FBO Chain Goes to the Dogs
The charity flight transported 22 dogs from overcrowded shelters
At the end of the rescue mission, Modern Aviation's line service technicians at Francis Gabreski Airport in New York's Long Island unloaded cages of dogs headed to local animal welfare organizations for adoption.

FBO chain Modern Aviation sponsored an animal rescue mission last week to transport dogs from overcrowded southern animal shelters to New York, where they will have a better chance of adoption.

The mission was conducted by Pilots to the Rescue, a New York City-based nonprofit organization. “Millions of animals are euthanized simply because shelters don’t have enough space to care for them,” said Michael Schneider, the charity’s founder and head pilot. “By transporting pets to available shelters by air, we put them in position to quickly find new homes and loving families.”

Using a Daher Kodiak 100 utility turboprop single, the group transported 22 dogs from shelters in Louisiana and Mississippi to the east end of Long Island, New York, where Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation and Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons accepted them.

Modern covered the cost of the mission's fuel and provided ground handling at its FBOs at Wilmington International Airport (KILM) in North Carolina and at Francis S. Gabreski Airport (KFOK) in Suffolk County, New York, where the dogs were delivered.

"We are excited to kick off our relationship with Pilots to the Rescue by sponsoring the relocation of shelter dogs in need from shelters in Louisiana to New York,” said Mark Carmen, Modern’s CEO. “We are passionate about supporting animals in need, and Pilots to the Rescue does amazing work relocating them to better living situations."

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