UPDATE: I am currently not accepting requests to assist in the transport of dogs going to rescues I do not already work with. I have also scaled back my area of focus greatly and no longer do transports out of the Southeast (AL, TN, GA, NC) nor do I do transport to the Northeast/New England area. I’ve decided to focus more of my time on the dogs in my rescue.  Please see below for other options.

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There are several types of transports available. Here is a quick breakdown of the various resources available.

1.  Rescue relay.  This is the all-volunteer, leg-to-leg transport that you will see posted on this blog. No one involved with these transports receives payment of any kind. It is much like a relay race, except instead of passing a baton, the drivers are passing dogs. They can be as long or as short as needed. My transports are nation-wide. I have moved dogs from GA to CA, FL to VT, TX to IL, and a lot of places in between. The only section of the country I have not yet transported through is the Northwest: OR, WA, ID, WY, etc.  Other transport coordinators can be found by visiting RoadsofHope.org.

2. Truck drivers. These are long-haul truckers who drive 18-wheelers, semi’s, tractor-trailers, whatever you want to call them. They can typically only take a small number of dogs with them at a time (1 or 2), and there are generally size restrictions as the driver must be able to lift them in and out of the cab at each stop. The dogs ride in the CAB, they are not packed up in the cargo section of trailer. It’s just as if the driver had a personal dog along for the ride.

These transports are great when they fall into place, but it does take some flexibility. The truckers have their route and they can not deviate from it in order to pick up or drop off a dog. Someone on the sending end must meet the driver at the closest truck stop (they can’t drive down residential streets) at whatever hour of the day or night the driver happens to come through. On the receiving end, someone else must be able to meet the driver wherever is convenient for him, and at whatever time he is available.

These transports are great for a couple of reasons. First, when transporting east/west across the country, it is very difficult to find drivers willing to cross the desert in the southwest part of the country (AZ & NM). Second, it allows the dog to stay with one person for a substantial portion of the journey. It is ideal for a dog that might be injured or otherwise need special handling for which a rescue relay is not conducive.

Dogs are required to have their shots UTD, have a current rabies certificate, and a current health certificate/CVI. Truckers are subject to many inspections along their routes and all paperwork must be in order or the dog will be confiscated and the driver fined. In addition, the dogs are required to be CLEAN – freshly bathed and flea-free. The dogs are travelling in the cab of the truck, essentially the driver’s home away from home, and they do not want to have to sterilize it after a transport.

There are a few truckers who I’ve worked with in the past and can contact directly when needed. Otherwise I recommend contacting Operation Roger at http://www.operationroger.rescuegroups.org/

3.  Private pilot.  There are now several organizations who keep track of transports and try to match up volunteer pilots with routes. As with truckers, the number of dogs is limited; the planes are small and only have so much room in the backseats. One pilot can usually fly about 4 hours each way.

Dogs are required to have their shots UTD, have a current rabies certificate, and a current health certificate/CVI.  Due to the inability to open a window, please make sure dogs are freshly cleaned.  It is also very important that the dogs do not eat the morning of a flight, as some do get sick in planes. Again, there is no way for the pilot to crack a window and air the cabin out, so we want to avoid this whenever possible.

I recommend Pilots N Paws (http://www.pilotsnpaws.org/) or Animal Rescue Flights/ARF (http://www.animalrescueflights.org/).

4. Paid services. There are people who load up a van on the weekends, charge $100-125 per head, and drive dogs from shelters to rescues. Most often I hear of these going from the Southeast to the Northeast, but there are some services who are willing to drive wherever you need a dog to go.

My personal opinion about these services is that they are NOT recommended under ANY circumstances. The drivers charge money so they can offset the cost of renting the van, buying gas, and whatever supplies they need on the road. Some will also rent a hotel room for a night or two during the transport. Any money they get over and above their expenses is money in their pockets. What does this mean? It means they have a vested interest in collecting as much money as possible and keeping their expenses as low as possible. This is a recipe for disaster.

It is not uncommon for there to be 30 – 50 dogs crammed into a van. At those numbers, air can not properly circulate around the crates that are piled on top of each other as high as the roof and wall-to-wall. Illnesses spread this way. Dogs suffocate this way. It is impossible to unload and reload that many dogs at regular intervals along the transport. The dogs are not given potty breaks, and are frequently not fed nor provided fresh water during the entire trip. Dogs become overheated and die.

I am sure there is probably one good service out there, but I haven’t met them yet.