Erin Lanahan 
A group of dogs and cats is flying towards a fresh start. A rescue flight landed at the Essex County Airport in New Jersey on January 23rd, 2026, bringing dozens of dogs and cats with it from South Carolina. It’s being led by Pilots To The Rescue volunteers who will bring these adoptable pets to shelters and rescues in New Jersey, and eventually land them in safe homes. Here’s what we know about the rescue flight landing in New Jersey on Friday.
About Pilots To The Rescue
Michael Schneider started his mission helping animals back in 2015. He heard about a litter of puppies that was abandoned and scheduled for euthanasia because there was no space for them at their current shelter. Michael and his friend and fellow pilot jumped into action and flew down to North Carolina, picked up the pups, and flew them back up the East Coast. The dogs were given the help they needed and eventually found loving homes.
Image courtesy of Pilots to the Rescue.
This trip inspired Michael to combine his love of aviation and animal welfare to start Pilots To The Rescue. Over the years, Michael has continued to raise money and grow his network of pilots to continue protecting at-risk animals. He now has a crew of volunteer pilots who fly animals from critical situations to safety, with the goal of saving their lives in mind.
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Pilots To The Rescue has one mission in mind, “to prevent at-risk animals from being euthanized by transporting them via air and ground transportation to give them the best chance at adoption.”
NJ Flight
The rescue flight on Friday, January 23, took off from Georgetown County Airport in Georgetown, South Carolina and arrived in Essex County. 24 dogs and three cats were the guests of honor on board. The flight landed at Essex County Airport in Fairfield, New Jersey.
Image courtesy of Pilots to the Rescue.
Pilots To The Rescue is working with SE Coast SC Rescue Collaboration for this rescue flight. The Collaboration is a social media group that helps regional, overcrowded shelters place animals in rescue groups to help them find safe, loving homes. These dogs and cats from this flight will be placed in animal shelters and rescues in New Jersey.
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