ATTENTION RESCUES! READ NOW!

[admin]

This is very important and will help the pilots who check this board help you.

You absolutely must have the city, state and zip code of the sending and receiving locations in the SUBJECT line of your post. If you simply say, "Puppy needs help now" or "Need assistance Immediately", this does not let any of us know where you are when we are scanning the list. For example, if you have an animal who needs to go from Greer, SC to Akron, Ohio this is how your subject line should read:

Greer, SC (29650) to Akron, Ohio (44313)

Then put the rest of the information regarding animals who need the transport, their size, weight, condition, health certificate, rabies tag, email and phone contact numbers, etc. in your message.

We all have limited time and we need to make the best use of this board in order to help as many animals as we can. So please, read the guidelines on how to post before making your requests. We want you all to have the best opportunity to find a pilot who is along your route to help you!!

Also, please be courteous and monitor your request to see if pilots are replying and if so, keep them updated! This is extremely important. Pilots are generously volunteering their time and resources to those of us in rescue and at the very least we need to check the requests DAILY to see if a pilot has replied and if so, update them on the status of the animal in need.

I have been going through the board and seeing pilot offers with no response from the requesting party. If you ask for help then please please follow through. If you participate in this board, it is your responsiblity to keep communication going so that other animals will be helped if your request is no longer needed. It could literally be a life or death situation for an animal if a pilot has committed to your transport, thinking you will reply only to find that they missed helping another animal because you did not let them know the animal was adopted, went by ground transport, etc.

WHEN YOUR REQUEST FOR TRANSPORT HAS BEEN FULFILLED, OR YOU ARE CANCELING IT FOR WHATEVER REASON, PLEASE UPDATE YOUR SUBJECT LINE WITH THE WORD 'DONE' SO THAT WE CAN MOVE IT OFF THE ACTIVE BOARD. Just log in, open your post, click on "edit" upper right of post and when finished hit submit.

We are also going to list a new section called "Older Requests" where we will be moving any posts that have not been updated or replied for 30 days. If you reply to your own post, it will keep it on the active board.

Thank you all very much for your cooperation. It takes all of us to make this work!

Debi
Admin

[admin]

rescues, please read my message on the Animals Needing Transport board......it is entitled:

ATTENTION RESCUES! READ NOW!

This means please read before posting your request and please edit the subject line of your request if you have already made one!

To edit, simply open your very first message to the board asking for transport. Click on edit to in the upper right hand side of the message. Make your changes and hit submit. Easy!

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping all these fukids!

Debi

[Jon]

Let me reinforce what Debi has said from my perspective as a pilot.

We pilots cannot possibly meet every request for transports. When I do a transport I try to make it worth while by filling the plane as much as possible. That helps reduce the cost to me on a per animal basis, but more importantly I get to help save significantly more animals.

I have limited time, just like everybody here. When I am seeking a transport request that is on my route, or even a little off the primary route I look only at the headings. Those of you with the best of intentions are losing opportunities to get a response unless the heading is as Debi describes above. I do not read the body of any post, NONE, unless the heading has a beginning and end point. I do not have time to read every post and I must scan them.

In addition to those seeking transports who fail to put the beginning and end point in the heading, I also will not read any posts that put a specific date in the heading. I am very sorry that animals are euthanized and I do my utmost to carry as many to safety as I can. I have carried 180 so far and about 70 just this year so I can't feel guilty if I do not look at posts with firm dates. My reasons are simple. A transport is not a single rescue or person event. The date may be critical to one person (or animal), but the receiving rescue, the pilot, and any other rescues who share in my planeloads of pups all have to agree on times and dates. It is too difficult to set up specific dates on short notice or no notice. On more than one occasion I have had to juggle transport dates due to weather, illness of the pups, or a variety of other reasons.

As long as I am being blunt, we pilots have limitations. Few of us are going to do a transport that requires an intermediate fuel stop. Once I get loaded, the next stop is the destination and delivery of my passengers to the receiving rescue. There may be a few pilots willing to stop halfway for fuel, but they are going to be rare. With that in mind rescues who post should recognize that the typical general aviation plane (and pilot) is likely to fly no more than four hours. Most a lot less. Four hours is a long time to be flying. I would suggest limiting transports to legs of 300 to 400 miles in a straight line. Use a ruler on a map to estimate that range.

The rescue should then treat that distance as a transport. At the end of that transport there should be a shelter or rescue or foster who is willing to care for the animals until the next leg can be done. If the pilots involved want to do all the legs in one day, that is fine, but to assure the legs will be done, break it up. That takes pressure off pilots to do legs when the weather is worse than expected, or to push on if there is a problem with the plane.

We want this bulletin board to be a great transport resource and if you follow the advice here there will be greater success. Thanks.

BTW, If nobody has thanked you rescues and shelters and fosters lately, let me personally thank you. You live with animal rescue 24/7 and make a huge contribution to saving animals.
Debi and I want to save as many animals as possible, and although our advice here may seem rigid, it is not. It recognizes that the best way to get attention for a transport is to be specific in the heading about locations, and eliminate conditions (like dates) that show zero flexibility. We all have schedules and limited time. Both these issues impact them in their own way.

[lindad]

Thanks Jon for all that you do to help those in need.
Linda (lindad)
lk2004@cox.net

[Amelia]

Wonderful advice, Jon and Debi- I want to pass on or reiterate a few requests to rescuers, mostly things our sender and receiver had already thought of, that I found extremely helpful in my first experience transporting a dog. Please feel free to edit/rewrite as necessary.

*I second Jon's plea to put start and end points in the original post. Remember that there are lots of towns with the same names so I'd suggest using City/State/Airport designator pairs. Cleveland/OH/BKL to Philadelphia/PA/PNE , for example.

*Be willing to be flexible for both dates and airports. If, for example, BigCity Airport is charging 6 bucks a gallon for avgas, plus landing fees, would you be willing to meet your flight at nearby Podunk Regional Airport, where gas is just under $4? It may take you 20 miles out of your way, but many of us are cutting things pretty close to the line to fly at all, these days, and a dollar or two a gallon makes a substantial difference when you're buying the stuff 50 or 60 gallons at a time. As for dates, flexibility is vital. I may look out the window and see nothing but fog the day you insist your doggy must fly. Sorrrrrry. Ain't gonna happen, at least until the weather improves.

*In your initial post, put the animal's size, weight, condition, and anything else a pilot will need to know. The animal WILL be crated or have a harness, right, for his own safety, and mine? And he will be freshly washed, walked, not fed the day of the flight, treated for fleas, and so forth? Any chance you have a clean blanket to put on the airplane seat, if the animal isn't to be crated? The nice dog we transported last weekend was squeaky clean, had a sturdy comfortable harness, and came with a nice big blanket that was comfortingly familiar to him, and covered our upholstery just fine. The thoughtfulness and professionalism was very much appreciated, especially as we hadn't planned on the furry passenger and weren't prepared ourselves.

*Handy websites: Want to know where your volunteer pilot's flight is? You can track it by entering the airplanes ID number, N3558H, for example, in the appropriate blank on http://www.flightaware.com, and it will show you where the aircraft is, and when and where it's expected to land, so you'll know fairly precisely when to meet your flight. You can also check out airports and fuel prices at http://www.airnav.com, so you'll already have an idea of what airports are convenient to you and your volunteer pilot.

* How do I say this without sounding grumpy and mean? It just happened again, and I gotta say: If you're sending me a PM with a request, um... could you please be reasonable? I understand that you're anxious to get your rescued critter to her new home. But please think about it beforehand and glance at a map. Understand, please, it's just too much to ask that I drop everything, take off work, plan a 1400-mile trip right now, and spend a very, very long day in a little airplane tomorrow, battling summer thunderstorms, with one scared, unhappy, possibly airsick stray cat for company. And it makes me feel bad to say "No." Check it out: a trip of 200 or 300 miles, sure. That makes a fun afternoon of it for a good cause. And the 1000-mile trip is possible, too, but probably only if I'm already going that far anyway. Break your trip into do-able segments, post them on the need-a-ride board, and see what happens.

[pilotmike]

In an effort to "be good" in posting requests, some posters are perhaps being too good. I notice an increasing number of posts specifying precise airports, eg "KABC to KXYZ". However, keep in mind there are many thousands of airports in the US, the codes for most of which are not known to us by memory. Thus, I can't tell at a glance if "KABC to KXYZ" is anywhere near me (unless those are major, well-known airports), and I won't open the message to find out. It's easier, and more effective, to say "Aardvark, AL to Kazoo, KS" -- we'll work out with you the airports if the trip seems plausible.

Pilotmike

[MuttsMom]

"Aardvark, AL

LOL I'm in AL and haven't heard of that one. I love the names you used as examples and either though I'm not a pilot, I totally agree. There are a lot of municipal airports in city's that a lot of people wouldn't know about unless they had a need to know. I always let the pilots pick which airport works best for them as well and the day in time. We in rescue need to make it convenient for the pilots, and when and wherever is best for them, we make it work. Ya'll are not only giving of your time, but it's not an inexpensive contribution ya'll make to the world of rescue!!

[glacier]

I agree with Muttsmom. I always leave it up to the pilot, the day, time and which airport works best for him. I also always tell the rescuers, that the pilot's schedule comes first, not ours; it is up to us to make it work for the best needs of the pilot and weather permitting, and remind them that this is "huge" what they are doing and that we are very grateful to have their assistance. I also give some ideas on the "just in case" items to have on hand for the pilot and drivers. When I do a driving transport, I am always well prepared for the unexpected. To name a few, I have extra collars and leashes, a Sporn Halter,towels, paper towels, Minute Groom Waterless Bath, a water bowl and water and some treats (which I limit), Bach Flower Rescue Remedy (a few drops in the mouth takes the edge off a nervous animal (and people too) and is harmless, a soft crate (depending on the animal size). And of course, a camera, for photos on each end. I love seeing the photos and they can also be posted on PNP. And, don't forget the paperwork and any toys that come with the animal.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in animal rescue and saving the lives of these deserving creatures that love unconditionally. I always find that those that are given a second chance at life and to know love, good food, the touch of a gentle hand and a warm bed for the very first time in their lives are so very grateful. They all love unconditionally, but rescued animals just seem to know just how lucky they are. It doesn't matter if you play a small part or a huge part in rescue; together it saves lives, makes for some amazing rescues and is so rewarding. Be proud of yourselves and give all of the animals in your life and those you transport a great big hug and tell them they "are safe and they are loved". Thank You All Everywhere!

Lynn in the Sun Valley area, of Idaho
Dakota's House Rescue (in memory of Dakota, a perfectly healthy 3yr old Samoyed boy that the Cheyenne, Wy.
shelter put down on me, when they knew I was driving 14 hours to adopt him and on the
day I was driving to get him. I will never get over their taking away his life and chance to have a wonderful life with me)
Dakota will be loved and in my heart forever. glacierandkodak@yahoo.com
dakotashouserescue@yahoo.com

[maxie]

I'd like to thanks administrator debi, jon and all who have responded to this thread. Am trying desperately to get involved in this program. Have responded to only 2 requests for transport so far. The first wasn't even acknowledged, the second, after two email prompts told me she'd call and update me on a transport for the next day. Which of course she did not. Said she was busy with her rescues. I suppose so busy she didn't have two minutes (she had my phone no.) to give a heads up on this for planning. As far as I know the transport still hasn't been done. It's very difficult to make plans in this environment. Do I pull the passenger's seat out of the plane and get gassed up and keep check the weather or do I plan on doing something different with my weekend, like volunteering at my local shelter? This is very frustrating. If you have no intention of following through then please don't post the request in the first place. I belong to another group who believes that you cannot waste time on those who demonstrate that they don't want help because while you're wasting your time on them, one who genuinely needs your help could die. People Please, we must pay attention to detail! Thanks for listening to my rant.

[admin]

I'd like to thanks administrator debi, jon and all who have responded to this thread. Am trying desperately to get involved in this program. Have responded to only 2 requests for transport so far. The first wasn't even acknowledged, the second, after two email prompts told me she'd call and update me on a transport for the next day. Which of course she did not. Said she was busy with her rescues. I suppose so busy she didn't have two minutes (she had my phone no.) to give a heads up on this for planning. As far as I know the transport still hasn't been done. It's very difficult to make plans in this environment. Do I pull the passenger's seat out of the plane and get gassed up and keep check the weather or do I plan on doing something different with my weekend, like volunteering at my local shelter? This is very frustrating. If you have no intention of following through then please don't post the request in the first place. I belong to another group who believes that you cannot waste time on those who demonstrate that they don't want help because while you're wasting your time on them, one who genuinely needs your help could die. People Please, we must pay attention to detail! Thanks for listening to my rant.

maxie, I understand your frustration and have begged the folks who make a transport request to please be considerate and update their posts. With such a large number of members here, people truly need to be responsible for keeping the lines of communication open. I strongly believe that if no one replies to your response, then try one more time in case the email, voicemail, etc. got lost along the way. If you do not receive a reply after the second attempt, move along. There are too many other animals and rescues out there who need your help and appreciate your assistance. Once you find that "good fit" you will likely have repeat flights working with those same dedicated volunteers. Something else to consider if letting your local shelter know that you can help in this manner. Maybe they have a relationship with other shelters or rescues either bringing in or sending out animals. Thank you for hanging in here and feel free to post constructive rants any time!