Best photo ever (doggy airlift)!

[DemoTex]

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- The first major airlift of dogs from the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast left Louisiana on Sunday, carrying about 80 pets to new temporary homes in California.

The Continental Airlines flight from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was chartered for about $50,000 by Texas oil tycoon Boone Pickens and his wife, Madeleine, in a movement dubbed "Operation Pet Lift."

Some dogs were placed in cages in the cargo section while others rode in the passenger cabin, where they barked and wagged their tails.

[WoodrowFan]

1. awwwwwwwwwwwwww

thank you! something I can grin at, rather than gnash my teeth!

[electropop]

4. A boost for the spirit in this tragic time.

:-D

[CornField]

2. You know

I bet that was a better behaved flight than the ones I've taken.

[DS1]

3. Cute

feel bad for the doggies in the cargo section though

oh well

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Was thinking about that as well

But also have to think that some dogs are not as social as others, and that may have had something to do with who rode in cargo, and who was allowed in the passenger cabin. The ones in the pic all look to be pretty mellow, friendly, and interested in each other. In looking at the one on the left, it looks like something besides a collar is around his neck, and am wondering if they had to leash them..would make sense to do that.

[merh]

5. How Cool!

:applause: :thumbsup:

[Rainscents]

6. They all look soooooooooooooo cute!

[malta blue]

7. how do they determine which pooch rides in

the cargo section? These guys look like they are having so much fun, I feel bad for the others.

[KnaveRupe]

13. All Caucasian dogs up front.

No doubt the black labs, Scotties, and other darker-furred dogs are riding in steerage.

Racists.

;)

[DBoon]

19. but dogs are color-blind!

I bet it was actually "alpha dogs in front"

A race-free canine meritocracy

[rndmprsn]

8. about brought tears to my eyes...

thanks for posting!

[Poll_Blind]

9. Check this Snopes.com link...

Right here.

PB

[DemoTex]

12. Thanks PB

It is not often that you see a flight attendant smiling like that around "passengers." She looks very, very happy.

[Poll_Blind]

15. No problem, I was cruising Snopes and saw it about 10 min before...

...the poster posted their message so it was fresh in my mind. I think it's wonderful that some animals were rescued. Too bad about the transportation that some others had to take....



PB

[zbdent]

25. Well, you usually have to pay extra to the "flight attendant"

to lick her hand . . . and the ones that let you do that probably never trained as a real flight attendant . . .

Note: No public money was used in this "evacuation" (yes, I read snopes). This was a private person evacuating the pooches . . .

edited to add:

And wasn't this, according to snopes, a bus?

[xultar]

10. MY HEART IS SO HAPPY!!!! How beautiful! I am trying to adopt a

hurricane chihuahua. Anyone know of one let me know!

I wish I couldda been on that flight!

[aquart]

14. 80 dogs.

Was it 500,000 animals left to rot in New Orleans? It's nice of Pickens to use his windfall profits for good.

Any other oilmen doing anything but count their cash?

[tularetom]

16. Thank you thank you thank you

Ya just made my day.

[Ioo]

17. I love it

[karlrschneider]

18. Drat, can't see the pic. Photobucket seems to be down.

:hi: Mac

[Poll_Blind]

24. The picture is not related to the story...you can find the pic at Snopes..

Right here. T. Boone Pickens did pay for an airlift of pets but the picture posted was not from that event. Pictures of the event can be found at the previous link.

PB

[BrklynLiberal]

38. Figures. Not too many planes with overhead escape hatches....

[karlrschneider]

41. Okay thanks I was just commenting that I can't view -any- pics from

photobucket today for some reason. They seem to be off the DNS my ISP uses...I guess...can't resolve it.

[lonestarnot]

20. Way cooooool! Whoohoo

[theHandpuppet]

21. Only a Texas oil tycoon could have a name like "Boone Pickens"

Great name! LOL.

[smirkymonkey]

22. That is sooooo Cute!

I wish every flight was like that - I would much prefer 4 legged passengers than the 2 legged kind.

[WildClarySage]

23. Finally, some passengers that fit comfortably in airline seats.

[bpilgrim]

26. Great Pic - Added to the gallery ;-)

http://GlobalFreePress.com

peace

[TahitiNut]

27. Job satisfaction for flight attendants ... without peer.

I gotta believe that even with the "restroom breaks" those flight attendants will look back on this flight as a highlight of their careers.

It's remarkable how some of the BEST representatives from Dogville are usually Yellow Labradors and Golden Retrievers ... by far, my favorite breeds.

[Ready4Change]

28. God, there's only like 3 pieces of kibble in these packets!

:)

[SiouxJ]

30. Lol!

Good one!

[LisaLynne]

29. Aw, thanks for posting that!

What a cute picture. That poor lab looks like he's thinking, "Why do I always get stuck next to the Golden Retriever who wants to talk for the entire flight?"

Seriously, though, that's just way too cool.

[Mutley]

31. Such pretty babies; all of them.

They look like they're having a lot of fun. :loveya: puppies! Thanks for posting DemoTex. :hi:

[Extend a Hand]

32. I was so glad to read that they

took kitties too. :)

[triguy46]

33. Made my day!!! thanks a ton, I needed that!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

34. Ohhhhhhhh this is precious!!!! I believe there was a little miracle behind

this big miracle! I heard about a woman from the Los Angeles area who was vacationing in New Orleans with her dog, and when evacuating, they wouldn't let her take her pup with her. I believe her pup was on this airlift to SF, and she drove up from LA to be reunited...getting tears here thinking about this....

[bklyncowgirl]

35. Aw how cute is that! Looks like a happy bunch of pups. nt

[proud patriot]

36. Look at all the goldies

:D I love my big dog :D

[phusion]

37. Soo funny...

Cool photo!

Those dogs seem to be carrying on a conversation with each other.

[file83]

39. Those are all white people's dogs....

Those are the dogs rescued from the big estates - Buffy and Skip lost their Golden Retriever...

[Demonaut]

44. I guess you noticed the gilt and diamond studded collars

???

[Der Blaue Engel]

47. That's uncalled for

The article says the dogs came from overflowing shelters. You think they handpicked the ones with nice collars or something?

[Jara sang]

40. Real great, they are all golden retrievers

the dog of the elite

[Beaverhausen]

42. They aren't ALL golden retrievers - look more closely.

I see a schnauzer, a couple of blonde labs, an irish setter and something black and white...not sure what it is.

And I know plenty of people of all "classes" who own golden retrievers. I disgree that they are the "dog of the elite."

[Demonaut]

45. Or mebbe it's a breed that is less aggressive in unfamiliar surroundings

the pits are in the cargo hold

[CrispyQ]

43. Oh man! Would I love to be on that flight!!!

Thanks so much! This made my day!

:yourock: & dogs do too!

[donheld]

46. Very good post

I like happy tails :D

[demo dutch]

48. I love that picture!