When Debi Boies founded Pilots N Paws back in 2008, she had no idea she’d one day be on Forbes Magazine’s 50 Over 50 List of Outstanding Women for 2024.
She’s under the “Impact” category, joining the likes of well-known basketball coach Dawn Staley, Melinda French Gates, and Valerie Jarrett, who served as an advisor to President Barack Obama.
“I was very surprised when I was notified about the Forbes honor,” Boies said. “I’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of nice awards over the years, including the Non Pilot Volunteer Award presented by Air Care Alliance and the National Business Aviation Association.”
But Boies didn’t start Pilots N Paws for the awards. Like so many things in life, she saw a need and fulfilled it.
She needed to find transport for an abused Doberman, Brock, from Florida to her home in Landrum, South Carolina. Her friend, pilot Jon Wehrenberg, responded to her request for a rescue flight. That’s when they realized that animals need transport to safe havens and decided to launch Pilots N Paws.
In 2024, Pilots N Paws volunteer pilots transported about 16,000 animals to new homes, according to Boies.
“Along with flying animals in need, PNP pilots always contribute greatly during times of disaster by flying in necessary supplies and flying out animals from shelters where they had already been waiting for adoption,” she added.
The pilots who volunteer for Pilots N Paws primarily fly dogs, cats, and other domestic animals. But they don’t just stop there.
“Our pilots have also flown various wildlife, such as a burned baby bear cub, an injured eagle, foxes from a fur farm, and even a baby dolphin,” she said, adding service animals and retired military working dogs have also been transported by the pilots.
Trevin Blair of Elgin, S.C., is one of the thousands of volunteer aviators donating rescue flights to Pilots N Paws. Blair, an Army National Guard medevac helicopter pilot with two overseas deployments on active Army duty, has flown eight missions for the organization so far.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “I wish more pilots would get involved. Being able to fly and save an animal’s life is something that I would like to continue during my flying career.”
He reassures other pilots that his “passengers” are very good fliers.
“I haven’t had any problems and most of the dogs go to sleep right after takeoff and sleep through the flight,” he said.
About 6,000 volunteer pilots are registered with the organization, but they are always looking for additional help.
Pilots N Paws provides an online meeting point where individuals can donate, request a transport, or sign up to become a volunteer pilot. According to Kate Quinn, executive director, all arrangements between the volunteer pilots and the rescue agency are up to the pilot.
“No one schedules your transports without your consent or pressures you in any way,” she said. “The pilots have total control over who they reply to and the choice of days, times, number of animals, distance, weather, etc.”
All the information you need to know about becoming a volunteer pilot is on the website, according to Boies, who notes that all the necessary items to transport the animals, such as crates, collars, and leashes, are provided to the pilot.
She adds that because Pilots N Paws is a non-profit charitable organization, pilots can claim portions of their flight expenses as a tax deduction.
But pilots don’t volunteer for the tax breaks.
“The pilots often state that they are rewarded by how much joy they are bringing to other people,” Quinn said. “They are basically widening the field of where adoptions can take place, along with saving a life.”
According to Boies, her eventual goal is for Pilots N Paws to no longer be needed.
“I want to educate people to be more responsible for their pets,” she said “There are not many completely solvable problems, but this is one of them.”
One of the first steps is to spay or neuter your pets, she said.
“Volunteering with your local shelters and becoming a foster is greatly needed,” she added. “We can all do our part.”
For more information: PilotsNPaws.org
