanoke, Virginia.
- P.A.W.S. still runs monthly van transports and its Spay It Forward vouchers for Gregg County. Donations go through longviewpaws.org.
- George and P.A.W.S. executive director Jackie Reynolds said transports are a stopgap while pet overpopulation continues.
Longview’s animal shelter has a new way to move dogs out of town for adoption. The Longview Animal Care and Adoption Center and Longview P.A.W.S. (Pets Are Worth Saving) have partnered with the nonprofit Pilots to the Rescue, the Longview News-Journal reported Friday.
Shelter executive director Jenna George told the News-Journal the partnership does not cost the shelter or P.A.W.S. On Oct. 25, staff loaded more than 30 dogs into crates. Pilots to the Rescue volunteers drove them overnight to Nashville, Tennessee, then flew them to North Shore Animal League America in New York. George said the dogs arrived in less than 24 hours, shorter than the usual P.A.W.S. van trip that meets North Shore staff in Roanoke, Virginia.
P.A.W.S. still uses volunteer drivers for monthly van transports, but long hauls are hard on drivers and on dogs in crates. George said the pilot partnership also opens the door to more rescue partners. North Shore is the largest animal rescue organization in the country, she said.
George and P.A.W.S. executive director Jackie Reynolds said transports are still a bandage on pet overpopulation. P.A.W.S. offers Spay It Forward vouchers for Gregg County and other help for pet owners. Donations and details are at longviewpaws.org.
This story relies on the News-Journal’s interviews with shelter and P.A.W.S. leaders. Longview P.A.W.S. lists Spay It Forward and shelter support at longviewpaws.org. Pilots to the Rescue describes its rescue-transport mission at pilotstotherescue.org; we did not find a separate shelter press release that repeats the Oct. 25 flight details.