Welcome to Wings of Rescue
Wings of Rescue is a donation-supported 501(c)3 public charity that flies abandoned, homeless and at-risk pets from overcrowded shelters and disaster areas to shelters with available space without displacing any locally sheltered pets. The result is that great pets in need of loving homes are brought to welcoming locations where families are eagerly waiting to adopt them. At Wings of Rescue we strive to transport pets to their new homes safely, quickly and with as little stress as possible.
In times of natural disaster we often use our in-bound planes to deliver humanitarian and veterinarian aid, pet supplies and shelter materials, thereby making the most efficient use of each of our flights.
From our unique perspective traveling across North America we know that spay-and-neuter programs are key to reducing the number of unwanted pets flooding municipal shelters. For this reason we sponsor spay/neuter programs to make a difference.
Our core philosophies are that all pets deserve a healthy and loving home and that responsible pet ownership enriches lives and builds stronger and more compassionate communities.
We don’t always have a rainbow to send off our flights, but we do always have a pot of gold at the end
of each mission as our precious cargo of pets reaches their new homes and the hope of better lives ahead.
As wildfires ravaged Canada and Hurricane season began in the United States, Wings of Rescue has already responded in meaningful ways to save pets, and is working closely with both national and international rescue groups and disaster-responce agencies to help where we can and when we can. One of our first efforts was partnering with Veterinarians Without Borders Canada to rescue pets needing evacuation from the town of Yellowknife, the capitol of The Great Northern Territories. Then just a week later, we were in the air with two flights responding to Hurricane Idalia, sponsored by Petco Love and Bobs by Skechers.
Between our two flights, we were able to empty out a number of shelters so they could focus on the desperate need created by the storms as lost and injured pets jammed local facilities.
Pilots Kale and Anji getting ready to take off from Jacksonville,Florida with a planeload of pets in the wake of Hurricane Idalia.
We are standing by at the ready for what is predicted to be a severe hurricane season. With planes, pilots and personnel stationed around the country, we can be in the air on a moment’s notice and headed out to save pets.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
Beginning immediately, for every pet that Wings of Rescue transports, we will provide funds to spay or neuter another one.
Operation Pit Stop is Making a Difference.
Look for Events Soon in Louisiana and Texas!
Here’s a public-service video about Operation Pit Stop from NHL hockey superstar Victor Hedman, who plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning and who believes in properly spaying or neutering your pets. Thanks Victor, and we look forward to seeing your hot moves out there on the ice!
OVER 2,400 BULLY BREED DOGS HAVE BEEN ALTERED!
These pictures from the Operation Pit Stop just completed in Tulsa, are just an indication of the incredible vets, shelter staff and volunteers that make Operation Pit Stop such a success. Our thanks go out to every one at our shelter partners who put in the extra time and effort to do these surgeries and make a huge dent in the dog overpopulation problem.
WHY WE ARE DOING THIS
Because pit bulls have such large litters (sometimes up to 12 puppies), and because they are a difficult breed to adopt out, thousands of pit bull puppies and adults are euthanized in shelters each year, and many languish in cages, unwanted and unloved. We want to stop that tradegy and eliminate unplanned and unwanted puppies from ever happening in the first place.
So if you are a pit bull owner, we encourage you to do the kind thing for the breed you love, and get your dog spayed or neutered. We’ll even do it for free, and provide updated vaccinations, too, based on location and availability. Plus, all participants will receive free dog food courtesy of Chewy.
We are working closely with local shelters to make it easy for bull-breed owners to take advantage of these free services. Check back soon for more information and links to your local provider if they aren’t here already!
Save the Dates and visit operationpitstop.org for More Information!
LOUISIANA: Four Parishes in December and January
FT. WORTH: November and December 2023
MIAMI-DADE: October, November and December 2023
KAUAI: Coming soon to Hawaii!
GAINESVILE, FLORIDA: Coming Soon!
NASSAU THE BAHAMAS: Coming in January 2024
We know pit bull owners love their pets. And sometimes that love leads to a decision to breed those pets or to leave males “intact” and females vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies. Doing this isn’t showing love for your pet, it’s putting each puppy at risk for a hard life. Many of the pit bulls that show up at local shelters started out being wanted and the result of good intentions. But invariably it is difficult to find homes for pit bull puppies and many people who agree to take them end up surrendering them later. Regardless of how they end up in a shelter, once they do, life is very uncertain and many end up euthanized.
Here's a Great Chart from Our Friends at
IndyHumane on Why It Is a Good Idea
to Spay or Neuter ALL Pets!
Do the Right Thing and Alter Your Pet!
Our Merchandise Store is Now Open
Show your support for Wings of Rescue and help us save more pets. We have been adding new items frequently, so check back often! We appreciate your support.
Where We're Going and Where We've Been in 2023
Arrivals
Departures
Click on Each Year to See Our Past Flight Schedules
We Fly All Over North America Saving Pets and Delivering Veterinarian and Humanitarian Aid
Thanks to our extensive network of planes and pilots, we have the ability to fly on short notice to rescue and transport helpless pets out of overcrowded shelters and from disaster areas. We also have the ability to respond to natural disasters, such as hurricanes in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas, tornados in Alabama, floods in Tulsa and Nebraska, earthquakes in Haiti and Puerto Rico, and a volcano in St. Vincent. On these missions we deliver urgently needed veterinarian and humanitarian relief aid and supplies on our in-bound flights.
Our Flights Help Shelters Reunite Families with Pets Lost or Displaced During Emergency Situations
When Conditions Require that Pets Need Help, it Often Means the Human Community Does Too
While the mission at Wings of Rescue is to primarily help pets in need, during times of natural disasters we work very hard to deliver relief for the human community as well by loading our incoming planes with whatever supplies will do the most immediate good. It is our mission to help alleviate suffering and make the world a better place with each of our flights. In addition to supplies for pets, we have delivered human medicine, food, water, blankets, a complete field hospital and just about anything a community facing challenges needs. Our versatile fleet and experienced pilots go where we’re needed.
Pet Safety is Our Highest Priority
We fly only pressurized and temperature-controlled aircraft suitable for safe long-distance and high-altitude journeys. We have worked with other national pet welfare organizations and veterinarians to develop strict transportation protocols that both we, as well as our shelter partners, must follow in order to keep our pet passengers safe and comfortable while on the ground and in the air. Our highly experienced pilots and Wings of Rescue crew members are extensively trained on the intricacies of handling pets, safe and efficient loading, and how to handle emergencies should they come up. Additionally, all pets meet strict medical requirements and carry with them any medical, behavior or other records available.
Why Our Services Are Needed so Badly
A great deal of success in reducing unwanted pet populations has been achieved in recent years thanks in great measure to the implementation of successful spay-and-neuter programs, comprehensive behavior training, and low-cost vaccination clinics. The availability of educational resources has also proliferated, which helps give people the skills they need to successfully retain their pets and not discard them in shelters. Yet sadly in many areas, especially those that have been hard hit by economic and housing challenges, pet overpopulation and high euthanasia rates remain an issue. Irresponsible backyard breeding also contributes to the pet-population problem. This means that local shelters, which are already often underfunded, end up with far more pets than their staff and facilities can care for.
So that’s where we can help. Wings of Rescue partners with outstanding animal shelters and a number of prominent rescue groups throughout North America to facilitate the transportation of at-risk pets. These partners not only have the available space to take in and care for our at-risk passengers, but also have dedicated staff and volunteers who work in their local communities finding responsible and loving individuals and families to adopt each and every rescue.
Wings of Rescue will never transport pets to communities where locally sheltered animals would be displaced by our arriving pets.
Wings of Rescue often responds to tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters by delivering emergency humanitarian and veterinary aid, and pet supplies, to disaster victims and pets throughout North America by making use of the space on its incoming flights sent to rescue at-risk shelter pets in the afflicted areas.
