Welcome to
Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue
Flying to forever…
One pup at time.
We believe that an island dog from Anguilla is the perfect companion. Adopt a Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue dog, find your best friend and save a life.
ABOUT US
Flying to forever…
The Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue is a United States foster-based nonprofit organization that rescues homeless puppies from the tiny Eastern Caribbean Island of Anguilla and flies them to the U.S. for adoption.
Our dogs are mixed breed island dogs. True island mutts that are often referred to as a ‘Coconut Retriever’ or a ‘Potcake’ made up of anywhere from two to 25 breeds. The majority of our dogs grow to mid size (between 30 – 45 pounds) and occasionally can grow to be large in size (above 50 pounds).
Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue dogs are observed, vetted, examined, and vaccinated in Anguilla. Once deemed “ready” to fly by the veterinary team we work with, our dogs will catch an airplane ride from Anguilla to various cities and states throughout the U.S. including New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Charlotte, Portland, Sacramento, Hartford, Newark, Washington D.C., Nashville, Boston, Cleveland, Baltimore and more.
Our team works diligently to identify Anguilla visitors who can transport a puppy on their returned flight to the United States, organize the ‘Freedom Flights’ that the pups fly on, promote the puppies for adoption in the United States, liaise with foster parents, work with Morlens Veterinary Clinic in Anguilla to get the dogs everything they medically need in order to fly and be adopted, and interview, vet and approve adopters.
Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue is a no-kill organization.
Make a Donation
Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue is 100% donor-funded. Donations pay for the costs associated with our dogs’ veterinary care including vaccines, medicines, boarding, flea, tick and heartworm preventatives, as well as travel supplies and commercial airline tickets to the U.S. Your donation is 100% tax deductible.
QUESTIONS
FAQ
What is your adoption process?
You will fill out the adoption application and then hit the submit button. Within 2 days you will be contacted by our Adoptions Director who will schedule an interview with you and call your references, including a veterinary doctor reference, to learn more about you. The vetting process takes about 3 days and once complete an adoption contract, including directions to pay the adoption fee, will be emailed to you for signature.
What is the cost of the adoption fee and what does it include?
Between $475 – $650 per dog. Adoption fees vary based on dog and include veterinarian vetting, examining, boarding, vaccines, various heartworm and giardia tests, preventative flea, tick and heartworm medicines, collar, leash, travel carrier, pee pads, spay/neuter on 6-month+ dogs, and a commercial or cargo airline ticket.
What process do the dogs go through to be vetted and deemed healthy to fly to the U.S.?
Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue works with Morlens Veterinary Clinic in Anguilla to observe, exam, vaccinate, provide preventive treatments, board, and prepare dogs for travel and adoption in the U.S. All of the organization’s dogs are observed for five days on intake, vetted, examined, given various tests, medicines and preventives by the clinic’s veterinarians. The dogs board at the clinic from the first day they enter the clinic until the day they fly to the U.S. They may be in the clinic for a couple weeks to a couple of months. U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines are followed and our dogs enter United States Customs with appropriate paperwork and legal documentation. Anguilla is a rabies and Lyme disease free country.
Does applying to adopt a dog guarantee adoption?
No. Filling out the adoption application is the first step in applying to adopt a dog. An approval decision is based on your home environment, your interview with our adoptions director, and a positive reference check.
How long does the adoption process take?
One week. Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue has a volunteer Adoptions Director who process applications over three days. Please be patient and know that our Adoptions Director will be in touch with you within 2 days after you submit your adoption application.
Can I meet the dog I would like to adopt?
Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue is a foster-based organization. Our dogs are in loving foster homes, and we allow for meet-n-greets with the foster parent and dog once you are officially approved to adopt from Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue.
Where will I pick up my dog following the approval of my adoption?
Once you are approved to adopt, sign your adoption contract and pay the adoption fee, you will pick your adopted dog up from the foster parent’s home.
What is the “3 3 3 Rule” for rescue dogs?
Whether you adopt an older dog or a puppy, we advise you to follow the “3-3-3 Rule” when getting your newly adopted dog acclimated: 3 days of feeling overwhelmed and nervous. 3 weeks of settling in. 3 months of building trust and bonding with you. Please be patient when adopting a new dog and do not judge the dog on the first day of bringing he/she home or when meeting the dog during a meet-n-greet.
What dog food do you recommend?
Purina Puppy Pro formula has the proper amount of nutrients the dogs need to develop and grow.
Will Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue provide veterinary care after I adopt a dog from the organization?
No. Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue does not have a veterinary doctor on staff in the United States to provide care following adoption. Rather, we require adopters to take their new dog to their veterinary clinic of choice within 5 days of adoption to establish care and continue flea, tick and heartworm preventives.
Are you a no-kill organization?
Yes. Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue saves and pulls dogs from a kill-shelter in Anguilla (and occasionally St Martin), where the dogs’ time “expires” due to lack of space and resources. Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue SAVES and RESCUES the dogs who are scheduled to be euthanized with those kill-shelters. Should one of the dogs we pull and adopt from those kill-shelters fall seriously ill or end up with extreme aggressive behavior that can’t be trained or becomes a liability, our team will discuss options for those dogs including possible euthanization, as that may be the best and most humane option for the dog. But to date, no dog has ever been euthanized with Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue.
Want to Become a Foster Parent?
As a foster-based non-profit dog rescue, Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue is always in need of foster parents anywhere in the U.S. Contact us today and let us know you are interested in fostering, and we will schedule a phone meeting with you to learn more about you.
TESTIMONIALS
Supportive Experiences
“I adopted this beautiful puppy, ‘Miles Davis’, through Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue. The team was amazing and a true pleasure to work with. I appreciate their vetting process, professionalism and compassion that each team member exhibited who helped me during the rescue process. These dogs from Anguilla are full of love. Thanks to everyone for the hard work involved in saving these dogs from Anguilla.”
– üRic Cress
“Transporting what were once homeless puppies for the Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue and helping them get to their adopting families in the U.S. is the most rewarding experience. The Fly To Freedom team handles all of the transport planning and coordination details and makes the experience incredibly professional and easy for us. We enjoy working with the team. We just take the puppy onto our plane ride like it’s our carry-on luggage, slide it under our seat, and transport it to our destination airport where the adopter meets us to pick up their newly adopted puppy. The American Airlines crew in the airport is always happy to see the puppies being rescued from Anguilla. Transporting a puppy on Freedom Flight Day is one of the best volunteer experiences you will ever have. We have been transporting since our very first trip to Anguilla in 2011 and we highly recommend it.”
Dianne & Brian Quimby
“I always fly puppies home for Fly to Freedom Dog Rescue to the U.S. The team makes the process easy and seamless. Most of the puppies don’t even make a peep the whole journey. Every single one sleeps on the plane in their little carriers. They’re so tiny and cuddly. You will be a big hit at the airports! The foster parent or adopter will be waiting for you at your arrival airport where you’ll say good-bye. Such a short but important piece in their journey to a new life.”
– Demi Christakos
Previous
Next
WHAT WE DO
How We Prepare Our Dogs for Adoption
Fly To Freedom Dog Rescue works hard to medically prepare and fly our dogs to the United States for adoption. A lot of work goes into identifying and recruiting transporters, onboarding foster homes, promoting the dogs for adoption, and vetting and approving adopters to find the best forever homes.
A New Home
We take adoption seriously and look for adopting families who are going to make a 110% commitment to adopt one of our dogs and giving the dog everything it needs (and more!)
Safe Environment
While a fenced yard is not necessary to adopt one of our dogs, we do look for forever homes where the dog is in the best home environment and with a yard. We will do a video visit/tour of your home and property to learn and see the environment that our dog will be living in. If you have other pets currently living your home we want to understand how you plan to safely introduce a newly adopted dog.
Vaccinating & Testing
Our dogs are vetted, approved, vaccinated and prepared for travel by Morlens Veterinary Clinic in Anguilla. Some of the young puppies have age-appropriate vaccines and all of the dogs will be tested to rule out heartworm, giardia, coccidia, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis before flying to the U.S. for adoption. Appropriate medical treatments will be given in Anguilla if the dogs should require.
Providing Preventatives
When our dogs arrive to Morlens Veterinary Clinic in Anguilla on Day 1 for intake, both heartworm and flea and tick prevention are administered to every dog. Preventative treatments are continually administered to each dog until the dog flies to the U.S. Preventative treatment is also provided to each foster parent.
Apply to Adopt an Anguilla Dog
FIND YOUR Best FRIEND
Adopt an Anguilla Dog
Ollie
Adopt Me
Coco
Adopt Me
Dash
Adopt Me
See All Available Dogs
0
+
Dogs Adopted
0
Core Member Team
0
Volunteers
Giving 110%
Meet our Team
Leigh Fazzina
President, Founder, Board of
Directors
Dave Straub
Business Advisor, Founder, Board of Directors
Vanessa Croft
On-Island Liaison, Social Media Director
GET IN TOUCH
Send Us a Message
We will get back to you within 24 hours.
