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Become a Partner

Thank you for your interest in our partner program and for all you do for homeless pets. We believe that collaboration with local animal shelters and rescue organizations and the people who know their communities best is key to saving more pet lives! We look forward to meeting you and learning more about your organization!  If you have questions before applying please send an email to: flightupdates@dogcopilot.org.

1

Read the requirements and FAQs below to ensure your organization meets the proper requirements.

2

Fill out our partner application.

3

A representative from Dog Is My CoPilot will contact you to discuss if we can enter into a formal partnership.

Partner Requirements

If you have specific questions about our partner requirements send us an email at: fligthupdates@dogcopilot.org

  • Is a registered 501(c)(3) or is a municipal agency dealing with animal control.
  • Source Partners must be located in:  Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma
  • Have the authority to make transport decisions on behalf of your organization.
  • Have the capacity to work with partner shelters and Dog Is My CoPilot to coordinate animal transport.

Partner Frequently Asked Questions

Who are we?

Dog Is My CoPilot is a non-profit that transports at-risk animals from overcrowded shelters to adoption centers in other geographic regions where loving families are waiting. Peter E. Rork, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and lifelong pilot, co-founded the organization in 2012 with the goal of saving as many animal lives as possible. We work collaboratively with city shelters, local animal welfare organizations and individuals across the nation to coordinate transports. We provide our air services at no cost to the shelters and adoption centers we partner with. Since our inception, we have helped save the lives of over 30,000 dogs and cats with our transport flights.

Do groups get their crates back?

We recirculate crates for source partners. Source partners are expected to have crates for their first flight but will get replacements. Receiving partners are expected to take the crates the animals arrive in at pick up. But replace them with comparable sizes so every time animals are unloaded off the plane, that an equal or greater number of crates, comparable in size to the ones being unloaded, are loaded back on board for the next flight. Replacement crates being loaded on board every single animal drop is the only way this system works.

Do we charge for our services?

NO! If you are a registered partner, we never charge for our services. We believe that the work you are doing is so important and we provide the transport cost at no expense to our partners.

Does it hurt animals’ ears to fly and do they wear ear protection?

The animals we fly are carefully screened by medical professionals and experienced animal rescue workers prior to the flight. They all have medical certificates when they board. Our very competent AROs assure us that the animals we fly are free from any ear ailment that would create pain. While animals who fly frequently in small planes may benefit from ear protection, the animals we rescue will likely take only one private aircraft trip. There is no hearing loss danger from one trip.

What does the pilot eat?

Our partners often ask what to bring for the pilot? Nothing is required, but a bottle of water and a healthy snack is appreciated after a long flight. Almond M&Ms will win you brownie points.

What about the weather?

Our flying motto is, “Be old, not bold,” so we do not fly in bad weather. We ask that AROs be flexible and know that there may be times when we need to move a trip up or back a couple days to avoid dangerous flying conditions. During winter months, trips are modified more often.

690,000 Animals

were euthanized in 2023 and the demand for our life saving transportation services has never been greater.
*data from Shelter Animal Count

500+ Volunteer Hours

Our volunteer pilots each donate 100 hours or more of flying a year, saving over $75,000 every year.

200+ Partners

We partner with source and destination animal shelters and adoption organizations to help save shelter pets.

36,355 Animals Saved

We have flown more than 36,000 animals to safety from coast to coast with our two airplanes.