Small Town News

Pilots 'n Paws flies battered pup two hours for emergency surgery

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Bigbee Humane Society secured another emergency flight for an injured puppy Thursday, Oct. 29.

It's the organization's second flight this year, and it saved the life of a young dog now called Winifred.

On that day, BHS volunteers received a call from a lady who said she witnessed a poor six-month-old puppy being punched in the face and then thrown from a man's truck on Rosenbush Road near Demopolis. No other details were given by the caller.

At first, the volunteers were hopeful that a fairly simple procedure would heal the puppy in no time, but they quickly realized it wasn't going to be that simple.

Winnie, as the puppy was named, was hit with such force that all of her teeth on the right side were knocked out, and she needed a specialist immediately.

BHS volunteers say they did not know how they were going to be able to finance the rescue, so they began their typical emergency plea on Thursday night, calling for help from other rescues. Several people worked together and found a facility willing to take "Winnie" and provide the emergency surgery she needed.

The next step in her recovery journey was a 450-mile trek north as quickly as possible to receive treatment, and this was made possible when a supporting rescuer reached out to Pilots N Paws on behalf of Bigbee Humane Society and Winnie.

Pilots N Paws is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to assist those who rescue, shelter, or foster animals, by matching them with volunteer pilots and plane owners willing to assist with the transportation of animals.

Albert Lehman of Pilots N Paws spent his Friday flying to Demopolis to pick up Winnie and transport her on the two-hour flight to her overnight foster in Savannah, Ga.

Winnie's plate and screws surgery to restore its jaw was a success, but volunteers at Bigbee Humane Society say that this cannot be the end of the story for Winnie and that she deserves justice for the pain inflicted on her. They encourage anyone with information on Winnie's abuse to report it to local authorities.

To learn more about how to adopt a pet from Bigbee Humane Society or to support the organization, find them on Facebook or email bigbeehumane@gmail.com. The shelter is located on Jackson Street, where visitors can meet the dogs available for adoption by appointment.



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