Dog Is My Copilot Rescue Tales of Flying Dogs, Second Chances, and the Hero Who Might Live Next Door

by Regan, Patrick

• ISBN13: 9781449407605
• ISBN10: 1449407609
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-06-19
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Summary

;These dogs knowthey absolutely knowthat they're being rescued. When they're pulled from a shelter and put on a plane, their whole attitude changes. It's like they sense that everything is going to be okay. ; --volunteer rescue pilot, Sam Taylor As a decorated helicopter pilot, Sam Taylor flew Search and Rescue missions during the Vietnam War. Today, his rescue work is closer to homeand extremely close to his heart. Taylor is one of roughly 2,000 private pilots who volunteer their time and their planes to fly abused, neglected, and homeless dogs from ;high-kill ; animal shelters to new ;forever ; homes across the country. Dog Is My Copilottells the story of Pilots N Paws, a high-flying animal rescue operation founded ;accidentally ; in 2008 when a private pilot offered to fly a mission of mercy to save an abused dog for a friend. Once on the ground, the pilot asked his friend if there was a big need to transport shelter animals from one part of the country to another. She responded, ;You have no idea. ; Since that time Pilots N Paws has grown to include thousands of pilots who have transported tens of thousand of ;death-row dogs ; (and a fair amount of cats and other animals), sometimes more than 1,000 miles away to new homes or no-kill shelters where they have a much higher chance of adoption ;People ask, ;Why would you spend $500 of your hard-earned money to fly a single dog?' My answer: ;It means a lot to that particular dog, and it's not just about the animalsit's about all the people who are also affected by his/her transport.' ; --Pilots N Paws pilot, Brett Grooms The true heart of Dog Is My Copilotare the 24 real-life rescue stories collected from pilots and their animal rescue counterparts on the ground. The short, captivating stories are accompanied by over 100 charming, poignant, color photosmost taken by the pilots themselvesof their canine passengers in flight.  Unexpected things can happen when dogs reach cruising altitude, and the stories in Dog Is My Copilotrun the emotional range from hilarious to heart-rendingbut the endings are always happy. These dogs are the lucky ones, and most of the pilots will tell you that when they get on the plane, they know it. After all, waiting for them on the ground hundreds of miles away is a second-chance at a happy life with a loving forever family. Dog Is My Copilotit's Chicken Soup for the Soulmeets Marley and Me&with just a dash of The Right Stuff.A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Pilots N Paws organization.

Author Biography

Patrick Regan lives in the middle of flyover country with his wife and children and their mostly good dog, Pearl (rescued, naturally). As often as possible, he accompanies his pilot friend, Sam Taylor, on animal rescue flights.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
A Dream of Flight	p. 1
Liftoff … and Navigation	p. 9
Flight Tales	p. 23
Cassidy Rides Again	p. 24
Home at Last, Home for Good	p. 28
Appetite for Aviation	p. 32
Angel Gets Her Wings	p. 34
Mojo and Mom	p. 38
A Sweet Southern Girl	p. 41
Pups on Approach	p. 46
A Pilot's Pilot	p. 49
Boxer, Undefeated	p. 53
Runt Triumphant	p. 58
Up in the Air with Uncle Jim	p. 62
Pilot Sam Gets a Few Pointers	p. 65
Hell on Wheels	p. 70
Preston	p. 76
Phoenix Rising	p. 78
A Moving Story	p. 84
All Species Airways	p. 86
Honorable Discharge	p. 89
Ernie's Journey	p. 92
Chance Encounter	p. 96
Dorie's Story	p. 98
The Round-Tripper	p. 104
Out of Mew Orleans	p. 108
Saving Christmas	p. 114
Learning to Fly	p. 118
Afterword	p. 129
Appendix	p. 133
How You Can Help	p. 135
Photo Credits	p. 136
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