Flight buddy wanted
 

This is perhaps a bit of an unusual post here on FT, but then again it is about flight travel. If this violates FT rules then please let me know

I volunteer in Alanya, Turkey working with stray dogs. There are lots of them, and they generally don't live the best of lives. We often find pups dumbed on the streets walking aimlessly and unable to look after themselves. We try to look after them the best we can, providing them with food, medical care, vaccinations, castration and where possible with shelter. We try to rehome as many dogs as we can and where feasible we try to find adoption families abroad. All this if payed for out of our own pocket and with the little money we are able to raise (it is not much) and get no funding or help from any local, regional or national governments as they simply don't see it as being a problem to wast time on. So we are 100% reliant to volunteers.

We have a small pup, 12 weeks old Lab/Collie that got dumped on the streets. We have managed to find her a foster family in the US until she can find her permanent home, and it is here I turn to the FT community. We need a flight buddy for this pup who can accompany her from IST to JFK in mid to late October. Her final destination will be Philadelphia so if you are traveling that way after even better.

As a flight buddy very little will be required of you. You will be meet by one of our volunteers in the airport who will help check the pup in and pay the additional fees. When you arrive in JFK all you will have to do is collect the pup again and wheel her out to arrivals where there will be a volunteer to receive her. She will have all necessary papers and we will always be on hand should a problem arise.

If you are interested in being a flight buddy or help in any other ways then please send a pm.

What you guys are going is awesome! I would have done it if I had plans to travel from Turkey to the US in the coming months.

Good luck!! ^

I have a possible trip AYT>IST>ORD on 11/5.

Thank you Mict, once you experience the amazing personalities these rescues have and you see how much progress they can make it in very little time it makes it all worth it. If you do have any Turkey-US in the future and are intrested please keep us in mind.

07TRflyer I will check if we have any volunteers and rehomeing organisation around ORD and get back to you if that is okay? Thank you.

I do fly TK (not to US most of the time but once in a while), but I always start in CPH, would I be able to help or my flight has to be originated in Turkey?

Thank you nacho. To be honest I don't know but I will call TK tomorrow and find out. We do fly some dogs to CPH also so if we have a trip originating in Turkey do let me know.

I don't travel from Turkey unfortunately, but I do normally try to do a long layover at IST when heading back to CPH (we only travel for leisure so we really like to enjoy the IST lounge). I don't travel alone (with kids and Mr.) so we might be able to bring more than 1 dog if it helps. The next trip with TK would be in late Feb 2017.

You could post a post at the SK forum because people based in Scandinavia use that forum quite a lot - you could post it in the thread called Eurobonus Kafe. Turkey is kind of a popular holiday destination for Scandinavians.

Thank you nacho. You are right. There are a lot of scandinavians down here and luckily you do get direct flights from GZP with SAS.

I had a quick chat with TK and the response from them was that it would be possible to "check in" a dog at IST when making a connection but that it would be decided on a case by case basis. I still feel a bit sceptical about that though, but please let me know if you have any flights that you think might be suitable and we can investigate further.

Agreed!!^^^^^^
If I was in the position I would have tried to help out.

Good luck - I hope that you get some response.

Thank you roadwarrier. If you have a fight at some point in the future that you think would be suitable and would like to help please do get in touch.

I've checked bags of stuff I've gone and bought at the supermarket during a long layover in IST several times. They've never batted an eye, so would imagine that a checked in pet would be the same.