Tag: Pilots N Paws

Allowing Dogs on Doorless NYC Helicopter Tours Is a Truly Terrible Idea

 

Last year, five passengers taking a FlyNYON tour over New York City were killed when the helicopter they were riding in crashed into the East River.

FlyNYON, which is facing lawsuits and federal investigations over that accident, is still in business. It offers “doors-off” flights so that passengers can dangle their feet and legs 1,000 feet above the ground for super awesome, super Instagrammable photo opportunities.

Now FlyNYON is apparently trying to drum up more business by allowing dogs on its sightseeing helicopter flights.

This is a terrible idea for at least a couple of reasons. One is that the helicopter doesn’t have doors, so it seems like it could be possible for an extremely stressed-out dog to squirm out of their harness and owner’s lap, and jump out. Why would that dog be so stressed out? Because of the loud noise and the fact that the dog is 1,000 up in the air in a doorless helicopter. Frankly, I’d be terrified, too.

FlyNYON is “flying dogs high above New York, offering thrill-seekers the chance to dangle their feet — and now their pet — above city buildings, bridges, waters and more,” Sen. Chuck Schumer said at a news conference today, NBC New York reports.

Schumer, Sen. Bob Menendez, the Humane Society of the United States and PETA are all urging FlyNYON to stop these dangerous flights. Schumer also called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to look into a “loophole allowing doors-off [flights] to remain operational in the first place.”

It’s extremely disappointing that FlyNYON has what it calls a “special partnership” with the nonprofit Pilots N Paws. Volunteer pilots with this organization provide transportation for animals so they can be rescued and adopted. How on earth could they be on board with the awful idea of allowing pet dogs on doors-off helicopter flights? There are much safer and more humane ways to raise funds.

A FlyNYON spokesperson insisted in a statement that the company is “fully compliant with all FAA operating and safety standards.”

But, as Schumer said, to allow dogs on its flights “is a sheer jaw-drop.” He said the same company involved in last year’s fatal crash is now “strapping in dogs for people to snap pictures of while the animals all but dangle high above New York skies, experiencing the sound of the rotors and who knows what other cruel things.”

The dog-friendly flights are “cruel and inhumane,” according to Brian Shapiro, New York state director for the Humane Society of the United States.

The FlyNYON spokesperson invited Senators Schumer and Menendez  to come to the company’s New Jersey office “and discuss this very important matter.” Hopefully the senators will do just that and convince flyNYON why it’s very important not to allow dogs on their helicopter tours.

Photo: FlyNYON/YouTube screen grab

Dog Being Flown to Shelter Falls from Plane During Takeoff

A rescued mother dog named Nala and her five puppies were on their way from Kentucky to a second chance at a shelter in Canada yesterday morning when tragedy struck.

As the plane, piloted by Rameio Gonzales, a volunteer with the non-profit organization Pilots N Paws, took off from Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, a door in the cargo hold opened. Nala fell out and landed on a road, dying instantly.

The woman who arranged the flight told WKYT that a bandana Nala was wearing may have gotten caught in the door, causing it to open.

Gonzales returned to Bluegrass Airport. At first, two of the puppies were thought to have also fallen from the plane, but they were found safe inside. All five puppies are now back at their foster home in Lexington.

Pilots N Paws, founded in 2008, has safely flown more than 75,000 homeless dogs and other animals to shelters where they have a better chance of being adopted, thanks to private pilots who volunteer their time.

Last month its executive director, Kate Quinn, told the Associated Press that more than 5,000 pilots flew over 15,000 dogs to new homes each of the past two years.

Gonzales was donating his time and plane to transport Nala and her puppies, and was paying all the expenses.

“I really feel terrible because there were some people that trust me with their puppies, and I just don’t know what happened,” he told WLEX.

Gonzales identified the rescue organization as “Pilots for Paws.” As of Saturday morning, Pilots N Paws has not released a statement about the incident.

Photo via Twitter

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