Mission - Quickly Getting Aspen Out of South Carolina
Aspen was an adorable puppy who needed transport out of South Carolina quickly to avoid going back into a shelter.
Mission Details
Flight Hours: 7
Our Out of Pocket Fuel Bill: $500
We responded to a request to transport Aspen from her Foster home in Charleston, South Carolina because Jennifer Beckett, the foster mom was going out of town. Karyn Pirl from Safe and Sound Rescue could not find another foster for Aspen in South Carolina and was afraid Aspen would have to go to a shelter. The problem was the shelters were so overrun in South Carolina because the massive floods they recently had increased their kill rate to higher than normal. So we decided to fly to Charleston, South Carolina and then up the east coast to Delaware to get Aspen headed to a new home.
Little Aspen, was thrown from a moving car at five weeks of age, weighing just four pounds. Karyn from Safe and Sound Rescue found Jennifer in Charleston to foster Aspen who had been taking care of her since she was rescued off the streets.
Aspen had a number of health issues, stemming from being abandoned on the streets and drinking contaminated water from the South Carolina flooding. Some of the issues included a fungal infection on all of her paws and intestinal parasites. The good news is when we picked her up she was healthy again and was heading to New Jersey to Karyn and had many people interested in adopting her.
We were originally scheduled to just go to Charleston, South Carolina to pick her up and bring her back to Raleigh and meet another pilot to take her to Georgetown, Delaware but we couldn't find another pilot so we flew her from Charleston, South Carolina to Georgetown, Delaware.
Kathy Phelan, our inflight volunteer couldn't wait to meet Aspen and cuddle her for the journey.
We left Raleigh, North Carolina early on a bright and chilly late December to fly the nearly two hour leg to Charleston, South Carolina
Once we arrived in Charleston, we met up with Jennifer and her daughter who had Aspen. Aspen was very shy and scared. She was now 12 weeks old and weighed a healthier 17 pounds. The best guess is Aspen is a white Lab/Shepard mix.
We loaded up the humans and Aspen and set off to Georgetown on the nearly three hour leg of out mission.
Aspen was a great passenger. She burrowed in her blanket and slept the entire way next to Kathy who kept her reassured she was safe. It was cold but she stayed nice and warm in her little pink blanket.
We arrived in Delaware tired and hungry but happy that Aspen was going to get the opportunity to go to a loving home. Maybe even before Christmas which was in just a few days. Karyn has had many inquiries about Aspen.
Ron, the next pilot who would take Aspen to Karyn meet us at the plane. He and a friend he met at the airport bundled up Aspen in her pink blanket and took off for her final destination.
When we met Ron and Jennifer we were able to give them donated treats fromPlato Pet Treats and Smiling Dog Coffee as a thank you for the role they played in saving Aspen.
Pam has heard from Karyn, and Aspen is doing well in her new foster home while her adoption is finalized.