Flight Helps Dog Return to Non-Profit Group From Toccoa

shelter dog pickupOne lucky dog heads to a new home in style thanks to the help of a volunteer pilot and the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter.

According to Shelter Director Jeff Roberts, Animal Control picked up the dog when it was part of a vehicle accident on April 24.

“We had a dog that we picked up from an automobile accident,” said Roberts. “The dog was not injured. In checking on the microchip, we found the dog was registered to an organization out of Texas that trains dogs for disabled soldiers, so we called them and they wanted to get the animal back so we worked through a “Pilots and Paws” rescue group.”

A pilot from that group landed at the Toccoa-Stephens County Airport on Friday to return the dog to the rescue group in Texas.

Roberts said that the shelter is grateful for the pilot and others like him, who give up their time in order to help this effort.

“It has a significant cost involved with doing this, so without pilots willing to donate time to take these trips, then a lot of times it just would not be able to be done,” said Roberts.

Roberts said it also shows the importance of registering and microchipping animals.

“Without that microchip, we never would have been able to find the rightful owner of the animal and return them home,” said Roberts.

Meanwhile on another note, Roberts said the shelter is looking for foster homes for mother cats and their kittens for short-term fostering.

Anyone interested in that should contact the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter at 706-282-3275.