With around 5 million pets entering shelters in the US each year, and almost 10% of those being euthanized,¹ it is clear that the dilemma of stray, abandoned, and unwanted dogs will not disappear anytime soon. However, the good news is that over recent years, those figures have started to decline, and there are several likely reasons for this positive trend. Improved education surrounding issues of responsible pet ownership, the importance of spaying and neutering to prevent unwanted litters, and the “adopt don’t shop” movement have undoubtedly helped to bring these statistics down, but there is one aspect that you may not have considered: location.
Some parts of the United States have much higher numbers of stray animals, which not only puts their animal rescues under enormous pressure but also makes rehoming much more difficult.
What if we could move animals from these areas into places that have more shelter space, foster carers, and pet parents searching for their perfect new family member? Well, that’s exactly what Michael Schneider, founder and top dog at Pilots to the Rescue, wanted to find out.
From Puppies to Planes
Michael’s journey started in 2015 with a litter of puppies that had been abandoned in a ditch in rural North Carolina. At the time, he was the owner of a corporate events business, but helping animals and flying planes were his real passions. When he heard that the puppies were going to be put to sleep because there was no room in any nearby animal shelters, he didn’t hesitate to jump in his plane and fly down to collect the poor abandoned pups and bring them to a facility on the east coast of New York where they could be looked after until they were strong enough to go to their forever homes. This mission opened his eyes to the enormous problem of overcrowded animal shelters across the country, and what he could do about it. And so, Pilots to the Rescue was born.
It began with one man and his plane, flying animals from areas and situations of high risk to places where they have a chance at a better future. Over the next few years, the charity grew, and in 2021, when Covid sounded the death knell to his events business, Michael decided to take the leap, turn his passion project into a full-time career, and has never looked back.
“I was almost forced, really, to do this full-time because I had no choice. I had to put food on the table with my family, but it was significantly less money,” he says, but considers himself extremely fortunate compared with many people who are working jobs they don’t find fulfilling.
“Nobody goes into a nonprofit to make lots of money. But in terms of fulfillment, it’s off the charts. Fulfillment is better than making money. It really is. I mean, it’s never enough money; I have four kids, and I live in Brooklyn, so it’s never enough money. But being excited about what you do and waking up every day and feeling fulfillment, and making a difference is extremely rewarding.”
Onwards and Upwards
Having celebrated their 10th anniversary last year, Michael is proud of what the charity has achieved, but is even more excited about what is yet to come.
“We’ve rescued over 6,000 animals, but last year alone we did over 1,000 of those rescues - so we’re really accelerating.”
