PA Man Rescues Shelter Animals from Being Euthanized

I know I tease a lot on this Blog about my dog Brandee.  But on this blog I want to share a story with you about a couple who work hard to rescue animals.

I found this article about Paul Steklenski and his wife. They founded and operate  Flying Fur Animal Rescue  flyingfuranimalrescue.org.

These folks do a great work. Please check out the article, below, and take a look at their web site.

Paul Steklenski with one of his rescue dogs. Flying Fur Animal Rescue

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An Army vet learned how to fly and bought his own plane so he could rescue hundreds of death row dogs.
Kind-hearted Paul Steklenski, 45, forked out $70,000 for an aircraft which he fills with crates of unloved pups from kill shelters.
The tank operator-turned-IT expert realized he wanted to save animals after adopting a homeless pooch, Tessa, from a rescue center.
At first, Steklenski considered driving to kill shelters and transporting the canines elsewhere by road to help them find owners.
But he knew he would be able to give dozens more abandoned pets new lives if he transported them in another way.

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Steklenski flies his Beechcraft Bonanza around picking up rescue dogs and cats.Flying Fur Animal Rescue

Coincidentally, he started learning how to fly in 2013 as a hobby but realized at the same time that he wanted to rescue animals, so went on to get his licence.
Then in May 2015 he set up Flying Fur Animal Rescue and says he’s single-handedly saved 742 animals since then, many which were neglected or abused.
In February the ex-serviceman of eight years – a specialist who trained troops in Kentucky – even bought his own plane to help with the task.
Steklenski, of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, said: “When I first started flying there were times when I wanted to quit because I didn’t think I could do it, but I kept going back.”
“Once I became certified I thought, ‘What am I going to do now?’”
“A lot of pilots like to fly to restaurants or nice places and that is great, but for me I had to have a different reason to go in the air.”
“Seeing the dogs at the shelter was heartbreaking. It was horrible to think that there were so many animals being euthanized because they’re stuck in a certain area.”

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Flying Fur Animal Rescue

“The further south you go the more there is a pet overpopulation problem. It is distressing.”
“I realized I could help make a difference by going down there, picking them up and taking them to other shelters.”
“The plane is a tool that allows me to do a lot in a day that I couldn’t do with a bus.”
“It’s an extremely emotional job but it’s very rewarding.”
Steklenski, who lives with his wife, fellow IT expert Michelle, 46, takes off a day once a month to fly to shelters, where he picks up some cats as well as dogs.
In order to transport the animals, he ripped up the interior of the five-seater Beechcraft Bonanza and bought a host of pet carriers to place in the back.
The caring pilot, who went on to adopt a second dog himself, Layla, now loads as many dogs and cats as he can squeeze onboard in one go — as many as 23 in one trip.

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Flying Fur Animal Rescue

He flies to North Carolina and takes them to shelters in other states where there’s a better chance they’ll be adopted.
Though it’s a battle finding the funds, Steklenski says that actually making the cross-country trip with dozens of dogs is straightforward.
Steklenski, who does not have children, said: “Once the engine starts up they fall asleep or will stay awake and look out of the windows.”
“It’s always very quiet. I have never had an issue. I have a feeling they know better things are going to happen for them.”

When the dogs arrive at their destination — various shelters around New Jersey and Pennsylvania — Steklenski knows they’re safe.
None of the shelters he delivers to euthanizes animals, unlike those he rescues from.
He added: “It is very rewarding. It’s not only the animal it makes a difference to – that dog or cat is going to be affecting someone new.”

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Flying Fur Animal Rescue

“There have been a few mistreated dogs. One in particular was so badly abused that it couldn’t be around men.”
“Seeing him now is incredible. He has been adopted and is looking so much better.”
Now Steklenski hopes to upgrade his small plane to one with more seats so he can carry more animals.
He said: “It’s extremely emotional, but I will do this for as long as I can afford to.”
“I hope to inspire other people to get involved.”
To find out more about Steklenski’s rescue efforts and donate, visit flyingfuranimalrescue.org.