In this live‑stream, Michael Schneider of Pilots to Rescue leads a rescue mission from St. Francis Animal Shelter in Andrews, South Carolina, transporting 17 animals (9 cats, 8 dogs) to the Animal Lighthouse Rescue network in New Jersey. The event marks the organization’s first rescue of 2022 and contributes toward its annual goal of rescuing over 1,000 animals. Julie from Animal Lighthouse explains how the partnership eliminates the need for costly volunteer‑driver transport. Influencer/comic Ashley Hasseltine shares a personal tribute to her late rescue dog and promotes the "adopt, don’t shop" ethos. Throughout the stream, shelter staff provide brief backstories for each animal—Domino, JoJo, Bow & Arrow, Wendy, Maggie, Ever, Victor, Gerber, Chloe, Wally, Pongo, Beans, Ben & Jerry, Abel—highlighting their origins, health status, and adoption prospects. The team discusses logistics of crating, loading, and flying the animals, then wraps with a call for donations, merchandise purchases, and adoption support, promising a follow‑up rescue in New Jersey.
Chapters
First rescue of the new year. Michael Schneider here, Pilots to Rescue. We're down in Andrews, South Carolina, picking up 17 animals today and got 2 influencers with us as well as a new rescue partner, Animal Lighthouse Rescue. And we're going to pick up the 17 animals and we're going to bring them back to Essex County where Animal Lighthouse will have volunteers picking them up. They're a foster-based network and we're excited to be working with them. Welcome everybody, let's go check out, uh, what animals we have. Uh, by the way, this being the first rescue of the year, 17 animals. Our goal this year is to rescue more than 1,000 animals. Last year we did nearly 600. That's more than we've ever done in the history of the organization. So we're 17 and, uh, 900— I can't do the math in my head, but 900— what is that, 983 to go. All right, here we go.
Hello!
Hi, Julie!
Hi!
How was the flight?
It was good, smooth sailing.
Tell everybody where you're from and what's going on today.
I'm from Animal Lighthouse Rescue. Uh, we are coming down to our friend St. Francis Animal Shelter here in, uh, South Carolina. We're picking up 9 cats and 8 dogs, um, and bringing back to Animal Lighthouse in New York New York City where they go into foster homes and we'll find them amazing homes after that.
Great. And how would you have normally done this today? Would you have to get volunteer drivers to drive all the way up to New York and drive all the way back?
Yeah, we use a transport company that picks them up down here and drives days up to us in New York normally, but we have you guys to thank for making this a lot easier for us.
All right, great. Well, we're excited to be working with you and hope this can be an ongoing thing.
Definitely.
Awesome. And also we have Ashley here. Ashley, tell everybody who you are.
I am Ashley Hasseltine. Is there a filter? Do we have a filter today? No, I'm just kidding. After a long flight, um, I am a comedian, podcaster, influencer, I guess, and dog lover. I rescued my dog from San Francisco, which is the shelter that we just did the, um, switch transfer, I guess, uh, last year in April. So I'm so glad to be a part of this. And just honored to be here, and I'm so glad to bring all these dogs back up north.
And there's something significant about today's date, right?
Yes, I don't want to bring the mood down, but, um, no, it's a happy day. My, um, today is— but a year ago on January 8th, I lost my dog Dewey, who was also a rescue dog of, um, I'd had him for 12 years, and he passed on this exact day. So it's just a really special way to honor his memory and then honor my new guy who came from here, and you guys in this whole organization. And, you know, I'm hardcore adopt, don't shop.
So there you go.
Well, thanks for coming long.
Of course. And somehow we're going to fit all these animals in.
I cannot wait to see.
Yeah, we're going to make it happen. Well, let's go visit the dogs and cats that we're rescuing today. Here's Domino. Do we know— do we know anything about these animals?
Yeah, I can tell you a little bit. Okay, um, Domino came from a local family who had to move, and their new location could not accept a dog his size. And they were going to give him to a neighbor who was going to keep him outside, but then we worked with them and decided to take Domino in. And this great organization decided to give Domino a chance in the North.
Great, so here's Domino. Beautiful eyes. Look at his eyes. Looks okay. He's a cool pup. Great. And what about JoJo?
So JoJo came to us from a partner shelter, Horry County Animal Care Center. They are very overcrowded, and we work together to save as many animals in this area as we possibly can. And JoJo was one of them. So JoJo's getting a good chance in New Jersey now.
All right, well, JoJo's a small dog. He'll be picked up quickly. Yeah, yeah, we got some kitty cats. Any, any story about the kitty cats?
Um, those are Bow and Arrow, and they are local Georgetown kitties that came into our shelter. Um, they came in, I believe, through a Good Samaritan who found them. Um, and they're super sweet, um, pretty bonded, and looking for new homes in the north.
Great.
Oh my goodness.
And we have Wendy Wendy came to us.
Her mama is at the shelter. She gave birth with us. She was very far along, and Wendy was one of the kittens. They went into a nice foster home, and now Wendy is all grown up and ready for a home of her own.
Okay, and then we have Maggie. Any information on Maggie?
Maggie was a stray that came in from local animal control. We really don't know much about her, but she was super cute, so we decided to to send her on the transport.
Got it. And Ever?
Um, Ever is also part of the same litter from the mama who gave birth in the shelter. Super cute little girl, and she's now ready for home as well.
Awesome. Here's Victor. You know much about Victor?
So Victor was a stray, came to us, and, um, we all loved him, so he lived behind our front desk for a couple of weeks, and we decided to send him on the trip also because he deserves a great home.
You're gonna miss— a little nervous. Okay, no problem. And we have Gerber.
Uh, Gerber is, um, she is super sweet. She came to us from another local shelter that has a very severe overpopulation issue, and she's very, very lovely, and she'll get snapped up very quickly.
Awesome. And Chloe.
Chloe's an awesome hound, and we have many hounds in this area. Unfortunately, after hunting season, a lot of them abandoned and dumped. Um, Chloe was running at large. Great dog, loves everybody.
And beautiful dog. Yeah, beautiful dog. Okay, here's Wally.
That's Wally. Um, I'm not real sure much on Wally's history, but, um, I think Wally has a potential adopter already in the north, from what I've been told.
Awesome. Pongo.
Pongo, a puppy running at large. So we have, um, Pongo now He's all ready to go, been neutered and everything, and is moving ready.
Awesome. Beans, beautiful.
Beans is actually a declaw, and she came from a family that just couldn't keep her anymore. I don't know their story, but she wasn't a nurse or under declaw, and, um, long hair. She'll get adopted real quick. North. North is just such a lovely, sweet dog, very, very shy, um, and we're really grateful to the rescue for taking North.
They're going to put a little work into North, and North's going to be a great Awesome.
Ben and Jerry.
So Ben and Jerry also came to us from Horry County Animal Care Center, which is our partner shelter nearby. Um, cute, cute pair. Long hair, one short hair, and I'm just loving kitties.
Oh, do they like ice cream? What cat doesn't? Yeah. And Abel.
Abel was running at large, never reclaimed, so he's getting his big chance now.
Well, thank you so much for the backstory on, on all these animals. Okay guys, so now what we're gonna do is we're going to downsize a lot of these crates and we're going to fit them in the plane and head back to New Jersey. Thank you so much for tuning in. Thank you for the donations. And, uh, remember, adopt, don't shop. You can buy our merchandise on our website or Facebook. And, uh, thank you, George. Um, and it's great to see all you guys. Great way to start 2022. And we'll see you in New Jersey in the next rescue. Thank you so much. Bye now.
