There 's no in-flight service but these pooches do n't mind - just the fact they 're still alive is a miracle . Each year thousands of homeless pooches facing euthanasia - some hours away from death - get loaded on planes and flown to new homes in places where shelters are experiencing shortages . Groups such as California-based Wings of Rescue or South Carolina-based Pilots N Paws recruit pilots to volunteer their planes , fuel and time . The two non-profits say their concept has been a roaring success with the numbers increasing year-on-year . It 's estimated that more than 4 million U.S. pets are euthanized every year . Scroll down for video . Pilot pooch , do you read me ? Each year thousands of homeless dogs facing euthanasia - some hours from death - get loaded on planes and flown to new homes in places where shelters are experiencing shortages . Both pilot groups encourage spaying and neutering as a solution but know that airlifts will increase every year as they become more visible and the number of needy dogs grows . States such as California , Georgia and South Carolina typically have too many dogs in shelters , while places such as Washington , Oregon , New York , New Jersey and Florida need more pets to satisfy demand . To solve the location conundrum , pilots fire up their engines . In Coeur d'Alene , Idaho , retirees want smaller dogs , which are easier to take care of but a tough find in the area with the high demand . So , the Kootenai Humane Society orders a planeload of dogs under 16 pounds every month , or more than 1,000 animals in the last 16 months , executive director Debbie Jeffrey said . Window seat : Groups such as California-based Wings of Rescue or South Carolina-based Pilots N Paws , recruit pilots to volunteer their planes , fuel and time . In safe hands : In this December 2014 photo provided courtesy of ShelterMe , pilot Jim Nista delivers Finn , a rescued dog , in Everett , Washington . Saved from peril : It 's estimated that more than 4 million U.S. pets are euthanized every year . 'It 's just been a real success . As fast as they come in , they are adopted , ' she said . The successes increase as more pilots sign up to help . 'We have seen the number of animals rescued go up every year since we started in 2008 , ' said Kate Quinn , executive director of Pilots N Paws . The group 's 5,000-plus pilots have flown more than 15,000 dogs to new homes each of the past two years , relocating more than 75,000 animals over the last seven years , she said . And the numbers keep rising . Growing trend : Wings of Rescue and Pilots N Paws encourage spaying and neutering as a solution but know that airlifts will increase every year as they become more visible and the number of needy dogs grows . Snuggled up : It 's reported that most pooches sleep in the air and do n't get sick . 'Pilots love a reason to fly . They love making these flights , ' Quinn said , adding that all dogs have to be spayed or neutered , microchipped and vaccinated before they take off . Yehuda Netanel , founder and president of Wings of Rescue , says business has doubled each of the past four-and-a-half years . He started as the lone pilot who rescued 300 dogs , and now the group expects to fly 7,000 pets in 2015 , he said . The pilot of 27 years will charter planes to move dogs if there are n't enough private planes , meaning flights cost about $ 80 per dog . Netanel and his 28 pilots are preparing to take flight this weekend with 250 dogs from San Bernardino , 150 from Bakersfield and smaller numbers from other locations . Packing them in : Kootenai Humane Society orders a planeload of dogs under 16 pounds every month , or more than 1,000 animals in the last 16 months . Puppy-dog eyes : 'We have seen the number of animals rescued go up every year since we started in 2008 , ' said Kate Quinn , executive director of Pilots N Paws . Pilots Kale and Anj Garcia of Seattle will be in San Bernardino to bring as many as 50 dogs back to Washington state in their seven-passenger Cessna 414 . The couple have flown 16 missions for Wings of Rescue . Most dogs sleep during the flight , and only a few have had air sickness , said Anj Garcia , who will take each one out of its crate and cuddle it during the journey . The flights allowed Cathy Parker of Coeur d'Alene to find her dogs : Bella , a poodle-Chihuahua mix , and Sidney , a poodle-Pomeranian mix , who Wings of Rescue delivered from different shelters about nine months apart . 'They 've been a real good match for each other and me , ' she said . Pet taxi : In this Nov. 22 , 2014 photo , Steven Latham , founder of Shelter Me , helps pilot Yehuda Netanel , founder of Wings of Rescue , load a shelter pup onto a private plane at the Van Nuys airport in Los Angeles . Paws for celebration : In the last two years , Wings of Rescue have flown more than 15,000 dogs annually to new homes and have relocated more than 75,000 in seven years .
Groups such as South Carolina-based Wings of Rescue or California-based Pilots N Paws , recruit pilots to volunteer their planes , fuel and time . The two non-profits say their concept has been a roaring success with the numbers increasing year-on-year . All dogs have to be spayed or neutered , microchipped and vaccinated before they take off . It 's reported that most pooches sleep in the air and do n't get sick .