SMYRNA, Tenn. (WTVF) — One by one they were taken out of a van on the tarmac at Smyrna airport and loaded into small crates, it was just the beginning of a long day of traveling that would saves these dogs lives.
There were ten in total. All taken from rural animal shelters across Middle Tennessee facing overcrowding issues. Had it not been for the volunteers helping these ten puppies on Friday morning, they likely would've been euthanized in the next week.
"Tennessee just has a severe over population issue right now," said Trisha Crowley, President of the group Rural Animal Rescue Effort.
With the help of volunteer pilot Charlie Cato, RARE is now getting rescue dogs to new homes at a much more efficient pace. On this Friday these dogs were being flown to Michigan, a trip that by ground would've taken more than eight hours but in the air Charlie Cato was able to get the dogs to a no kill shelter in just under three hours.
"A lot of the shelters up north have a shortage of dogs. Most of these guys would have been dead within a week if they hadn't gotten out of the shelters here," he added.
All ten puppies were carefully loaded into the back of Charlie's cesna. The unlikely passengers then taxied for takeover and headed north to their new homes.
