This week I’ll celebrate my very own Gotcha Day, a day shared with a saint of old named Patrick.
But I have other saints to celebrate that day.
It has been 3 years since this Heeler landed. It was on St Patrick’s Day, when I was surrounded by my own bunch of Saints.
They undertook a plan that would fly me from the Arizona desert to my foothills ranch in the northern Rockies.
No one knows what happened before, but I was found ‘way out in the desert, and came to the only place in sight to rest. Unfortunately, I got on the wrong side of a ornery little Chihuahua there and that family wanted me gone. By God’s grace, they knew a kind lady who fostered dogs; she came expecting to trap me, as apparently my reputation, not wholly accurate, preceded me!
But she called, I came running, and jumped right into her car. I do love a good ride!
Finally I was adopted , but it would take a miracle to get me home. And that is where my own saints came in.
These Saints volunteer with Pilots N Paws.
For me, it took weeks, because the weather in the Rockies this early spring was not friendly to flight. 
But finally, it was a GO!
That took coordinating all 3 planes and pilots, good weather all the way, and a lot of prayer. I was glad my foster mom got to ride along on the first leg, since I was pretty scared and didn’t know what was happening.
It was after all, my first airplane ride! My first pilot even said I was perfectly behaved the entire trip: who could be be a better co-pilot than a cowdog?
Here I am sight-seeing over the Grand Canyon
We left very early, and the flight was 820 nautical miles. We landed in my new town about 5 PM.
They even brought me a kid to play with right off!
Then I celebrated with a good roll in the snow; it was everywhere up here, and I found my first snowbank just off the runway. 
Then I went from my Freedom Flight to my Freedom Ride, and on the way we stopped for a puppy cone. I pretty well shut down McDonald’s, as all the staff admired me and heard the story of the flying cowdog!
Right away when I arrived, I found I had a well-stocked toy box all my own and several comfy beds.
Before long, I took over any couch I liked too. And was I tired! 
I found there were two cats who also called this home, so I had to learn to respect them a little. They STILL run laps at 3 am, and need a cowdog to herd them. But I’m STILL not allowed to stick my very competent Heeler nose in their business!
I was once accused of being a cat killer, but we get along; I even kind of like my Mopsy and Tug.
I remember the snow when I got here – I love the winter, rolling in the snow, making snowdog angels, helping feed, and keeping an eye on the many wild critters who visit.
I love spring, summer and fall, and everything on my ranch that goes with each season and every day.
I’m not a fancy dresser. I figure I have a stunning red, white and blue coat and that’s enough. But I have allowed a couple little boys dress me up, at least to celebrate freedom and Gotcha Day.
I was only here a year and a half, when my dad went home to heaven, and left me here to ramrod this place for him.
He always told me he was glad I chose mom as my person, and I think it was because he knew that before long, she would need me a lot.
I ride along most of the time, and I know that this Sunday, after church, Mom and the little boy will take me out for a puppy cone, to celebrate my second Gotcha Day.
I think I’ll get a cake and a steak for dinner too!
So this St. Patty’s Day, join me in celebrating my Gotcha Day, and send out a prayer and a cheer to all those that make a day like this happen for all cats and dogs – shelters, fosters, volunteers, pilots, drivers, flight coordinators, adopters, donors – you are all real saints!
I’ll never forget Crystal, Tim, Stewart, Chris and Jerome, and many others behind the scenes, who made this miracle flight happen for me. And to think they, and hundreds more, do this every day for dogs and cats that just need to get to a good home!
If everyone can just keep rescuing the abandoned, the hurt, the lonely among us – donating, volunteering, driving, flying, loving – perhaps the shelters could be emptied, and all pets would be wanted and loved.
Right now, somewhere overhead, there is a dog in a plane finding out what that means.
You can go here to donate to my favorite transport and buy items, like the neat calendar showing some of the canine co-pilots and their friends:https://pnpstuff.com/
We also love Wings of Rescue https://wingsofrescue.org/
and Greater Good, https://greatergood.org/good-flights
but there are many out there saving pets and making the world a better place.
Sometimes it is one lone soul who donates blankets and food to a shelter.
Some fly whole plane-loads of pets, and some fly just one, like they did for this little cowdog.
They are real saints!
Take a path of goodness – be kind, bring hope and joy to others.
I will always be grateful a few did that for me. I hope all my friends and followers will make a donation in honor of my day, helping another dog find a forever home.
You can read my Freedom Flight story here:https://cowdogsadvice.com/2023/03/introducing-redhawk-rose-the-flying-heeler/
