Pilots and Paws - bunnies?

Badger

Badger

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Badger
A week or two I ago I received a request for transport for 2 bunnies from California to Oshkosh.

now I have a big heart and I love animals, but this transport seems like a huge undertaking for 2 rabbits. Can't they find a new home closer? Maybe I'm just cold.


Any opinions?
 
Two bunnies? Nobody transports two bunnies unless they are a really valuable/rare variety.
 
Tell the person you won't do the trip, but you'll adopt them yourself. I can recommend a really good recipe.

abattoir-rabbit-with-escarole-and-turnips.jpg
 
Is this one of those fancy math problems....an airplane leaves California on Monday with two bunnies. It arrives on Oshkosh on Wednesday. How many bunnies are onboard?
 
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I'd gladly transport two bunnies anywhere.
 
I do PnP missions but recognize that many of the folks involved go far beyond being merely animal lovers. For example, I am a "cat person" but when I see a mission to transport an injured or dying or disabled feline (without it being related to a forever home), I have to wonder, with all the cats and kittens being destroyed daily, why this one?
 
midlifeflyer said:
I do PnP missions but recognize that many of the folks involved go far beyond being merely animal lovers. For example, I am a "cat person" but when I see a mission to transport an injured or dying or disabled feline (without it being related to a forever home), I have to wonder, with all the cats and kittens being destroyed daily, why this one?
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You ever see MiB?
 
Most of my PnP flights are between established rescue groups, one in NC, one in PA. I rarely fly less than five dogs, and have flown as many as 13 in one trip. I'm of the opinion of getting the most bang for the buck. Some of these "long-shot" flights might be fine for someone making that trip anyway, but I would question the wisdom of flying one dog, coast-to-coast, when that same amount of fuel could move quick a few dogs up the eastern seaboard to good homes. There are a ton of PnP requests that I ignore because they're just not practical.

But, hey, if I were going from Ca to Wi and had some free space, why not?
 
Badger said:
A week or two I ago I received a request for transport for 2 bunnies from California to Oshkosh.

now I have a big heart and I love animals, but this transport seems like a huge undertaking for 2 rabbits. Can't they find a new home closer? Maybe I'm just cold.


Any opinions?
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Why would you see a difference between dogs and bunnies in this aspect? Seems the same to me.:dunno:
 
Henning said:
Why would you see a difference between dogs and bunnies in this aspect? Seems the same to me.:dunno:
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you're right. In many aspects they are the same. Loved household pets. Hamsters too.
 
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Is there a similar organisation on the ground, "Drivers and Dogs" or something? Light aircraft seems by far the least cost efficient way to move household pets - not to mention the oddness of flying animals coast to coast rather than settling them with homes nearby!

I have done a couple of PnP flights, and it was a good experience. Still seems thoroughly inefficient though!
 
I don't think there's a lot of people that enjoy driving enough to look for excuses to do it. Maybe motorcycles, but I don't see people moving pets in those :goofy:
 
I think the efficiency is in tax deductability. Are you only allowed to deduct the direct cost of the flights, or are you also allowed a percentage of your maint. Can you deduct an 'inclusive' hourly figure similar to rental cost?
 
Henning said:
I think the efficiency is in tax deductability. Are you only allowed to deduct the direct cost of the flights, or are you also allowed a percentage of your maint. Can you deduct an 'inclusive' hourly figure similar to rental cost?
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If you own, just your direct operating expenses. Fuel, oil, ramp fees, etc.

If you pay hourly, whatever you paid.
 
I too prefer to fly with the more organized and experienced rescues. Makes doing this much simpler.
 
Why not hit up long haul truck drivers for pet transport?
 
bartmc said:
Personality goes a long way. Being viewed as a food source doesn't help either.
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Rabbits have lots of personality, dogs are viewed as a food source to more people on the planet than not.
 
ClimbnSink said:
Why not hit up long haul truck drivers for pet transport?
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The advantage of planes is they are generally quicker than moving by ground. Every few hours they need to be walked, fed watered, etc. not real practical for OTR drivers.
 
Brad Z said:
The advantage of planes is they are generally quicker than moving by ground. Every few hours they need to be walked, fed watered, etc. not real practical for OTR drivers.
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Actually it works out, lots of drivers have pets with them.
 
Katamarino said:
Is there a similar organisation on the ground, "Drivers and Dogs" or something?
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Sure, it's a whole cottage industry. Volunteer and for-profit.

If transporting dogs in the most cost effective manner was the objective, , 2-3 volunteers in something like this:

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http://www.roaddogstransport.com/services.html

....or a couple of sprinter vans with AC would be the most cost effective tool.

Dog rescue flights are about the flying.
 
One could extend the same argument to Angel Flight. The world is overpopulated and there are plenty cheaper (and safer, per the stats) ways to transport sick people.

Those who participate in any charitable work do so because they feel it is important. In many cases, local homes can't be found. For many it comes down to falling in love with a particular dog/cat/bunny.

Obviously I go for bang for the buck given the kinds of transports I do. I think that makes the most sense, and it's how I think the long haul flights are actually pretty cost effective if the plane is loaded up. Are there more cost effective ways? Sure, but I also have limits on the amount of time I can devote, so this is what I do.

Would I transport 2 bunnies? Nope, but I also won't transport 2 dogs. 50 bunnies is more like it.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
One could extend the same argument to Angel Flight. The world is overpopulated and there are plenty cheaper (and safer, per the stats) ways to transport sick people.

Those who participate in any charitable work do so because they feel it is important. In many cases, local homes can't be found. For many it comes down to falling in love with a particular dog/cat/bunny.

Obviously I go for bang for the buck given the kinds of transports I do. I think that makes the most sense, and it's how I think the long haul flights are actually pretty cost effective if the plane is loaded up. Are there more cost effective ways? Sure, but I also have limits on the amount of time I can devote, so this is what I do.

Would I transport 2 bunnies? Nope, but I also won't transport 2 dogs. 50 bunnies is more like it.
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If you have 2 bunnies, you can make 50 fairly fast.
 
bartmc said:
If you have 2 bunnies, you can make 50 fairly fast.
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All animals must be spayed or neutered. :)

I got my bunny neutered when I had him. He was hopping around afterwards with a definite expression of "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!?!"
 
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