Brief by Central Staff
Pets – January 2004 – Colorado Central Magazine
Private pilots need to spend time in the air to maintain their proficiency, and there are times when animals need to be transported. Those two needs are combined in Sky Ark, a non-profit organization based in Buena Vista.
The organization arranges free air transportation of injured or sick animals, as well as animals in crowded shelters which might stand a better chance of adoption elsewhere. Sky Ark also transports birds, wolves, and other wildlife to rescue centers or medical facilities.
It was organized last April, and in October, it received non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service.
Sky Ark flights go all over the United States, but some involve this area. In September, Sky Ark transported several dogs from the Mason County Animal Shelter in West Virginia to the Poodle Preserve in Cotopaxi and the Animal Rescue Foundation in Carbondale. The West Virginia shelter suffered severe overcrowding.
Sky Ark also transported two wolves from Cedar City, Utah, to the Wolfwood Sanctuary in Durango, and a dog who needed immediate heart surgery was flown from Durango to the veterinary teaching hospital at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Air transportation saves time, and reduces some of the risks associated with ground transportation of wildlife. Sky Ark does not provide transportation for commercial operations, such as breeders.
If you want to know more, you can call Sky Ark at 719-395-8331, or check the website at www.skyark.org.
