These dogs and cats all landed to safety with our partner organizations and found their forever homes! Be sure to scroll over each photo to learn about each of their own stories! We are grateful to help these passengers land in HOMES all over the country!
Polly, formerly “June”, was on a flight from Athens Animal Rescue in Athens, Texas, to Almost Home Foundation, in Illinois, back in August. We then fostered her for a couple of weeks before officially adopting her, on November 11. Her story is very special to us and we wanted to share it with you, because we are not sure how much you get to see/hear the happy ending stories of the animals your organization helps.
On October 18, my husband sent me a picture of a puppy from work. Almost Home Foundation brought some dogs to an employee event where he works. My response was a firm “no”. With my husband trying very hard to convince me we should adopt this dog, I started to do a little “research” and found out that Polly’s Dog Is My Copilot flight up to Illinois was the day after Cosmo died, on August 28. Then we started to talk about what we would name this new dog, if we got her. My husband suggested we both write down our name choices on a piece of paper. He said if they match we are getting the dog. Unbelievably we both wrote down the name “Polly”.
I intended a companion for me and my 75 pound golden/mastiff dog – something bullyish and protective who was an all-wheel drive dog for the mountain trails and snow. Lynette suggested I give Simon a try. Simon appeared to tick exactly NONE of the boxes for “must haves”. Unconvinced, I took him home and realized the moment he hopped into my home and joined the pack that he was a perfect fit. He is bullyish, playful, fearless, a champion cuddler, mischievous , loves any adventure, and is ridiculously cute.
Simon (“Colin”) was rescued in Northern California and received intensive medical treatment for injuries of unknown origins. He had his front left leg amputated and most of his teeth extracted from a crushing jaw injury. He was then flown by DIMC to Polson to heal and start his new life as a very unlikely Montana farm/mountain dog.
Since joining the family he has had further medical intervention subsequent to his trauma but he has also been on 9 camping trips, goes on hiking and snowshoe adventures, (he gets to ride in the backpack), has been kayaking, “works” in my office as a therapeutic aid, has learned to guard our farm and is the perfect addition to our family.
I am eternally grateful for everyone who participated in his rescue and care and for DMC for bringing this little punk all the way to Montana … all the way home.
Gladys is a 3 yo spayed bulldog from Dallas Animal Services. Gladys found herself in an overcapacity shelter with a skin infection. She was adopted but sadly returned a day later so Karen aand Jamie agreed to foster her in Dallas. Gladys won her Golden Ticket on an Austin Pets Alive Hub flight from Austin, TX to Community Animal Relief Effort (CARE) in Skokie, IL. Everyone at CARE fell in love with her upon arrival because she just wanted lots of love and cuddling.
Gladys was adopted by CARE’s Feline Specialist. She lives with 2 other dogs, one being disabled. Her adopter says, “She is very funny and loves babies or stuffed toys. She will play with them for hours. She is very maternal and tried to stimulate some newborn kittens to go potty while I was bottle feeding, very gentle and kind.” She loves Darcys husband Steve . She loves car rides and coming to CARE and she is 100% the mascot.
Happy Adoptaversary, Bonnie aka Bon Bon aka Bonz!
A year ago we dashed to an adoption event to meet this perfect girl who gets along with cats and couldn’t leave without her. And we hit the canine jackpot! She came from Texas, where the shelter she was surrendered to had an adoption rate of 0%. I am so grateful to The Underground Dog and Dog Is My Copilot and Otat PDX who moved her from the shelter to a foster home, flew her to Portland and fostered her once more until we adopted her. It took a village but now she’s home (and currently licking a peanut butter kong).
We adopted Chopper in 2013 after his DIMC flight landed him at the Humane Society of Western Montana. His eye had been removed only days before his flight and was still stitched and badly swollen.
In 2015, DIMC featured another one eyed chihuahua being fostered at Pet Connection Rescue and Sanctuary in Libby, MT. Lohman, named after New Beginnings founder Sharon Lohman, joined the family and quickly settled in. A little less adventurous than Choppy, Lohman is still up for anything as long as Jonna is close by. Lohman’s real passion, however, is cuddling up with Nick and then biting him at the slightest movement.
These two have brought years (and tears) of joy and laughter, and now joined by their sister Jo, continue to flourish under the big sky.
Our dog, Remi (named Doug when he was flown up from Texas) was adopted from Hearts & Bones! Remi is a border collie mix, it was September when he was flown up.
Doug/Remi loves his new home and plays across the street from the biggest park in Brooklyn where he runs off leash every morning. He has a great life, except for Halloween when he had to wear a costume.
I am so grateful to your organization for bringing our buddy to us. He and my son are very best friends and we love him.
Thanks to the help of selfless volunteers who took time to photograph, share and post pictures and videos of these dogs, and spend time with them, we were able to see just what an amazing, good boy Cooper is. How he ever ended up in the shelter is completely beyond us, but we immediately made a plan for a better life for him with the help of his GSD, loving foster family. Dog is My CoPilot and their incredible team dedicated to working with shelters to fly dogs to rescue, brought Cooper north to us so we could find him his forever home and beautiful, new life.
We adopted Piper (now Polaris) and she’s been such a wonderful addition to our family. She’s incredibly affectionate and wants to snuggle all the time, and she really loves belly rubs. She loves going on walks and visiting the urban goats in our neighborhood (though she doesn’t love being toweled off after rainy walks, so we got her a raincoat) and she’s learned several commands since she came home.
She wasn’t initially interested in playing, but she’s started playing fetch and has been slowly playing with other toys, and sometimes with our six year old lab/pit mix, Sirius. We were a bit worried about how she would interact with our 11 year old cat, but she’s a little timid around him and when they do play she does so very gently. She mainly wants to be with her people as much as possible. I work from home and she’s my little shadow, sitting by my desk or following me around when I get up to do something else, and she gets incredibly excited when our teenagers and my husband get home every day.
We’re looking forward to going on hikes with her soon and taking her to the beach for the first time, but mostly we’re looking forward to all the snuggles we’ll have with her in the future. We feel like we hit the jackpot with Polaris.” – Polaris’ mom, Laurel.
We adopted Rio in the late spring/early summer of this year. She had arrived in Idaho after being rescued along with 40 other dogs from Laredo, Texas by the good folks at Dog is my Copilot, Inc. and Freedom Bound Hounds. Rio was being fostered here in Boise, Idaho and had been here approximately two weeks when we found her. She was a little shy when we first got her home and she had a pretty bad case of giardia, which she had contracted while on the streets of Texas, or while in the kennels before you rescued her. After a couple of visits to the vet and a couple of months of medication, she started to put weight on, and her shyness with my wife Cynthia and I rapidly dissipated.
Since then, she has hiked in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas with us, and we couldn’t be happier. She is at our sides wherever we go, and we are so happy to have her in our life.
There are so many dogs that need a good home, and what you are doing is incredible. Please keep up the good work, and thank you from Rio, Cynthia, and myself!
“Oh our Lulu… we can’t imagine life without her! She’s so much fun, and such a love! She’s been the perfect addition to our Family! She has an older sister Roxy, who also was a former LSAR pup (aka Itty Bitty Pitty, 2013). They have become increasingly close and more ‘sisterly’ since we brought Lulu home; Lulu loves her sister, and often likes to be in contact with her, especially during naps and bedtime. Did I mention she’s a cuddle bug?! Lulu also has multiple human siblings, with the youngest being a 3 year old sister, who is just Lulu’s size. Lulu is our spoiled lil house hippo! Her life is full of fun adventures and cuddles. She enjoys road trips and glamping. And while she seems to enjoy walks, she gets tuckered quickly with her short stubby legs, and is alway seeking a soft shady place to relax. We love our Rescues and wouldn’t do it any other way! We wish we could save them all. But we are humbled and honored to have the opportunity to make such a difference in the fur-babes we’ve brought home. Lynette is simply amazing, and a Super Hero in my eyes.
A few fun facts about Quincy:
He loves everything and everyone – this includes any person, dog, animal or child he comes in contact with, He is very patient and sweet with our 1 year old daughter, they are two peas in a pod! He is obsessed with his Cat brother and sister and does not understand their lack of interest in playing. He hops like a bunny when excited and gets impressively high. He is top notch cuddler – if you have an open lap he will fill it!
We feel so lucky Quincy found his way to us and are completely obsessed with this Angel of a pup. We can’t wait to continue fostering with Street Dog once we get this boy trained up.
A million times thank you to Street Dog and Dog is my Copilot – the work you do for Dogs all over the world is truly incredible.
Lucy (Beignet) came from an overcrowded shelter in Oklahoma. She was on the euthanasia list. Dog is My CoPilot flew her to Oregon, and Street Dog Hero took it from there. She went to a wonderful foster home. I happen to be friends with her foster mom (a.k.a. Mamma Lisa). We had seen pictures of Lucy on Lisa’s social media and fell in love. We set up a meet and greet prior to leaving on vacation, and then we picked her up for a three-day trial upon our return. We ended up adopting her.
Lucy is settling in nicely. She’s spunky, witty, and love to entertain us. Lucy loves to cuddle, loves the water, and loves exploring her backyard. She’s a bit spoiled, and she’s loving her new life. Thank you Street Dog Hero for saving our baby girl.
Pumpkin’s journey brought her to Teton County after a breeder in California left her at a large city shelter in Los Angeles. Her life had been limited to repeated breeding, confined to a crate, devoid of outdoor play, leash walks, or the freedom to run. When Pumpkin landed in Jackson with the Animal Adoption Center, her initial skittishness was a testament to her unfamiliarity with the world beyond her previous confines. Now, in her loving forever home, she has blossomed into the dog she was meant to be. Pumpkin revels in outdoor walks, exploring the sprawling five acres of her new home, and embracing the joys of being a “Jackson Dog” – playing, running, and frolicking alongside her newfound furry friends. It’s heartwarming to see Pumpkin’s transformation and witness the difference that can be made when communities work together.
Our sweet, baby girl, Harriet (formerly known as Emma) came to us through One Tail at a Time (OTAT) PDX. She was flown up to Portland from Texas in August because she was anxious and struggling to express her true nature in the shelter.
Now, in her forever home with a confident resident dog, she is thriving. She is curious about everything (especially squirrels!) and loves to get all her smells in on her daily walks! As an adolescent, she is full of energy, but with her puppy training classes, she gets to put that energy into learning new tricks! She is the brightest dog in class and is always being used as the example for the other dogs.
She’s patient and kind towards our nephews and she and our senior dog, Mabel, are obsessed with each other! She’s the biggest snuggle bug and we love her quirky personality! We couldn’t have imagined a better fit for our family! We’re so thankful for DIMC and OTAT PDX for bringing us Harriet!
Kiah, earlier known as Max, through ARK Charities. Kiah was on the July 6th fit to Hartford, CT. Dog is my Copilot was instrumental in making this happen. Kiah was on the euthanasia list along with so many others. The ARK Charities team works tirelessly to save as many dogs as they can based on their funds and fosters. Your organizations free freedom flights makes it possible for them and many other rescues to help that many more helpless animals in so many ways. Ground transport cost are extremely high a very long and stressful on the animals. There are many rescues in the northeast that need your services and I hope and pray that you will continue to keep the NE on your flight schedule. Kiah, her best friend/sister Sadie, rescued 2months earlier, and myself thank you all so very much for your hard work, ear hours, long days and dedication which help to save so many innocent lives. It takes many people to make this happen.
A special dog, Titan, a young cocker spaniel touched our hearts and we want to share his story with you today. Picked up as a stray, emaciated with infected skin, our shelter partners in Southern Texas immediately stepped into action to save his life. Fast forward and Titan boarded “The Sequel” and flew to Polson, Montana where he landed in the arms of his new adopters! His sweet personality still glowed as he joined his new family of three dogs and two kids. He loves being outside, playing tug with his four legged siblings and stealing snacks from his two legged siblings. Seeing Titans miraculous turnaround with the support of our rescue partners inspires us to do more everyday! “We absolutely love our Titan and are so grateful to the entire team who helped bring him home”, said Titan’s family.
Writing to thank you all for our newest family member Marty. His name is a spin off from his former OTAT name Aquamarine. Our family has fostered a handful of OTAT pups and had no idea we would be adopting his little guy! When Aquamarines photo popped up in the intake email we immediately signed up thinking “oh how fun it would be to foster a retriever puppy and find them a home”. Little did we know he would very soon be joining our family permanently. 7 months later Marty spends his days in Portland romping around and digging holes with his older brother Frank in our back yard. He’s graduated from puppy k9 school with flying colors. At night he sleeps by our heads as he’s a big pillow thief. We couldn’t of asked for a better dog, and he fits in great with his k9 siblings. We hope to foster again soon in which Marty can show his fellow Texas rescues the ropes!
Hi there! I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for transporting my best buddy to Seattle from Merced County earlier this year! We are both super happy and when I think about all the wonderful people and organizations that made it possible I just want to cry! I often do shed tears, when I see the posts of you having your plane filled with crates of precious cats and dogs hoping for chance at a home and happiness. Sending you so much love. My cat Tugger is about 9-year-old they estimate and he’s absolutely the greatest!
From Hoot’s mom, Lilly: I’m literally obsessed with her!!! She’s a stage 5 clinger, but in a really cute way, not a separation anxiety way. She does really well in her crate but if i’m home, she is constantly in my space. Her personality has definitely come out now that she’s settled in! She’s very into toys, shoes, and has even tried to run off with some cash! She also likes going for hikes and does really well riding in a backpack when she gets tired. She’s such a fun dog and is going to be such a good college dog!!
Tramp came to Polson Montana in 2017 with his mom and 8 siblings. Flown on Big Dog, came from Sharon. He now lives with his mom Stormy in Billings MT and has the privilege of being an emotional support dog.
Stormy said he loves to go for rides and plays with his little sister, appropriately named Lady. He is always wanting to help his mom with her sewing and, to this day, still loves plane rides!
Norman, a true survivor. Shortly after arriving at Animal Adoption Center in Wyoming, Norman and his brothers tested positive for Parvovirus. Tragically, despite immediate medical intervention, his brothers passed away. But through no small miracle, Norman pulled through, and after six weeks in foster care he is now thriving in his forever home!
I adopted Kota, formerly known as Cuco from Village For Paws Rescue. Here are a few photos of the him with my other heeler mix. And his first real interaction with snow! He does get harnessed on a line outside as he doesn’t have a solid recall outside of a fenced area yet & we live on a busy road. He is absolutely thriving, and is such a cuddle bug! Every night he jumps up on the couch to cuddle and get his belly rubbed.
Pimms journey started when she arrived at a large municipal shelter in Southern Texas. Without rescue transport, dogs that enter this overcrowded shelter do not make it out alive. Our dedicated rescue partners fell in love with Pimms after seeing her photos. Pimms stole our hearts with her big ears, big heart, and spunky personality. After landing in Jackson, Wyoming she joined her forever family living on a farm!
Phoebe was surrendered to the El Paso Animal Services, in El Paso Texas and required immediate medical attention to address a badly injured eye. After receiving veterinary care she boarded “The Big Dog” on a flight up to Montana. Her life changed forever the moment she landed. This is what her mom and dad have to say, “She LOVES to hike and adventure, she even crosses creeks. She was a part of our wedding and she has a grandpa that’s obsessed with her. She was meant to be ours and fit right in the minute we picked her up.”
Shafter is living the ‘Good Life’ in Portland Oregon! This gentle giant stole the hearts of shelter staff and visitors with his big block head, goofy demeanor, and his permanently crossed eyes. Despite his adorable face and kind manner he was amongst the 350+ animals stuck in the El Paso Animal Shelter. After over 200 days of waiting he finally got the “Golden-Ticket” on a rescue flight to our friends and partners, One Tail At A Time PDX in Portland, Oregon. Thanks to a foster family who said yes, he quickly became a foster fail and landed in the perfect home.
Sage was surrendered to one of our partner shelters, the Presidio Animal Shelter in far West Texas in October 2022. That year ended without a single dog or cat being adopted from the Presidio Animal Shelter all year, despite more than 200 intakes. Sage developed significant stress in the shelter and started to show signs of mental decline and related behavioral issues. Despite this, there was hustle to keep a kennel available and dedicated enrichment to make him happier. Sage held on.
Last month thanks to our partners One Tail at a Time PDX (OTAT-PDX) and The Underground Dog he boarded The Big Dog and flew to Portland, Oregon. Away from a no-adoption shelter, a history of neglect, and a lifetime of waiting for ‘The Good Life’. A foster with OTAT-PDX was waiting to welcome him and unload him from The Big Dog.
Hercules’s journey began in Presidio, Texas, a small town on the US-Mexico border. The Presidio Animal Shelter is a six kennel steel shed with no supplies, no budget for veterinary care, no volunteers and no adoptions (just one dog was adopted in the last 24 months). Without the support of other rescues, dogs that enter the shelter don’t make it out alive. At 9 years old, when Hercules was surrendered to the shelter, he had spent his entire life living tied to a chain. Luckily, Hercules caught the eye of Heather Hall with The Underground Dog, a non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving animals from euthanasia. After experiencing Hercules’ openness to love, The Underground Dog pulled him from the shelter and we flew him to Chicago to our no-kill shelter partner, One Tail At A Time. Hercules also holds a special place in our hearts as our 30,000th dog flown to safety!
Waffles was picked up as a stray dog in the small town of Redford, TX. Skinny, unsheltered, and suffering from tick fever, Waffles was wandering in the vast stretch of borderlands that has no animal control. Thankfully, because the Presidio Shelter is supported by a rescue called The Underground Dog, he was able to briefly find safe haven in one of their 6 kennels before finding a foster home and getting the veterinary care that he needed. Waffles was adopted by a lovely couple and immediately embraced everything on offer: the coziest chair in the living room, dog park chase tournaments, skiing adventures, and jaunts around town.
She continues to settle in as the days go on. She’s gotten so much more comfortable here and she absolutely LOVES her brother, Ash. She will sit/stand near him all of the time in the yard, as if protecting him. He warmly welcomed her into his home, and they’ve just been great together.
She’s the funniest girl ever, and loves to be silly and zoom around and do her little shark bites when she’s excited! She gets long walks and lots of loving, and snuggles up in bed with us every night (she simply wasn’t about the crate life. She’s a part of our little family now and we love her so much!
So thankful for Dog is My Copilot for bringing us a very special dog, Beans, from Texas to Jackson. Beans is such a sweetheart and fits right into our family – since adopting him a couple of months ago, he’s learned to swim, complete a 10 mile hike, and when at home loves his naps.
Today, Goose is our adventure buddy, our hiker extraordinaire, the best fetcher, the dog that plays with every dog at the park, and the gentlest giant that we have ever met. We can hardly believe that we get the joy of owning Goose as our dog – all thanks to organizations like the AAC and Dog Is My CoPilot who gave Goose another chance at a life full of love.
I am so lucky to have this guy. He’s curious, sometimes skiddish and cautious to new things, verv loving and quite a goofball when he wants to be. He is right next to me at night in bed. When he settles down his sister and him will sleep next to each other. We have snuggle time every morning and night.
Simone, now Phoebe, was welcomed into our home in 2016. She came to Montana pregnant and soon gave birth to two puppies. She was such a great mom she took on two more puppies that needed a momma. She has gracefully aged the last few years gaining a beautiful gray mask. She has four other adopted siblings and has helped with many fosters adjusting to living a life of love.
Brandy is doing great and has become a full member of the family, adores my other dog Axel and is a true snuggle bug. We LOVE HER!
Quasi has two canine, three kitty cat siblings and wears a sweatshirt all the time. He loves the snow which would’ve been new to him and he is such a big part of our lives. Can’t imagine life without him!
Bitsy, adopted from Thompson River Animal Care Shelter and flown from El Paso to freedom in Montana by you! Bitsy leads the good life these days. Thank you so much!
Yuki came into the Presidio Animal Shelter after the Presidio ACO did a welfare check and picked up 6 dogs who were living in a small backyard enclosure in a home that had 20 or more animals on site. They were dirty, skinny, and terrified. We live a magical life with Yuki. We are so lucky that she was rescued. Not only is her life better, but our lives are better because of her.
Piper (our English Toy Terrier from DIMC), was flown from California to Montana by Peter in 2017. My husband and I adopted her from Humane Society of Western Montana after we got married and she’s been the cutest littlest lover ever! She’s got a grey chin now but she’s still the fastest dog we’ve ever had.
Hello from our Winifred (ie Wini, ie Fred, formerly Tumble). We gladly adopted her after she didn’t work out with her first family in Portland. It’s been nearly 2 years now with Wini and she’s a bundle of joy and energy that we couldn’t live without now. Please follow her on Instagram at: @wini.j.dog.
Skyla has been an absolute joy to our family. She is amazing with people and our toddler. She really likes to play with other polite dogs as well. She couldn’t have found a better family and we couldn’t have asked for a better dog!
Copyright © 2018-2023 Dog Is My CoPilot, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Professional Photos By Laura Verhaeghe.
New Partner Resources | News Room | Privacy Policy