When Michael Schneider combines his two greatest passions—flying and saving animals—the result is nothing short of miraculous. This New York native has turned his love for aviation into a lifeline for thousands of pets in desperate need of homes.
## A Childhood Dream Takes Flight
Schneider’s journey began when he was just 6 years old, visiting the local SPCA in Briarcliff Manor with his family. “That’s all I ever knew growing up,” he recalls, remembering how they would regularly bring home dogs and cats from the no-kill shelter.
His compassion extended beyond family trips to the shelter. Young Michael was the neighborhood kid who would nurse injured birds back to health and even started a pet-sitting business at age 11. After discovering a passion for flying through skydiving, he became a commercial pilot and found a way to merge his two loves.
## Birth of an Airborne Angel
In 2015, Schneider founded Pilots to the Rescue, a transportation nonprofit that relocates at-risk animals from overcrowded, under-resourced shelters to partner rescues where they have a better chance at finding homes. The concept was simple but powerful: use airplanes to save animals facing euthanasia.
“I wanted to do something of substance with this pilot’s license that I worked so hard to achieve,” explains the 48-year-old Brooklyn resident. “When I heard about people transporting animals at risk of being euthanized using airplanes, I jumped on that opportunity.”
The response was immediate and overwhelming. Within 48 hours of sharing his idea, Schneider raised $12,000 from friends and family who believed in giving “furry friends” a voice.
## Racing Against Time
The urgency of Schneider’s work cannot be overstated. “Sometimes these animals have less than 24 hours to get out,” he explains. “The faster we can get them out, the faster we can save them.”
His operation uses a hybrid approach that maximizes efficiency and minimizes costs. Animals travel overnight in sprinter vans before boarding planes in the morning, allowing the team to cover more ground and save more lives.
## Remarkable Results
The numbers speak for themselves. To date, Schneider and his team have:
– Completed 313 missions
– Flown over 353,600 miles
– Saved 4,488 animals
– Transported pets from North Carolina to Florida to Texas
Operating out of a hangar in Essex County, New Jersey, Pilots to the Rescue is one of only about 10 organizations in the United States that rescue animals using aircraft.
## Beyond Dogs and Cats
While domestic animals make up the majority of their rescues, the organization also works with wildlife and endangered species, including sea turtles, wolves, and critically endangered red bulls (banteng).
“The endangered species work is really rewarding,” Schneider notes. “Sometimes when you’re rescuing all these dogs and cats, you feel like you’re chasing your tail a little bit.”
## More Than Just Transportation
The magic happens not just in the air, but in the moments when animals arrive at their destinations. “When they get to the other side, they might feel a little timid coming out of the crate, but when we get them out, their tails are wagging, they’re jumping up and down, they feel energy,” Schneider observes.
“Animals are smarter than we give them credit for. People are waiting for them to receive them, so they pick up on that. It’s beautiful to see.”
## Personal Transformation
For Schneider, who lives in Greenpoint with his wife and four young sons, running the charity has been more than just a career change—it’s been a personal transformation.
“I used to be very narcissistic and selfish, and all about ‘me, me, me,'” he admits. “But I started to realize that it’s more rewarding to give back, and it’s not about me anymore.”
## The Bigger Picture
While running a charity presents financial challenges, especially with a family to support, Schneider finds motivation in the feedback from adopters who tell him the rescued animals are the “best” they’ve ever taken in.
“We become a voice for these animals who can’t otherwise speak,” he says, reflecting on animals coming from situations of hoarding, abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
Schneider’s story proves that when passion meets purpose, extraordinary things can happen. One flight at a time, he’s not just transporting animals—he’s transforming lives, including his own.
