An Aussie takes flight
Planes, trains and automobiles for one very deserving pup
The Sacramento SPCA sends hundreds of dogs and cats to rescue groups each year, but not every story is as exciting as Joe’s.
Snapshots of Joe at the Sacramento SPCA
When a one-year-old Australian cattle dog mix was surrendered to our shelter due to excessive barking, it soon became evident that he was not only deaf, but also extremely nervous and in need of just the right home. Knowing that he couldn’t go to just any household, Sacramento SPCA Foster Care Coordinator, Lizz Westphal began contacting rescue groups to try to find this lively boy a place where he could find comfort and stability.
Not long after conversations began with the Angel Dogs Foundation, located in Southern California, our energetic Aussie Joe, had a brand new life in the making. In just days he would not only switch zip codes, but he would also get a once in a dog’s life chance to see the world from a whole new perspective.
It’s not every day that a dog is flown from Sacramento to Delano, Calif., let alone in a private plane! Leaving Sacramento Executive Airport, Joe was as playful as ever and gave escorts a good laugh with his silly antics.
Joe and his new pal (and pilot) Brian have a little meet and greet
Joe was transported by Pilots N Paws, a non-profit organization of volunteers and plane owners with the goal of helping to transport rescue animals.
While in flight, Joe managed to squirm and wiggle his way out of his nylon enclosure (as a crate wouldn’t fit in the plane) and Sue Clark, a representative from the Angel Dogs Foundation, had to do everything in her power to keep Joe from crawling into the pilot’s lap.
“It was a priceless Kodak moment and I would have taken a photo, but I was too busy holding on for dear life to make sure he wasn’t going to kick off the auto pilot,” says Clark.
Friends at first sight
Eventually, after a safe landing, Joe was introduced to the rest of the Angel Dogs Foundation crew and settled in nicely. Joe will soon be introduced to an experienced family that has been in contact with the foundation and has been on the lookout for a dog just like him.
Joe is one of the many rescue success stories that will come out of the great relationship the Sacramento SPCA has with rescue groups. Not all will be as adventurous, but they all deserve a mention, as it truly takes a village to find dogs like Joe that well-deserved second chance!
