This video is a look back — at the lives saved, the friendships formed, and the heart behind every single flight. We poured so much love into it because this milestone belongs to all of us.
Every year, approximately 920,000 homeless pets are euthanized in the United States (390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats), primarily due to a lack of space. Pilots To The Rescue coordinates with rescue and adoption facilities all over the U.S. to find space for dogs and cats who have been abandoned or returned to animal shelters by their previous owners. By transporting pets to available shelters by air, we put them in position to quickly find new homes and loving families.
Connor's Story: From Pain to Purpose
When our freedom flight touched down in New Hampshire, carrying 16 dogs and 9 cats from Georgia, every single animal on board had a story. But few brought tears to our eyes quite like Connor.
Not long before his freedom flight, Connor was a defenseless puppy whose life was nearly shattered in an instant when he was hit by a car.
The impact left him with a severely fractured leg, but the true weight of his ordeal was in the quiet agony that followed. In the days after the accident, Connor endured intense pain and swelling so overwhelming that he couldn't even bring himself to eat.
For a young pup who should have been running and playing, every tiny movement was excruciating. The sheer physical toll left him exhausted, hurting, and fighting just to get through each day.
Yet, even through the darkest hours of his recovery, Connor never lost his spirit. Slowly, as his leg began to mend, Connor’s sweet and resilient nature shone through. Before long, his tail was wagging again, revealing a playful, gentle soul with an undeniable will to live.
Today, Connor is fully healed, happy, and thriving! Best of all, his story has come full circle in the most heartwarming way.
Connor was recently adopted into a loving home where he has found his calling: providing comfort to a wonderful woman with mobility needs—and Connor knows all too well that both compassion and companionship can heal all wounds!
Together, we aren't just saving lives—we're making miracles like Connor’s possible, bringing unconditional love to families who need it most.
Moonpie Can Finally See Hope
Meet Moonpie, a 28lb Poodle mix who was suffering from a painful prison of tangled mats that pulled at every movement, hiding a dog longing for love.
When he was first rescued, Moonpie's continuously growing white curls were overgrown and thick with heavy mats—making him feel hot, itchy, and weighed down. The dense fur covered his face so completely that he was barely able to peek through.
Fortunately, a compassionate groomer stepped in to give him a much-needed makeover.
From underneath a mountain of fur, the sweetest boy emerged. Who knew that Moonpie had such an adorable button nose, sparkling eyes, and a bright smile!
Finally able to move around freely, a confident Moonpie was ready for his new life—and wore a stylish bowtie for the occasion!
He joined 30 other rescue dogs on an incredible 1,660-mile freedom ride from South Carolina to New Jersey, made possible through an incredible network of 8 animal welfare organizations.
From tangled and trapped to liberated and loved, Moonpie got his fresh new start—all thanks to supporters like you!
Right now, another dog is still hidden beneath painful mats, waiting for someone to see their worth. Will you give them the fresh start they deserve?
We hope it moves you as much as it moved us. If it does, please share it with your fellow animal lovers. Help us show the world what compassion can do with wings.
Thank you for believing in us, believing in them, and believing that love can truly go the distance.
π« Here’s to 10 years — and many more to come.
Interview in Prison Greenland in 2024: Why are whales important?
The Bandero conservation Vessel has been seized by the Icelandic Coast Guard in International Waters!
Last night, in International Waters, the Icelandic Coast Guard seized theBandero, removing our conservation vessel from the front lines of Operation 86 after weeks of pursuing Iceland's commercial whaling fleet.
The Bandero was deployed to Iceland as part ofOperation 86, our campaign to oppose Iceland's commercial fin whale hunt conducted by KristjΓ‘n Loftsson's company, Hvalur hf.
Throughout the campaign, the Bandero was closely monitored by the Icelandic Coast Guard. Coast Guard aircraft, helicopters, drones, patrol vessels, and other resources were repeatedly used to track the Bandero's movements whenever it approached Hvalur's whaling vessels.
Our crew was required to report its position to the Coast Guard every hour while continuously broadcasting its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal. In contrast, Hvalur's whaling vessels were permitted to operate without transmitting AIS while actively hunting.
We also believe that the Bandero's reported positions were relayed by the Coast Guard to Hvalur's vessels, enabling them to avoid contact with our ship.
Operation 86 Is Making an Impact
Throughout the season, the Bandero's presence forced KristjΓ‘n Loftsson's fleet to repeatedly abandon hunting grounds and relocate operations.
As of today, approximately 30 fin whales have been killed during Iceland's 2026 commercial whaling season. While every whale lost is a tragedy, the number of whales killed this year remains significantly lower than at the same point in previous seasons, when 62 fin whales had been killed in 2018 and 55 in 2022.
We believe our sustained presence at sea has decreased the operational effectiveness of the whaling fleet throughout the season.
Momentum Is Building
This year's hunt has unfolded amid growing political and public opposition to commercial whaling in Iceland.
The country's newly elected centre-left government has committed to introducing legislation that would end commercial whaling, while a national referendum on European Union accession scheduled for 29 August has further intensified debate over the industry's future.
The hunt proceeded only after a last-minute permit was issued during the transition between governments, a decision that may not have been made under the current administration.
Public attention surrounding Operation 86 also intensified in the weeks leading up to the Bandero's arrival in Iceland's Exclusive Economic Zone. Our nationwide billboard campaign calling for an end to commercial whaling generated significant discussion across Iceland.
Meanwhile, members of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK documented Hvalur's operations from land, gathering evidence that was submitted to the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST). Based on eyewitness observations, video evidence, and other documentation, the Foundation alleged that Hvalur harpooned fin whales outside the legally permitted hunting area and that some whales were struck multiple times before death.
MAST has since confirmed violations during Hvalur's 2026 whaling operations, and the Foundation has submitted additional evidence relating to other whales killed during the season. The results of MAST's follow-up investigation are expected next week.
Armed Coast Guard Boarding the Bandero. This is one of the last photos received from the Bandero. We have since lost communication with the crew.
We Will Not Back Down
The seizure of the Bandero will not stop our commitment to ending Icelandic commercial whaling.
Over the past several weeks, Operation 86 has brought unprecedented international attention to Iceland's whaling industry. From our crew at sea to our team on land, we have challenged the hunt, documented alleged violations, and kept global attention focused on the slaughter of endangered fin whales.
Horrific events called “pig wrestling” and “hog-bagging” exploit young pigs who are abused and tormented for public amusement. They are being planned again for 2026 in Texas and Wyoming. Defenseless pigs are treated like disposable props, enduring repeated attacks and injuries as spectators watch. Urge event organizers and community leaders to end these spectacles of cruelty and brutality.
Pig Wrestling, Teton County Fair — July 18–26, 2026 (WY)
After a six-year hiatus, the Teton County Commissioners voted 3-1 to reinstate pig “wrestling” at the Teton County Fair. Children and women will chase and tackle pigs, then force them into a mud pit or barrel. Opponents of the decision included a veterinarian who called pig “wrestling” outdated and needlessly violent, comparing it to ancient gladiator fights and emphasizing that modern understanding of animal intelligence and suffering should compel society to abandon such cruelty.
While these are the major 2026 events, similar hog-bagging, pig-wrestling, and other forms of animal abuse are planned at county fairs and rodeos nationwide. Please speak out in your community to stop them.
Like all animals, pigs are sensitive and emotionally complex, and they have been shown to be more intelligent than a 3-year-old human child. Yet they are brutalized and mocked for trivial pastimes at rodeos and county fairs before being killed.
It is long past time to end the use of animals for anything, much less for entertainment. Farmed animals endure horrendous abuse and pain in all animal farming, including forced breeding, mutilations, separation from their families, extreme confinement, and slaughter. In addition, countless animals are subjected to further suffering for youth contests, research, and at state and county fairs. They are the most tortured and killed animals on the planet, and each deserves our defense.
Thanks to animal advocates and undercover investigators like Unparalleled Suffering, who witness, document, and speak out against this unconscionable and legal torment of animals, public awareness is growing. More people are recognizing that no tradition, habit, or profit justifies harming any animal.
These events terrorize pigs, some barely a month old, as they are chased, slammed to the ground, yanked by tails, legs, and ears, and dragged across arenas, as they scream and desperately try to escape. Witnesses have reported seeing pigs denied food and water, and often with bloody wounds or limping. After these brutal assaults, like all farmed animals, they are later forced into the hell of a slaughterhouse. Multiple events occurred in 2023, 2024, and 2025, with more now scheduled for 2026.
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
