Victoria Humane Society looking for flying buddies to bring dogs from Regina to B.C.

This dog and her puppies, need a travel buddy to bring them on a flight to British Columbia. (Mackenzie Read/CTV News)

REGINA -

UPDATE: According to the Regina Humane Society, space for the pets has recently become available and the Victoria Humane Society will no longer be seeking travel companions as a result.

The Victoria Humane Society is asking Regina residents to help transport some pets to British Columbia.

The organization is looking for people who have flights booked from YQR to either Victoria, Vancouver or Abbotsford to volunteer to be “pet escorts” for some dogs being sent to Vancouver Island.

“We show up with the animal, we book it, we pay for it,” Penny Stone, with the Victoria Humane Society, said.

Stone said being a pet escort is not hard and would be free for the volunteers.

She said the organization would contact the airline, add the pet to the plane ticket and pay the $105 fee. It would also have someone meet you at the airport with the animal and arrange for pickup on the other side.

“We would hand [the dog to the airline] when you are handing over your baggage to the lady at the desk and we pick the animal up here,” Stone said.

She added the animals would be put in with the cargo and most pet escorts won’t see the animals other than at drop off and pick up.

April Bower has volunteered to be a pet escort several times and said even of people are nervous around animals can still participate.

“You don’t have to say hi, you don’t have to touch them, you don’t have to feed them anything if there is a stop. The employees will handle them all,” Bower said.

Stone said these are overflow animals from the Regina Humane Society and can’t get into a shelter or rescue. She added the Victoria facility has more spaces and room for the dogs than the Regina building.

There are currently 21 dogs that need to be escorted, which stone said is a lot to transport.

“That’s why we are accepting them in Vancouver and then we will just take a ferry over and pick them up,” added Stone.

The Victoria Humane Society is hoping to get as many of the overflow pets to its facility quickly, to open more spots at the Regina Humane Society before it gets too cold.

“We can’t do it without people stepping up,” said Stone. “We are just hoping the people of Regina will help us out. If they are coming here, they can save an animal’s life.”

Residents interested in volunteering to be a pet escort can message the Victoria Humane Society Facebook page or email the society at [e-mail].