What is Rescue Transport?
Most of the time, the rescue setters who come to A&B are hundreds (or even thousands) of miles away from the foster homes who take them in and from the adopters who become their forever families. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “It takes a village.” In animal rescue, it takes not only a village, but wonderful volunteers across many villages to help them get from wherever they are to wherever they need to go.
Rescue transport is a bit like an underground railroad. Our Transport Coordinators (TCs) map out the route and break it down into shorter segments. Then, leg by leg, people volunteer to drive our setters from one town to the next… and the next… until they finally reach their destination. Think of it like a relay race & you are handing off the dog vs. the baton!
We close out every transport with a Transport Album on our Facebook page. This includes all the pictures, stories, & anecdotes from the journey. Without our amazing team of transport volunteers, rescue just wouldn’t be possible.
Think you'd like to join this outstanding group of volunteers? Complete our Transport Driver Volunteer Application HERE & you'll soon begin receiving notices of transports coming through your area. We also recommend you follow our main Facebook page, as well as Heidi Kozubal Transports, & also join your State specific Transport page/group on Facebook.
To learn all about safely transporting a rescue setter, please watch the following videos
If you have more time & would like to help in other ways, maybe one of these areas would be a good fit!
- Tagging help - each state and several regional areas have Facebook pages that contain files of volunteers by area. Each week we use those files and names for our transport posts to tag drivers to ask for help. Being comfortable on Facebook and some basic software skills, like copy/paste function, are helpful.
- Monitoring transports - if you've ever driven a transport you likely recall that we had both a group email and a group messenger chain (Facebook messenger) set up. Throughout the transport and especially at transport we keep everyone up to date if we're running early or late as well as pertinent information about the dog - i.e. is the dog afraid or timid, is the dog a flight risk, etc. Most of the time this role is very routine but sometimes if we're getting way ahead or way behind you have to make some extra contacts such as calling and/or texting downstream drivers to alert them of significant changes.
- Coordinating an entire transport - this is what you'd typically see a TC do. They draft the runs and do the Facebook postings and emails. Then we solicit drivers via Facebook tagging and email pleas. Once filled we prepare the private run sheet with all driver contact info, set up the group email and group messenger chat and make sure that every hand off has an agreed upon location by both drivers and updating the private run sheet with that information.
Puppy Transport - Precious Cargo!
Hank Leaving the Kennel
Meet our Transport Coordinators
Jennifer Cloherty (Temperance, MI)
“I became a Transport Coordinator for A&B because I know how critical transport is to the success of rescue, and it’s a way I can make a difference in the world. There is nothing better than to be able to end a day by saying ‘I saved a life today!’ I’ve also been blessed to get to know so many amazing people who give their time and their hearts to animals in need.”
Heidi Kozubal (Jeannette, PA)
"From the time we adopted our first boy Codie from a local rescue in 1998 it struck me how many different people played a role in getting him from animal control, getting him vetted, fostering him and getting him ready for adoption and I knew at that point that someday I wanted to help. Years later my cousin who is involved with Siberian Husky rescue forwarded me a transport request for an English Setter coming through my area. I had NO idea what a transport even was. Now I'm hooked!"
Why Drive Rescue Transport?
Below are some quotes from members of this amazing team about why they donate their time and gas money to drive rescue transport.
Lee & her son with puppy Higgins at a transport stop
Transporter Lee Salas (Elyria, OH)
"I transport because I can't keep them all!!! But for an hour I can love them!!! And give them kisses and tell them they are beautiful!!!”
Lee meeting a transport
Transporters Linda & Bob Fotoples (Oregon, OH)
“We became involved because we care about pets. We have adopted many ourselves. Helping with transportation is a way we can still help out.”
Transporter Debra Westick (Whitehouse, OH)
“I transport for entirely selfish reasons I enjoy meeting the beautiful dogs and the fellow dog lovers that assist with the transport and I also love that I was able to help a being that simply needs a helping hand. It's a wonderful feeling knowing they are now safe with rescue or their new home and I was able to help in some small way.”
Momma Dixie & her forever family!
Barb giving some transport love to puppy Clover!
Transporter Barb Brown (St. Louis, MO)
“I recently retired and wanted to volunteer to assist animals in some way. When I transport setters for A&B, I feel like I am saving them from a horrible situation and assisting in getting them to loving foster homes and/or permanent homes. Transporting is a small way I can help and also give them some love on the way to their next stop. For me, transporting is very rewarding.”
Transporter Libby Brinton (Valley Forge, PA)
“You know I love to transport as it helps transfer so many setters to fosters then to adoptive parents. When I retired, I was looking for something to do in my spare time. Ever since I started to transport setters last year, it's become one of my most favorite past times. Of course, my favorite is to either drive the first leg to see a pup on his/her way to a final new home or the last leg to deliver a pup to his furever home. As Heidi say, it's the stork bringing the baby to the mommy. I guess you could call me a transportholic.”
Libby saying good-bye at a handoff point.
Denise saying good-bye to Rusty!