Petmate Partners with Pilots N Paws to Save 300 Dogs

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More than 300 dogs in South Carolina kill shelters were rescued and airlifted during the Pilots N Paws “Big Flyway” on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Petmate helped ensure all transported pets were safe and comfortable on their life-saving trip by providing travel carriers, harnesses, collars and leads.

Multiple rescue organizations, along with Pilots N Paws supporter actress Pam Grier and Prince Lorenzo Borghese, founder of Animal Aid USA, took part in one of the year’s largest single-day air and land animal rescues in the Southeast. The dogs were loaded carefully aboard planes and more than 70 volunteer pilots flew them to rescue organizations in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida with the ultimate goal of finding each dog a forever home.

“The work done by Pilots N Paws and its hundreds of volunteers has saved countless lives and brought joy to those who have welcomed these dogs into their homes,” said Petmate CEO Alice Tillett. “We are incredibly proud to be a part of this wonderful mission that brings people and pets together.”

The dogs stayed in their Petmate travel crates during their extensive journeys that span from Greenville to airports in six destination cities. On arrival, more volunteers picked them up and drove them to no-kill shelters where they are available for adoption. Some pets already had homes waiting for them.

“We could not do this important work on behalf of our four-legged friends without the support of our many volunteers and partners like Petmate, Subaru, Animal Aid USA and Pam Grier, who generously lends her celebrity to help shine a light on our mission,” said Debi Boies, Pilots N Paws founder and president. “The safe transport of the dogs is at the heart of what we do, and the carriers, crates and leads provided by Petmate help ensure they arrive safely, comfortably and ready to find their new families.”