Animal Rescue Flights Photo Gallery Success In Pictures: Over 100,000 nautical miles of ARF transports 2010 2009 2008

12/19-21/09: 7 Dogs, 3 Pups, & 1 Cat - MS/SC to NY/NH/ME The sender had been trying for nearly three weeks to get these dogs moved northward. A ground transport was finally set up but when it arrived there was no room for them due to the amount of larger-than-expected dogs on the transport. Time for a first-class flight... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

12/19-20/09 1 Dog - Monroe, LA to Roanoke, VA ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

12/12/09: 1 Dog - Cincinnati, OH to Dickson, TN An ARF pilot's wife found Butchie sniffing front bumpers at a light in Cincinnati. The couple adopted him temporarily, and with the help of Eleven Eleven Bully Rescue of Dickson, TN, they found him a home. ARF pilot, Ed, flew Butchie to Tennessee today with his wife acting as dog wranger. This sweet boy was hard for the ARF couple to give up...it was really quite difficult and deeply personal. Butchie was Ed's ninth rescue flight, but easily the closest to home.... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

12/12/09: 3 Pups - St. Louis, MO to Farmingdale, NY These three "pitopotomuses" (fat pit puppies, age 6 months) were some of the 400 dogs rescued in the largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history. Read about it here. ARF is helping these gorgeous pups get from Missouri to the ASPCA in New York City, where they will be placed in new homes. Thankfully, their future is much brighter now... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

12/12/09: 4 Dogs - Anderson, SC to Albany, NY Alley and Lucy are the last two of the 8 horder babies found in deplorable conditions. A man had basically moved out of the home and left the 8 dogs to use the house as their potty. He only came by to feed them, and the food they ate was about the equivalent of cardboard. They were infested with fleas and shaking with fear. Still these babies started to come around quickly and wanted to be loved. Goliath was surrendered to a vet by a family who kept him in a tiny pen. They said he kept digging out of it and they had no time for him. Ralphy was in the Anderson shelter on the urgent list. He had only a few days left before being euthanized when a rescue stepped in to take him... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

12/6/09: 2 Dogs - Albany, GA to West Milford, NJ Kodiak and Bear are sisters, abandoned at a man's house in the county. The man of the house fed them for about a week. Since the county does not have a shelter, eventually the man simply carried them to the city limits, dumped them, called the city and told them that he just left two puppies at the city limits sign. So the poor things were abandoned twice, and ultimately ended up in a gassing shelter. It's a nightmare for animals in Georgia. Luckily, this story has a happy ending. Kodiak and Bear were rescued from that gassing shelter in Georgia and are now traveling with ARF to a safer place... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/29/09: 3 pups, 1 cat from Hinesville, GA & Cheraw, SC to Montgomery, NY These three puppies are about 6 months old and were found living under a man's porch. The mother was seized along with her pups and was abruptly euthanized. These three puppies are so completely terrified that they huddle on top of one another anytime someone comes near them. Because of this, they have been dubbed the "pile puppies." Pets Alive agreed to rehabilitate them, socialize them and do whatever is required to make them adoptable and allow them to live out happy lives. ARF will get them to Pets Alive for what is sure to be an amazing transformation... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/28/09: 1 Cat - Goldsboro, NC, to Stevens Point, WI Scotty was a stray in Rocky Mount, NC until he was taken in and neutered and a pellet removed from his side and his beat up ears cleaned out. He was transferred to a foster home in Goldsboro, NC. After two months there, Kathleen Riley in WI saw him and she really wanted him; sadly her Scottish Fold is dying of cancer, but Wisconsin is a long way from North Carolina... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/28/09: 3 Dogs - Tulsa, OK to Bridgeport, CT Elke and Henna were breeding dogs who had been living in a building in cages and had never been out on grass. Henna’s toes and the pads of her feet are so broken down and splayed that she is almost walking on her wrists. Henna is the oldest at 11.5, very underweight and had such bad dental disease that her teeth were falling out on their own. She was so thin because she simply couldn’t eat her food. Both girls have cataracts. Elke is 9.5 and a bit stronger. She had a cherry eye and a hernia, but thankfully, she did not lose any teeth. Ruby was picked up as a stray, and is shy of people. There was little hope of her being adopted because of her reluctance to approach people and the fact she isn’t the typical “puppy to 2-year old” that everyone is looking for. Fortunately, all could be rehabilitated, but they needed to travel across the country... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/21/09: 1 Dog - Manville, NJ to Nevada, MO Shemesh was rescued by a woman named Hedva who is actively involved in animal rescue in Israel. Shemesh was found as a stray on the streets of Israel and then Hedva's daughter took her in until she could no longer keep her and that's when Hedva stepped up and took Shemesh to a boarding facility. Hedva has been personally paying out of her own pocket for the boarding expense for the last year in order to keep Shemesh alive. Hedva then decided to pay the $260 for Shemesh's plane ticket to the states where Shemesh will hopefully soon find her loving forever home in the hands of Second Chance Barnyard Rescue. ARF will get her there... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/21/09: Six puppies - Waynesboro, GA to West Milford, NJ Six black lab puppies, only 10 weeks old, and scheduled to be euthanized...their punishment for just being born, like so many others like them in America's southern shelters. Luckily, these were saved in the nick of time and are on their way with ARF to a rescue group to be adopted into new homes... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/21/09: 6 Dogs - Wilson, NC to Wiscasset, ME In this economy, many people are giving up their pets to their local kill shelters. The "A Team," as these six pups became known, was lucky enough to have an owner that didn't want them BUT didn't want to turn them over to the local shelter either, knowing they would probably be killed. Instead, he reached out for help and contacted a shelter volunteer. With the shelter volunteer's help and a flight plan with ARF, these dogs are on their way to a new life... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/21/09: 3 Dogs - Paragould, AR to Blairstown, NJ Hope was saved the day she was due to die in the horrid high kill shelter. She was pregnant and about to give birth. The shelter refused to let her go without aborting her babies and having her spayed. It was a hard decision for the rescuers but the spay/abortion was finally agreed to so that at least one of them, Hope, would live. Hope was not only depressed afterwards, but had a vaginal bleeding problem after her spay. After many emergency vet visits and tests, it was determined that her spay most likely caused the bleeding. Thanks to her amazing foster mom in Arkansas, she gained strength and health every day, hence, her name....HOPE. She was flown to New Jersey by ARF to find the adopter who will show her what it means to be HOME... Roxie was listed on an online classifeds site where many pets succumb to the naivity of their owners and end up getting sold or given to people who resell them to laboratories or put into fighting rings and used as bait. The ad read, "She is very sweet and loving but I cannot keep her. She is an outside dog, so she isn't house broke. She needs room to run and I live in the city. I will be forced to take her to kill shelter if no one else wants her." Luckily, a local rescuer saw the ad and she called about Roxie right away and now she's on her way with ARF to a good life... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/14-15/09: 2 Dogs - Pensacola, FL to Pawtucket, RI ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/8/09: 1 Dog - Hammonton, NJ to Pawtucket, RI ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/8/09: 1 Dog - East Stroudsburg, PA to Fryeburg, ME "Snowy", an American Eskimo dog, needed immediate medical treatment possibly for Lymes disease... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/07/09: The Great Escape III - 31 dogs and cats from Anderson, SC to NY/CT/NH/ME Anderson, SC, has a huge animal shelter with easily 500 dogs and cats in it on a daily basis. In this economy, not many of them will find local adopters. Fortunately, the women that run the shelter for the city are very dedicated to working with rescues and transporters to get as many animals out of their shelter as possible and on their way to parts of the country where there is not an overpopulation problem and where the dogs and cats will more likely find new homes of their own. But there is a huge number and many end up on death row...perfectly adoptable...but not able to get out in time. Six different rescues have agreed to take many "death row dogs and cats" from the Anderson shelter, rehabilitate them and find them new homes. Now these lucky animals just need a way to get from SC to the Northeast...and that's where ARF comes in!... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/6/09: One dog from New Bern, NC to Newport News, VA ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/01/09: 4 Dogs - Georgetown, KY to Blairstown, NJ Sophie and Bessie were both dogs who were listed as in danger of euthanasia at shelters in KY. One Life To Live Pet Rescue and Adoption decided to take them in to save their lives... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

11/01/09: 4 Cats - Hammonton, NJ to Pawtucket RI & Fryeburg, ME ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/25/09: 1 Dog - Little Rock, AR to Morristown, NJ Pandora belonged to a little girl who live in a rural in TN area but her father gave her up because Pandora used to run and scare/bark at the cows, and sheep's...people were getting mad at the family for that. Against the Little's girl's will, regardless her tears, Pandora ended up in a rescue and they were told to put her down. Like so many others, that's where the story would have ended... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/18/09: 1 Dog - Birmingham, AL to Miami, FL ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/10/09: 1 Dog - Middlebury, VT to New York City Coop was an owner surrender to a shelter in New York. He had belonged to an elderly lady who was going into assisted living and wasn't allowed a large dog there. Coop was clearly well loved and well cared for as he is the most gentlest, smooshy face boy ever. He had some unknown medical issues and a work up at the vet showed he occasionally has light seizures. Despite that, he found an amazingly wonderful couple in NYC to provide him with a safe and loving home...this sweet couple even has experience with dogs who have seizures. This is a very happy ending for Coop and hopefully his former owner will know he is living in paradise now... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/10/09: 2 Dogs & 5 Pups - Albany, NY to Manchester, NH & Wiscasset, ME ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/8/09: 1 Dog & 2 Cats - NJ to RI ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/4/09: 1 Dog - Atlanta, GA to Grand Rapids, MI ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/4/09: 1 Pregnant Dog - Charlotte, NC to Lumberton, NJ ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

10/03/09: 1 Dog - SC to OH ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/30/09: 6 Kittens - Hammonton, NJ to Fryeburg, ME ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/27/09: 2 Dogs - Lumberton, NJ to Potsdam, NY ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/20/09: 5 Dogs - Greenville, SC to Manchester, NH ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/6/09: 2 Dogs - Wonder Lake, IL to Buffalo, MN ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/5/09: 1 Dog & 1 Kitten - Atlanta, GA to Green Bay, WI Braxton is a 5 mo. old white male puppy who had surgery for his hip and needed special rehab in Wisconsin. The trip would have taken two days via ground transportation and involved numerous transfers. Miss Kitty needed to get to Nashville, and Braxton's flight was purrfect. Now they both had a way to get to their receivers... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/5/09: 6 Dogs - Carlisle, PA to NJ/CT/NH ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/5/09: 2 Dogs - Atlanta, GA to Middletown, DE ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

9/4/09: 1 Dog - Hartsville, SC to Willimantic, CT ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

8/23/09: 100+ animals from Georgia to... The Georgia Puppy Caravan is an event designed to bring together animal lovers and rescue workers from all states and all walks of life with the singular focus of delivering a message of love for animals. Although there are many states dealing with an overpopulation of unwanted pets, due to strong and active personal relationships with shelters and rescue groups in the area, this particular effort will be centered around the great state of Georgia. There are many people working hard for animals in Georgia but the work is daunting. It is hoped that the Georgia Puppy Caravan will result in renewed media focus on the humane treatment of animals, education for the communities of Georgia about the need for spaying and neutering and the responsibilities of the government to provide funds so that Georgia shelters have the food, medical supplies and other tools needed for the animals in their care. We look forward to a day when animal life is valued as human life is, when every animal has a home of its own. Until then, we hope that all animals are treated with love and compassion, regardless of the animal's ultimate destiny... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

8/15/09: 2 Dogs - Wilkesboro, NC to Philadelphia, PA ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

8/15/09: 1 Dog - Leesville,LA to Roanoke, VA ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

8/15/09: 1 Dog - Somerset, NJ to Eldon, MO Lucy was rescued as a stray in Manhattan, she had some issues going on (she was Dehydrated, Starved and has Pulmonary issues). She has a loooooong road to recovery ahead. Since she was so underweight she was in no condition to get spayed...at that moment. She started to loose weight again, and since her health was at risk, a carefully planned transport was critical... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

8/2/09: 17 Animals - SC to NJ/ME/NH ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

8/1/09: 7 Pups - Summerville, GA to Perry, IA ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

8/1/09: 3 Pups - Salisbury, MD to Rochester, NY ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/26/09: Blue Suede Paws Transport We were loaded to the gills with dogs headed north to rescues that would find them new homes. Thanks to Pets Alive in Montgomery, NY for doing such a great job placing Anderson animals!... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/25/09: Blue Suede Paws Tour! The Blue Suede Paws Tour held was on July 25th at the airport in Anderson, SC featured a fun-filled evening of raffles, food, drinks, activities for the kids and a concert by the Duke of Elvis! Admission fees and bags of dog food benefited the Anderson County Animal Shelter, which is always packed to the brim with up to 500 animals in need of rescue... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/19/09: 1 Dog - Linden, NJ to Lewisburg, TN All American Dachshund Rescue has a dachshund that has had an accident and is partially paralyzed in the hind legs. "Cheyenne" needed surgery urgently and while it is available in Tennesee, the long road trip from New Jersey would not be feasible. The dog is 7 years old and has spent her entire life giving birth to other pups, now she needs a break herself... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/19/09: 1 Dog - Chesapeake, VA to Chattanooga, TN Lucy was left behind by her owner in early June, when the lease ended at the rental property where they were living. Lucy was found by the property owner in the backyard. Chesapeake Animal Control picked up Lucy and she was held for the owner to reclaim her, but her owner never came forward. Because of Lucy's seniority (approx. 10 years old), heartworm positive status and excess weight, she was not a prime candidate for adoption or rescue, but Lucy's sweet personality made her lots of friends at the shelter. When a potential adoption fell through, Tennessee Valley Cattle Dog Rescue was contacted for help and it was just a matter of getting her from Chesapeake to Georgetown... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/19/09: 1 Dog - Salina, KS to Wilkes-Barre, PA "Shaq" had been living in a 3' x 10' dog run, on bare dirt. He hadn't seen a vet since he was a puppy and had untreated entropion of the eyes. There is no organized chow rescue in KS and that nobody in chow rescue in other states had any room for him. However, a wonderful woman in PA wanted to give him a home with her other two chow-mix rescues, but Pennsylvania is a long way from Kansas. Things were looking grim for Shaq until she discovered ARF... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/19/09: 7 Dogs - Augusta, GA to Caldwell, NJ 44 beautiful huskies were seized in a South Carolina puppy mill raid. The dogs were placed temporarily at Animal Rescue in North Augusta, but they had to be relocated quickly due to extremely limited space. Some went to other local rescues and The Golden Hearts Dog Rescue in Ridgewood, NJ was able to take the rest. Now to get them there... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/12/09: 1 Dog - Chillicothe, OH to Selinsgrove, PA Charlie is a precious young border collie who was picked up over a week ago as a stray. He had been badly cut up by a human - right below his neck! Thank God they got him to the vet right away for stitches and treatment. He was giving kisses to the vet and the techs but he needs to get moved to PA as soon as possible... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/12/09: 1 Dog - Daytona, FL to Farmingdale, NY ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

7/6/09: 2 Dogs - Anderson, SC to Columbus, OH Seems these two belonged to missionaries who went off and left them with the parents. The older parents got tired of taking care of them and so they called the missionaries to tell them this. The missionaries said they didn't want them, so "just go ahead and take them to the shelter." The VERY HIGH KILL shelter. Thankfully, God is watching over these dogs...they have a new (and better) place to go now...just need to get there... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

6/28/09: 4 Dogs - Denver, CO to Seattle, WA A breeder in Cabool, MO, decided to close down due to financial reasons. All of this breeder's dogs needed help and needed to get to rescue. Luckily, all the dogs were saved by various rescues. Four boston terriers were saved by a rescue in Washington, if only the dogs could get there. This sounds like a job for ARF... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

6/25/09: 1 Dog - Baltimore, MD to Burlington, VT Sam was purchased as a puppy from someone who deliberately bred the mother to make money off the litter. The person who purchased Sam had him for almost 2 years but was crating him 10 hours a day. Sam's foster mom heard of Sam's situation and took Sam in. Sam had been with her for nearly 6 months with no hope of an adopter. So now Sam is flying with ARF to a rescue in Vermont which will work to find 160 lb Sam a new family... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

6/20/09: 1 Dog - Selinsgrove, PA to Hopedale, MA In early May, Tonka (part Belgian Turvern) was found wandering on a secluded road in Lisbon, OH. After being picked up by the 'dog catcher' in that area, he was taken to the Columbiana County Dog Pound in Lisbon, OH. Even though he was young, friendly and loving, he was scheduled to be euthanized. This is an old, small shelter and they cannot hold animals very long, and Tonka's time would have been up by then. Luckily for Tonka, his picture was see by the right person on Petfinder.com... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

6/20/09: 1 Dog from Nevada, MO to Farmville, VA ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

6/14/09: 3 dogs - Cushing, OK to Wiscasset, ME Hope had been at the shelter for two months in Oklahoma (record time for an Animal Control facility!). She was picked up as a stray with her puppies. Her pups were adopted out but no one showed an interest in Hope. Finally a fabulous home in Maryland was found for her and her family anxiously awaited her. Since ARF was going to fly Hope, why not fill the plane? It was decided that Rex and Lulu would come along, too. These were also picked up as strays. Lulu's unborn babies were aborted unfortunately but we are happy Lulu was saved. All three dogs will head north with ARF, Hope to her forever home in Maryland and Rex and Lulu to a rescue in Maine that will find them a new home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

6/13/09: Mama & pups - Rochester, NY to Indianapolis, IN ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

5/30/09: 1 Dog - West Milford, NJ to Burlington, VT Apollo was an owner surrender. A college student had him, kept him tied up outside and never worked with him. When it was time for the year to wind down, Apollo's owner dropped him off at the shelter. Given his size, age, and breed, being tied up for so long only served against him. He is now 11 months old, and learning..slowly but learning about manners, no jumping, no chomping etc! The shelter did a lot of work with him and saw that he had potential but was a little concerned about placing him... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

5/30/09: 1 Dog - Jasper, GA to West Milford, NJ Opie was hit by a car and had a broken leg and was sitting in the Murray County GA Animal Control in Chatsworth. The shelter was not treating him at all. They sent out a plea that he needed rescue and Last Resort Rescue stepped up. They raised enough money to have him picked up, brought to the vet and have xrays. The vets determined amputation was the best option. Opie stood a better chance of adoption in the northeast and needed transportation... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

5/30/09: One dog from Anderson, SC, to Windham, CT The story of Arias is simple, yet sad. Like so many strays, she was dumped at a shelter in Anderson, SC. Fortunately, an approved adopter wanted a dalmatian pup after seeing Bubbles (another ARF passenger) so Arias had a home waiting for her... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

5/30/09: 2 Dogs - Mooresville, NC to Rochester, NY Betsy and Jazzy were both at York Animal Control. Betsy was likely an owner surrender, but Jazzy's story is unknown. Betsy didn't have anyone step up for her and was due to be put to sleep, but Another Chance Pet Rescue in Rochester came through. Jazzy was on the adoptable floor and the same rescue said that they would take her too. Now they just needed to get there... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

5/19/09: 2 Dogs - Lewisburg, TN to New Richmond, WI ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

5/10/09: The Great Escape II - 26 Dogs - Anderson, SC, to MD/NY/NH In Anderson, SC, is an animal shelter with easily 500 dogs in it on a day-to-day basis. In this economy, not many of these dogs will find local adopters. Fortunately, the women that run the shelter for the city are dedicated to working with rescues and transporters to get as many dogs out of their shelter as possible and on their way to parts of the country where there is not an animal overpopulation problem and where the dogs will more likely find new homes of their own. But there is a huge amount of dogs and many end up on death row...perfectly adoptable...but not able to get out in time. Pets Alive in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains in NY agreed to take 50 "death row dogs" from the Anderson shelter, rehabilitate them and find them new homes. Now 26 lucky dogs will be flying with ARF and the rest will be riding the Freedom Train... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

5/3/09: One dog from Abingdon, VA to Phillipsburg, OH ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/26/09 - 2 dogs from Marion, IN to Philadelphia, PA Thank goodness for rescues like American Bulldog Rescue that are willing to take on old dogs and dogs with characteristics that may make them less attractive to others. These dogs deserve a chance, too. Dot, only 8 months old, is deaf and Ebony was in a crate for most of her life living in her feces and urine. She has a bladder infection, is hypothyroid and is getting treatment at this time... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/25/09: 1 Dog - Baltimore, MD to Chattanooga, TN ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/25/09: One puppy from Jaffrey, NH to New Milford, NJ ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/18/09: 6 Puppies - Anderson, SC to Nashua, NH ... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/16/09: 2 Dogs - Atlanta, GA to Dickson, TN A kind man saw two young pit pups trying to cross a very busy five-lane street in Gwinnett County, in metro Atlanta. One pup had made it across and the other was dodging cars. The man stopped and picked up the one in the street and then got the other one. He had no where to take them, so his landlady said he could put them in a pen in her yard so that became their quite insufficient home for the next few weeks while suitable homes were sought. An offer was received from a bully breed rescue group in TN to take the pups, which was the best opportunity for these little boys to be placed into homes that understand the breed. Many back and forth emails finally made the flight to TN happen... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/09/09: One mama and 6 pups - Rock Hill, SC to Rochester, NY Sierra, aka "Mama" had until 5:00 before being euthanized the day she was pulled. A rescue had committed to take her and her pups based on the picture the shelter sent out. The pic showed at least 3 chocolate lab looking pups, but there was a problem. The pups were not hers and they euthanized another mama and put her pups on Sierra. But Sierra is a wonderful and humble dog. She knows those aren't all her pups, but she nurses them anyway. She will make an awesome pet for someone... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/5/09: 1 Dog - Roanoke VA, to Manchester, NH "Tori" was picked up as a stray by a high kill shelter in rural WV so her history isn't known. The dogs at this shelter do not have much time because they are always full and "Tori's" time was almost up when her foster Mom found her on Petfinder. While trying to find someone to pull her, the shelter informed me that her time was up in 24 hours. Luckily, her temporary foster Mom in VA came forward and picked her up to hold her until transport North to NH. Now she will have the chance to live the life that she has always dreamed of... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/5/09: 1 Dog, 2 Pups - Anderson SC, to Nashua, NH Unfortunately, we don't know much about Godiva and her pups, only that they were found as strays, mama and babies! Godiva at first had 4, but 2 of them were sick and didn't make it. The foster mom was able to nurse the other two back to health, but they needed a permanant home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/4/09: 1 Dog - Mesquite TX, to Washington, MO Chance was found in the bushes of a shopping mall in Texas. Dehydrated and badly emaciated, he was taken to Allison, an ASPCA online community member. Allison does a lot of work online for dogs...many lives have been saved thru her website community. Allison found a great foster home in Missouri for Chance. He is a very sweet puppy who had a rough start in life but things are looking up for him now. ARF will fly him to his new foster home which will give him a second "chance" in life... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

4/4/09: 1 Dog - Indianapolis IN, to Culpepper, VA Dottie is a 3 leg Dalmatian, about 10 years old, who was hit by a car. Thankfully, the couple who hit her took her to the nearest animal hospital and they provided courtesy care to her. Apparently, the nerve damage was severe so the vet chose to amputate. The animal hospital staff tried to locate her owner but no one ever claimed her. A vet technician took her home to rehabilitate and foster, but now Dottie is off to her real forever home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/30/09: 1 Dog - Latrobe PA, to Terre Haute, IN "B.B." was pulled from a Pennsylvania mill. Many dogs have been pulled from this mill by rescue and all are in bad shape. All have had horrendous skin issues and heavy parasite burdens to name a few. B.B. was no different. She was placed into her crate by the miller and it was not discovered until her final destination and foster placement that evening that she was paralyzed. It was very important that she get moved to a medical facility and placement that could manage her special needs. She was lucky enough to have a veterinary medical home waiting to receive her that only does special needs care, but the placement was in Illinois. It's difficult enough to find homes for healthy mill dogs... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/27/09 Medical Emergency: 1 Dog - Groton, CT to Philadelphia, PA Buddy arrived as a stray so his history is not known. The fellow who found him had intended to keep him but could not afford the dog. Buddy was taken to the vet and diagnosed with an untreated, chronic double middle ear infection which has now cost the dog his hearing so Buddy is deaf. Both of his ears and ear flaps are swollen and have a lot of scar tissue. The ears require surgery which a vet estimated at around $1,500. Without the surgery Buddy will have to be euthanized due to the middle ear infection which is extremely painful. Buddy has scraped the crown of his head raw trying to stop the pain. Both ear flap tips are heavily scabbed from violent, long term head shaking. Buddy was put on medications to make him more comfortable and today he's heading to the American Bulldog Rescue with ARF, where he will get the surgery he needs... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/22/09: 1 Dog - Lansing, MI to Gatlinburg, TN Gage had been a puppy mill dog and spent most of his life in a crate. He was turned over to the humane society for unknown reasons and was adopted by a family--for two days--and returned because he had bitten the man in the family. He was about to be euthanized when a rescue worker intervened. When the rescue worker got him home, Cage seemed very afraid but settled in quite well for dog who had such a rough history. It became apparent that his "agression" was really terror. It seemed clear that he had been abused--he would cringe and run if anyone made a loud noise or fast movements--even a sneeze would send him under the table. Gage will probably always be a bit fearful of aggressive or loud people. He learned that lesson in a horrible way, but he is a wonderfully affectionate dog who just needed a chance to learn to trust again and become a beloved pet rather than a money-making breeding machine. Now after months of training and socialization, he's ready to go to his forever home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/21/09 and 3/25/09: 1 Dog - Leonardtown, MD to Nashua, NH In February, a dog named Bodie was pulled from a shelter in Snow Hill, NC. Two weeks later when Bodie was ready to be transported, someone realized there was room for one more puppy on the transport and remembered that there was one last puppy at the shelter. It is a kill shelter so everyone was surprised to find this 10 lb German Shepherd / Pug mix, Dora, still there. Within a couple of weeks, Dora began her adventure northward by ground to Maryland and then by air with ARF. Little Dora had an unexpected delay because of bad weather in New Jersey for three days but stayed with one of our ARF pilots and made lots of new friends. When the weather improved, spunky little "Dora, the explorer" was on her way again with ARF to the Lonestar Pyrs & Paws rescue in New Hampshire... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/21/09: 8 Pups - Newberry, SC to Caldwell, NJ The shelter in Newberry, SC, works hard to move their dogs to safety and it is as urgent as ever as the dog kennels are outside and it is still cold out. ARF helped get them out of the cold and into the warm, loving arms of a rescue that will take care of them until they are old enough to be adopted to a family of their own... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/21/09: 1 Dog - New Iberia, Louisiana to Philadelphia, PA, and 1 Dog - Daytona Beach, FL to Rochester, NY Margie, an American Bulldog seized by St. Martin Parish Animal Control last year in a cruelty investigation. Margie had since been adopted by a "foster" who chained her to a tree and bred her. When she got worms, this "foster" returned Margie, used up and thrown away like a piece of trash, to the shelter. Painfully thin and despite the fact that every human in her life let her down, she was full of wags and wiggles for the ARF pilots flying her to the American Bulldog Rescue... While Sport looks healthy now, this wasn't always the case. Just a few months ago, Sport was emaciated and was infested with hookworms and whipworms. He was living with a backyard breede r who thought that she could earn extra money breeding dogs. After the first litter of the group of six breeding dogs died, she decided that breeding dogs was way too much work. The breeder then put the six dachshunds, including Sport, outside in a 10 foot by 10 foot pen in the middle of the Alabama winter. The temperatures were only hovering in the teens and the dogs were not being properly fed. Luckily, All American Dachshund Rescue succeeded in getting the breeder to surrender all six dogs to rescue and now Sport is heading with ARF to his forever home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/15/09: 1 Dog - Tulsa, OK to Dallas, TX Someone dumped a mother dachshund, Carly, at the Broken Arrow Animal Shelter in Oklahoma knowing she was ready to deliver puppies, probably not realizing the odds for puppies being born in a shelter and surviving are very slim. The Dachshund Rescue of North America (DRNA) pulled Carly and her four newly born puppies out of the shelter a few days after the puppies were born. Luckily, the puppies survived. One of the puppies, Astro, found a forever home in the Northeast...but he was in Tulsa and needed to get on a commercial flight with someone on March 18th out of Dallas. With ARF's help, Astro made that flight and is now happy in his forever home which through good luck is very close to his sister, Lacey, and they have already had a "play day" together... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/14/09: 6 Puppies East Hampton, NY to Morrisville, VT These puppies were strays that were found in Kershaw County, South Carolina. Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons has started a new partnership with this shelter in South Carolina and have been pulling puppies and dogs since September 2008. After a long ground transport from South Carolina to Long Island, the pups enjoy the last leg of their trip to Vermont with an ARF pilot... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/14/09: 1 Dog - Somerset, NJ to Eldon, MO Dogs end up in high kill shelters for a lot of reasons. Gorda's story, however, is sadder than most. She came from a great home but her owner is dying and had to tearfully surrender her. Gorda was on the euthanasia list in New Jersey until she caught a rescuers eye. Now Gorda ("fat girl") is on her way with ARF to the Second Chance Barnyard in Missouri, where she will eventually be placed in a new, loving home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/13/09: 1 Dog - Melbourne, FL to New York, NY The economy has been hitting a lot of families hard and their pets are affected as well. Rusty had a good home but the woman who cared for him had to give him up as she could no longer afford to care for him. It turns out he was not that well-socialized, which made him harder to place. After being placed in a home where teenagers would visit often, he would show his possessiveness of his new owner by barking and growling. He was soon returned to the dachshund rescue, who worked on his socialization skills and on finding him a new home. Finally, a perfect home was found with a young couple with no kids who live on Manhattan. Through a combination of general aviation and commercial aviation, ARF was able to get Rusty to his wonderful new family.... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/7/09: 4 Dogs - Columbia, SC to Glens Falls, NY Luna, a one year old flatcoat retriever was surrendered by her owners because they didn't have enough time for her. Extremely smart and well-behaved, her beautiful black shiny coat and a great personality saved her. Now she is on her way with ARF to a rescue that will find a home for her that does have time for her... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

3/7/09: 2 Dogs - Roanoke, VA to Allentown, PA [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

02/21/09: THE GREAT ESCAPE - 16 "Death Row" dogs - SC to NY In Anderson, SC, is an animal shelter with easily 500 dogs in it on a day-to-day basis. In this economy, not many of these dogs will find local adopters. Fortunately, the women that run the shelter for the city are dedicated to working with rescues and transporters to get as many dogs out of their shelter as possible and on their way to parts of the country where there is not an animal overpopulation problem and where the dogs will more likely find new homes of their own. But there is a huge amount of dogs and many end up on death row...perfectly adoptable...but not able to get out in time. Pets Alive in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains in NY agreed to take 27 "death row dogs" from the Anderson shelter, rehabilitate them and find them new homes. Now 16 lucky dogs will be flying with ARF and the other 11 will be riding the Freedom Train... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

2/15/09: 1 Dog - Murray, KY to Farmingdale, NY There are probably few things in dog's life scarier than having his muzzle bound by tape by inhuman human beings and thrown into the middle of a group of dogs to work them into a frenzy before the prize fight. But such is the life of a "bait dog." Without the ability to protect themselves, bait dogs often don't survive but this 55 lb pit bull survived this horror. Today, called Ribbon because of his ears being torn to shreds, this dog is a bundle of wags and wiggles despite the nightmare he experienced. He captured the hearts of the men of Rescue Ink in New York who will care for him the rest of his life and will make him the mascot of their campaign to put an end to dogfighting. ARF helped get Ribbon from Kentucky to his new home on Long Island, with a cameraman along to video the trip for a new TV series coming out soon... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

2/15/09: 1 Dog - Wonder Lake, IL to Burlington, VT Rita was adopted out by Bullmastiff Rescue when she was just under a year old. Two years later, the Bullmastiff Rescue found out she was given away. The Bullmastiff Rescue has been looking for her since then without any luck. Unbelievably, she showed up with Animal Control last year after having been attacked by another dog. She's been with a foster for 7 months...a 5 year old bullmastiff is not easy to place. Finally, a perfect home has been found for Rita in Vermont...now she just needs to get there... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

02/15/09: 1 Dog - Warsaw, IN to Philadelphia, PA Crystal was in a local shelter which has no adoption regulations for spay/neutering. A member of the local humane society saw her in the shelter and knew what the outcome would be for her if she got into the wrong hands. After spending some time with her, seeing her great personality, just a great little girl, she adopted her and took care of her medical needs. She contacted a rescue to help her find placement for her, and that is how she was accepted by the American Bulldog Rescue in PA. Now she is in a safe rescue, she will never have to worry about being puppy mill material, and can have a great life... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

02/08/09: 1 Dog - Hammond, LA to Lewisburg, TN Duece needed to get to TN so he could get on a transport to his forever home in MA, but the shelter could not find enough volunteers for a ground transport. Time was running out... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

02/08/09: 8 Dogs - GA & SC to NJ & NH Ashes and Jellybean were three days away from being euthanized in a kill shelter in Summerdale, AL. The sender normally specializes in great pyrenees rescue but something about these little faces told her she had to help them. Being a small rescue they didn't have a lot of resources to be able to board and transport extra dogs. Now they're on their way to a new life... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

02/08/09: 1 Dog - Indianapolis, IN to Buffalo, MN Bear was in Indianapolis Animal Control and his name had a cross, which means he was going to be euthanized that day. Christina walked through the kennels, saw him and saw that he was waiting to be euthanized (the workers walk the kennels and take each dog with a cross to the euth room) and got him out and took him home to find a rescue for him. So if it wasn't for her physically being there and getting him out, there was no way he would have made it. There are about 400 dogs in Indy Animal Control right now, so only very few can be saved, but Bear is one of the lucky ones... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

02/07/09: 1 Dog - Zanesville, OH to Laconia, NH Clarissa was picked up by a high kill shelter in Southern OH about a month ago. She was a stray and they aren't sure where she came from. She looks like she was bred several times so they suspect that she was a puppy mill dog used for breeding. She is super sweet but is afraid of everything! She definitely hasn't lived in a house before and most everyday noises inside scare her. Because she is so sweet, one of the shelter workers did her best to keep "Clarissa" from being put to sleep. It wasn't an easy task because they fill up very fast at that shelter and the ones that have been there more then 3 days are the ones that go first... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/31/09: 1 Dog - Huntsville, AL to Olathe, KS Sadie was surrendered by her owner due to a military transfer. While her previous owner fulfills his duty to our country, let's do our duty and help his dog get to her new home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/30/09: 1 Dog - Stuart, FL to Greensboro, NC Cooper was hit by a car. When his owners learned that the medical bills would cost more than euthanization, they chose the latter. Fortunately, not everyone thought like that... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/25/09: 10 Dogs - SC to NJ and CT Magpie ("Maggie") was found sitting in the cold at the gates of the Newberry Animal Shelter last week when the animal control officer came in to start cleaning kennels....she was abandoned in the middle of the night. Biscuit was an owner surrender - a family member had gotten the puppy and realized that their landlord would not allow them to have pets there. Johnny and June, boxer pups, were found sitting at an intersection about a week and a half ago. Someone was driving through and picked them up and delivered them to the shelter so they did not get hit by a car. So many unwanted puppies...but now they are on their way to finding homes of their own... Akira's family didn't care enough about her to have her spayed or even vaccinated. Of course, she became pregnant. The family was living in a rental house and when they moved, they left Akira and her young puppies behind. No one knew she was there until Akira began eating the neighbors trash. Once they saw her they called Animal Control. They only keep animals 3 days before they are gassed. Luckily, a rescue group stepped in to save her and her puppies... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/24-25/09: 3 Dogs - OK/IN to NY/PA When Schmidty and Cameron were puppies, they were acquired by a family whose son was in a bad accident in hopes that the pups would help their son as he went through rehabilitation. Now almost 4 years later, the son has gone to college and the dogs were no longer wanted. A retired nurse in Canada has adopted them. Now they are headed north with ARF to a person who is able to shower them with love, attention and a home they so deserve... Personnel from the Elk County Sheriff's Department were called on March 13, 2008, to investigate a report of livestock running at large in the northern area of the county. But what officers found upon arrival was much more macabre and sad than what they could have expected. Dexter was 8 weeks old when they found him and the county had him boarded in a puppy mill for 8 months until the trial against the hoarders was over. Now he's finally headed home... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/23/09: 1 Dog - Grand Rapids, MI to Jacksonville, FL Maya is a very happy little rat terrier with a medical problem that will require her to be euthanized if she were to stay in Michigan. She has a ectopic ureter. We all think a little leaking urine isn't a good reason for a happy puppy to die. We decided to help transport this little 5 lb bundle of love so she can get the surgery she needs... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/17/09: 2 Dogs - Illinois and Indiana to New York Max is an 8 yr old pug whose owner died in October from cancer. He has been living in his owner's home alone with two cats since her passing. She worked at a vet's office and took Max in when his owners did not want him. This dog has had 4 homes in his lifetime. ARF is taking him to a special rescue that will be Max's final home... OP (Opie) was surrendered to rescue because his family was moving to a new home. They had OP since he was 6 weeks old! The rescue had tried to set up ground transports at least 4 times, and they always had to be cancelled due to legs not filling and or the weather. Today, OP finally made it to his Forever Home with ARF... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/11/09: 2 Dogs - Raleigh, NC to Portland, ME This special little girl we call Mama spent several weeks in a shelter, where she had a litter of pups. Many dogs become stressed in shelters and Mama was no different. Due to her stress level, none of her puppies survived. At risk of euthanization and after developing kennel cough, she was finally pulled from the shelter. Now that she is healthy again, this quiet, loving dog is ready to go to the Lucky Pup Rescue in Maine... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/11/09: 2 Dogs - Knoxville, TN to Philadelphia, PA Reuben has gloucoma and needs his eye removed...pretty painful. The American Bulldog Rescue has agreed to take him as well as his companion, give them medical care and find them new homes... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/09/09: 1 Dog - Youngstown, OH to Lancaster, PA Dominique was a stray that ended up at the shelter. Thanks to Canine Crusaders, she was saved from euthanasia and is now on her way to a rescue that will find her a home of her own... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/08/09: 1 Dog - Georgia to Florida Connie adopted Annie two years ago, but had to leave Texas on short notice last year to start a new job in Florida. She left her dog behind but planned to return to get her as soon as she could. In the meantime, Annie's guardian while Connie was away allowed Annie to run free and she became pregnant. Connie is a certified canine massage therapist and has owned a dog bakery for 6 years. She has played a huge role in shutting down 4 puppy mills in Florida and works very closely with the police department massaging their working dogs. This is a poignant story of reuniting Connie and her beloved Annie... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

01/01/09: 2 Dogs - Ravenna, OH to Bennington, VT Prancer was surrendered by his owner because of severe illness in the family. Akela came in so small and frightened. Both of them are now on their way to Last Chance Rescue where they already have new homes awaiting them... [See the rest of the story and all the photos]

See all the photos from the previous year HERE!