WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:07.000 So can you tell us your name and title? 00:07.000 --> 00:08.000 Sure. 00:08.000 --> 00:11.000 Do I look over there but stay here? 00:11.000 --> 00:12.000 Yeah. 00:12.000 --> 00:13.000 Okay. 00:13.000 --> 00:15.000 Just plan to take a look at whoever's going to ask them for us. 00:15.000 --> 00:16.000 Okay, sounds good. 00:16.000 --> 00:20.000 So you have to say it again, it's about like first and last name for us. 00:20.000 --> 00:21.000 Okay. 00:21.000 --> 00:22.000 My name is August Slim. 00:22.000 --> 00:24.000 I'm a volunteer pilot with Pilots to the Rescue. 00:24.000 --> 00:27.000 We're here in Madison, Wisconsin today. 00:27.000 --> 00:33.000 We're currently waiting for the Beagles to arrive in ground transportation. 00:33.000 --> 00:38.000 And we have some kennels behind us where they'll be transported over to New Jersey 00:38.000 --> 00:44.000 and meet with some east coast animal rescue organizations. 00:44.000 --> 00:50.000 That way they got malchicare, they got behavioral care, and eventually out to loving homes. 00:50.000 --> 00:52.000 That is today's rescue. 00:52.000 --> 00:57.000 We're here to go ahead and bring seas and floors and busing animals so they can have similar situations. 00:57.000 --> 01:00.000 I see I imagine everyone's different, but... 01:00.000 --> 01:02.000 That's a good question. 01:02.000 --> 01:08.000 So as far as our missions go, we do specialize in getting animals from overcrowded shelters 01:08.000 --> 01:12.000 and making sure they go to shelters that are specifically no kill, 01:12.000 --> 01:14.000 which is very important. 01:14.000 --> 01:16.000 We save them from being euthanized. 01:16.000 --> 01:20.000 The thing that's special about today's mission is that they're coming not from a shelter 01:20.000 --> 01:22.000 but a research facility. 01:22.000 --> 01:28.000 So that being said, this one was sort of an emergency mission. 01:28.000 --> 01:31.000 It wasn't normally something that was on our dock. 01:31.000 --> 01:33.000 It was a surprise to us. 01:33.000 --> 01:35.000 It was really nice. 01:35.000 --> 01:36.000 Yeah, exactly. 01:36.000 --> 01:42.000 And so this obviously has gained national attention to be part of this opportunity. 01:42.000 --> 01:49.000 Being part of Pilots, the rescue means being able to use your pilot's license in service of others. 01:49.000 --> 01:54.000 Making change in the world instead of just using your license to get a cool job, 01:54.000 --> 01:58.000 you actually get to serve not just the animals and give them another chance, 01:58.000 --> 02:03.000 but these animals are going to humans that will love them and it'll help with their depression, 02:03.000 --> 02:05.000 anxiety, grief, whatever they're going through. 02:05.000 --> 02:10.000 So in a way, not only do you help the animals, but people get family members. 02:10.000 --> 02:15.000 When you say this was an emergency, like how short notice was it? 02:15.000 --> 02:19.000 That I can't say because it was really only short notice to me. 02:19.000 --> 02:24.000 So I don't really know the specifics, sorry. 02:24.000 --> 02:25.000 A day? 02:25.000 --> 02:26.000 A day? 02:26.000 --> 02:28.000 A day. 02:28.000 --> 02:33.000 Whereas you normally kind of know what you're going to be doing how far into the future. 02:33.000 --> 02:34.000 Exactly. 02:34.000 --> 02:40.000 So with Pilots and the rescue, we have a great team, one person on our team being a coordinator. 02:40.000 --> 02:44.000 She has a docket of the missions that are upcoming that the pilots can get on, 02:44.000 --> 02:46.000 and I volunteer for. 02:46.000 --> 02:50.000 So this one specifically with the Beagles wasn't on our dock originally, 02:50.000 --> 02:53.000 so that's why we call it an emergency mission. 02:53.000 --> 02:55.000 And how many other missions have you been part of? 02:55.000 --> 02:56.000 I believe four. 02:56.000 --> 02:58.000 Okay. 02:58.000 --> 02:59.000 Four. 02:59.000 --> 03:06.000 What are those emotions like I mean when you guys touch down and you're seeing these animals kind of go to their new beginning? 03:06.000 --> 03:11.000 The first emotion that comes up is definitely gratitude, 03:11.000 --> 03:15.000 but I do want to highlight how different it is seeing it on camera. 03:15.000 --> 03:20.000 It's a different feeling when you actually see their malnourished bodies in person 03:20.000 --> 03:23.000 and their very cute faces in person. 03:23.000 --> 03:28.000 It's definitely a different vibe versus just seeing them through screen for sure. 03:28.000 --> 03:35.000 It's a very emotional thing to be part of, and lots of feelings of hope for them 03:35.000 --> 03:37.000 and excitement for them. 03:37.000 --> 03:42.000 And even though they come looking very sad, we don't really know all of their stories, 03:42.000 --> 03:46.000 but you know what their future is going to look like. 03:46.000 --> 03:49.000 They'll do lots of love, so that's always a good thing. 03:49.000 --> 03:50.000 Yeah. 03:50.000 --> 03:52.000 Lots of money that take you think. 03:52.000 --> 03:58.000 But if we have a tailwind four hours, if we don't, five hours, so pray for us. 03:58.000 --> 04:03.000 Sorry if you already mentioned this, but are these crates the amount of dogs that are going with you 04:03.000 --> 04:07.000 or how many dogs are going with you? 04:07.000 --> 04:08.000 Oh, is this 20? 04:08.000 --> 04:09.000 22? 04:09.000 --> 04:10.000 22? 04:10.000 --> 04:11.000 Oh, right. 04:11.000 --> 04:12.000 Okay. 04:12.000 --> 04:17.000 So, Pilots of the Rescue has air transport and also ground transport. 04:17.000 --> 04:23.000 So, in the air today, we're taking 20 big goals, and then on the ground, it'll be 40. 04:23.000 --> 04:29.000 And why, I guess, fly them instead of all of them being ground transport? 04:29.000 --> 04:37.000 Is there kind of like an urgency to it, or is it just a way of making sure they're getting to where they need to go? 04:37.000 --> 04:45.000 Well, one of the barriers for animals actually finding new homes and preventing them from being euthanized is transportation. 04:45.000 --> 04:52.000 So, having an airplane gives us access to quicker transportation, especially if there's medical care involved. 04:52.000 --> 04:56.000 That's all I've got. 04:56.000 --> 05:01.000 Anything else you want to add? 05:01.000 --> 05:06.000 Yeah, I was immediately trying to say something else along the way. 05:06.000 --> 05:17.000 Have you ever met the families that they go to, or you just deliver them and you don't know kind of where everyone ends up? 05:17.000 --> 05:23.000 Well, Pilots of the Rescue has a relationship with a few different shelters. 05:23.000 --> 05:28.000 It's a good relationship, I would say. So, if we wanted to actually keep up with the animals, we have access to that. 05:28.000 --> 05:36.000 We can't say we know everyone's journey and everyone's story, but I know that just on our mission yesterday, I got the contact of one of the veterinarians, 05:36.000 --> 05:42.000 because I was especially invested in one of the cats that we rescued that had broken legs from getting hit by a car. 05:42.000 --> 05:46.000 And so, I was very connected to this cat for some reason. 05:46.000 --> 05:52.000 So, I asked for the vet's contact, and she's setting the updates as we speak on that cat. 05:52.000 --> 05:54.000 That's a very personal thing for you. 05:54.000 --> 05:57.000 For me, I have a rescue myself, and I love him. 05:57.000 --> 06:03.000 And so, when I see other animals that were in a similar situation, or even worse, they were almost euthanized and started touching. 06:03.000 --> 06:08.000 Make sure that they get a second chance of life instead. 06:08.000 --> 06:10.000 Of course. 06:10.000 --> 06:11.000 Thank you. 06:11.000 --> 06:12.000 Thank you.