Dog News

Airline Owner Helps Homeless Dogs Get to Forever Homes

by Katherine

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Dirk van der Sterre, owns and manages FTC-FBO, a private airport terminal at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey, and from time to time, he helps Home for Good Dog Rescue (HFG) transport homeless animals from Georgia and North Carolina to the Northern states. There, these unwanted pets get ready to move into forever homes.

Van der Sterre is an animal lover and when an opportunity presented itself to help these pets, he didn’t hesitate.

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“I go down to the Florida area a lot,” Van der Sterre told The Daily Record. “I thought, why not? We can do this. We have done ten transports and brought up 120 dogs in a little under two years. It’s my way of giving back.”

The rescued dogs usually travel by car with Rich Errico, who drives a HFG van every other week. The trip usually takes 12.5 hours, and it is stressful on the dogs as well as Errico, but when the lucky pups get to ride a private jet, the transport is a lot faster (just 1.5 hours) and so much more relaxing.

Since HFG was founded in 2010 more than 2,700 dogs have been rescued. All dogs get microchipped, and spayed or neutered before they move into their forever homes. All dogs without a secured forever homes, are placed into foster homes. There, they are loved and prepared to be house pets.

The organization has more than 150 volunteers helping the unwanted pets, and thanks to caring and giving individuals like Van der Sterre, HFG will soon celebrate having rescued 3,000 dogs.