These short posts give me a chance to amplify positive news of people and planet, and this week’s Feel-Good food is jet fueled. To move our country’s animal shelter system away from a euthanasia model, creative and cooperative efforts are key, and Dr. Peter Rork created a non-profit that illustrates that kind of effort. After the devastating loss of his wife, he called on his remaining sources of love—dogs and aviation—and founded Dog is My Copilot, which has now transported over 32,000 adoptable companion animals at risk of being killed to cooperating shelters across the country.
Highlighting this work is in memory of my brother, also a pilot and a dog aficionado. Dr. Rork's unique organization is headquartered nearby, working closely with local organizations that most often serve as recipients of in-need animals. This month, for Dr. Rork’s 71st birthday, a fundraiser is underway to continue the lifesaving work of this fantastic team of caring pilots. Despite community commitment across the country to increasing the save rates at animal shelters, the last year has seen the numbers trend in the wrong direction. But people want to step up and bring animals home.
Even shelters that won’t euthanize healthy, adoptable animals sometimes need this kind of help. One of our rural shelters recently benefitted from a flight that brought fifty long-term cats to urban Spokane, where they were in high demand. And as Dr. Peter says: every animal saved also makes space for one more to be sheltered and provided another chance for home.
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