It’s a heartwarming adventure just for older people.
Pet Rescue Pilots (PRP) planned a flight with only senior dogs (dogs age 7 or older) as passengers to mark reaching 125 flights and helping 2,500 shelter pets find forever homes through free plane rides from overcrowded shelters to rescues with room to adopt out animals.
This was done by taking pets from shelters that were too full to adopt out to rescues that had room to adopt out animals.
A press release from a nonprofit in Los Angeles says that on November 5, PRP flew 23 senior dogs from rural shelters in California with less space to Oregon, where rescue groups RSQ209, Oregon Coast Humane Society, Loved Again Pets, and Bichons and Buddies met them and helped them get settled in foster homes or with their new families.
It wasn’t a coincidence that Pet Rescue Pilot’s 2,500th animal passenger was on the charity flight, which took place in November, which is Adopt a Senior Pet Month.
The Grey Muzzle Organization, a nonprofit that helped pay for the flight, and PRP hope that this mission to save lives will encourage people to adopt an older pet.
According to a PRP release, shelter dogs over the age of seven only have a 25% chance of being adopted.
The Grey Muzzle Organization wants to raise this number by giving grants to rescue groups that work to make sure “every old dog thrives and no old dog dies alone and scared.”
Lisa Lunghofer, the executive director of Grey Muzzle, said in a statement, “Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’re happy to help organizations like Pet Rescue Pilots make a difference in the lives of dogs and people in their communities.”
“Thanks to the great work of Pet Rescue Pilots and their rescue network, many senior dogs from shelters in rural California are now living in loving homes where they can spend their golden years.”
When the 23 dogs that went to Oregon on Saturday arrived, they found that PRP’s rescue network had already set up foster homes or forever homes for them.
But there are still a lot of older pets in shelters all over the country who want to find a new home.
Elizabeth Thompson from the Oregon Coast Humane Society says that pet owners should give older dogs and cats a chance, especially since having an older pet has its advantages.
“Senior dogs are usually easier to place because they are more predictable than younger dogs.
And we find that the energy level and personalities of senior shelter pets work well with our own community of senior fosters and adopters “said Thompson.