Saving Lives While Overcoming Tragedy: Wings of Rescue
Welcome to Featured Rescue Friday! This week we are featuring a rescue that is near and dear to my heart since they flew my first foster pup to a rescue up in Washington and consequently helped her find her furever home. It is a privilege to feature the inspirational organization, Wings of Rescue.
Wings of Rescue was launched in 2009 by private pilots Yehuda Netanel and Cindy Smith. Netanel and Smith saw a need for a long-distance animal transport program and over the last six years, they have grown Wings of Rescue into the largest animal air transport program in the United States. With the help of 30 pilot volunteers, this year alone they have flown almost 7,000 animals in the Southeast and Southwest to regions throughout the country that have a need for adoptable pets, primarily the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and New York.
Wings of Rescue co-founder and pilot Yehuda Netanel with one of the many dogs Wings of Rescue has helped save
“To date, we have flown over 14,000 animals to new and loving homes, and have freed up space in the shelters for new animals to get adopted” stated Netanel. “Our vision is to substantially reduce the intake and euthanasia rates at city and county animal shelters so that one day all animals will have a forever home.”
Wings of Rescue has the following objectives:
- Reduce shelter intake and animal euthanasia
- Provide access to adoptable animals in areas with limited pet populations
- Reduce taxpayer costs
- Advocate on behalf of animals through partner organizations
- Support pet ownership
Earlier this year, Wings of Rescue was struck by tragedy. As a result of an accident during a test flight, this amazing organization lost one of its planes and two of its pilots. The plane that was lost had completed 50% of Wings of Rescue’s freedom flights and the pilots were loved members of the Wings of Rescue family. To have a wonderful organization that does such impactful things in the world of animal rescue have something so awful happen to them is heartbreaking.
The plane that helped saved so many lives and was lost in the accident
In spite of this tragedy, Wings of Rescue is looking to bounce back and save even more lives, (200,000 to be exact). They have purchased a new plane, a previously owned Pilatus PC12, that will be able to transport 100 animals at a time, is more efficient, and is safe for the animals they fly. They had to take out a loan to buy the plane but did so in order to make sure their rescue efforts didn’t slow down and to save money in the long run since chartering an additional plane would cost $16k per flight.
“With this plane, we will be able to save over 200,000 animals during the lifetime use and the cost of operations will not increase” said Netanel. “Because I believe so much in what we are doing here at Wings of Rescue, I am donating $1,000,000 myself to kick start the [fundraising] campaign.”
This is Wings of Rescue’s largest fundraiser to date and it is truly inspiring that instead of letting tragedy slow them down, they are picking themselves back up and fighting to make an even bigger difference. The impact they have already made across the country in their partnerships with almost 50 rescues and shelters is phenomenal and I cannot wait to see the impact they will continue to make as they move forward from the devastating loss they experienced earlier this year.
If you are interested in supporting Wings of Rescue’s fundraiser to pay off the loan they took out for their new plane, you can find more information on their campaign site. If you’d like to donate to one of their upcoming freedom flights, you can do so here. Donations are tax deductible and with 2015 coming to a close soon, now is the perfect opportunity to support this awesome rescue.
To stay up to date on all the latest Wings of Rescue news, follow them on Facebook.
