GALLIPOLIS — Four puppies and one dog recently made a high-flying exit from the Gallia County Animal Shelter, taking off from the Gallia-Meigs Regional Airport in a general aviation plane via Pilots N Paws.

The canines were flown to Kids to the Rescue in Hanover, Pa., a rescue group for dogs operated by Michelle Baldwin.

Gallia County Dog Warden/Shelter Manager Jean Daniels said that Baldwin has now rescued 22 local dogs, and this is the second rescue by air for Gallia’s shelter. She added that these types of rescues are vital for young puppies and sick dogs that would be unable to travel by car and are therefore more likely to face euthanization.

“These flights allow dogs to get to rescues that are not available by road travel, whether because of distance, time, or the dogs’ condition,” she said. “It’s difficult to take sick dogs or young puppies on an overground journey at that distance.”

Daniels estimated the four puppies flown out Monday afternoon to be around four weeks old. One puppy had demodectic mange, which is not contagious to people or other animals, but nonetheless causes irritation and hair loss to its host.

Steve Ormsby of Hamilton flew into Gallia-Meigs with his wife and son earlier this week to embark on their first rescue mission with Pilots N Paws, an organization that works with rescue and animal shelters to assist with the transportation of animals when ground transport is unavailable, at no cost to the shelters.

“I love to fly and I love animals so I thought I’d just put the two together,” Ormsby said of his decision to participate in Pilots N Paws.

Upon delivery to Kids to the Rescue, Baldwin, who had purchased the carriers used for transporting the dogs, decided to donate them to Ormsby for his future use in flight rescues.

Daniels said she hopes that some local pilots will also get involved with this rescue program. Flight expenses are tax deductible, according to the program’s website, www.pilotsnpaws.org.

“I love it,” Daniels said of this rescue networking. “We’ve got some really good people helping us and I hope we continue getting volunteers.”