Published: September 15, 2009 06:34 pm      

A New Leash on Life

Two shelter dogs find second chance in Colorado

Choco, a Labrador Retriever from BARC, The Humane Society got a first-class, free flight to Colorado Springs, Colo. Sunday morning where he was picked up and taken to the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter to be put up for adoption. The flight was courtesy of pilot Steve Birch and his wife out of Dallas Love Field.

Choco and his little traveling companion, a young terrier mix named Sandman, were residents of the Palestine animal shelter which has too many animals and too few people adopting them. A majority of the animals at the local shelter end up being euthanized.

The two dogs are among about 5,000 animals that small plane pilots are expecting to fly this week from shelters with high-euthanasia rates, mostly in the South, to shelters that have the time and space to give them a chance at life with new families.

The pilots providing the free flights are part of a network of animal lovers called Pilots N Paws, which have been flying pets across the country for about a year.

Choco and Sandman are the first of five dogs to be transferred from BARC to the Teller County shelter. Next weekend Annie and Mr. Brown, two Shepherd mixes, and a Boston terrier mix named Brinks will travel to Colorado Springs. They will be piloted by Darren and Martha O’Rourke out of the McKinney airport.

“It is our pleasure to do this,” Darren O’Rourke said. “My wife and I love animals. She has volunteered for Operation Kindness in the past. I also love flying — this allows us to marry together two great passions.”

TCRAS Director Mary Steinbeiser said that when she heard of the efforts of the non-profit Pilots N Paws, she wanted to reach out and help at least a few dogs from a region of the country that has a big pet overpopulation problem.

“We have our hands full caring for and finding new homes for the relinquished and stray pets of Teller County, of course. But we do have empty runs, and we want to do our part to help the nationwide effort to reduce the euthanasia rate, which stands at about 5 or 6 million pets a year,” Steinbeiser said.

BARC board member Pam Smith said when Sharon Peters, a columnist for USA Today and a volunteer at TCRAS, contacted her about this project she was thrilled.

“Our shelter is absolutely full right now, every dog run is occupied. Adoptions are down this time of year because people have back to school on their minds. I just jumped at the chance to save these five dogs,” Smith said.

“Dr. Karen Stone of Southwest Hills Veterinary Clinic kindly volunteered her time to come out to BARC and give the dogs their pre-flight health inspection and rabies shot.”

Finding homes for large adult dogs can be particularly hard at any shelter, including BARC, but since Teller County residents like large dogs TCRAS agreed to take three or four large ones. Choco fit the bill, tipping the scales at 70 pounds. He is a 11/2-year-old happy, enthusiastic dog with little training. Colorado Springs dog trainer Carrie Nordlund has volunteered to provide basic training to the dog without charge to the shelter.

Choco and Sandman’s arrival in Colorado was a happy one.

“My husband, Lynn and I were still on our way home from Dallas when we got the call that the dogs made it to Colorado. To stretch our legs, we had stopped at a Wal-Mart,” Smith said.

“Sharon called to say the trainer was there to meet Choco and she was so excited to get started with him. Sandman got out of his crate and immediately jumped into the arms of one of the airport crew men, then proceeded to greet everyone there in the same fashion. Everyone one was in tears, including me, standing in a Wal-Mart, 860 miles away.”