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Pittsburgh Hotel Owner Rescues Thousands Of Pets And Encourages Guests To Adopt!

Written by: Adri Sandoval
Adri Sandoval is the Special Projects Manager for iHeartDogs and iHeartCats. Her work has deepened her love for animals, fostering a strong passion for rescue and animal advocacy.Read more
| Published on August 25, 2018

Jonathan Plesset is a man who loves animals – and sharing his love of animals with the people who stay at his hotel!

Years ago, Plesset and a friend got their aviation licenses and decided to use them to rescue animals by helping transport them to no-kill shelters where they were more likely to be adopted. Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (PAART) was born with just two pilots – Jonathan Plesset and Brad Childs.

Since then, PAART has become much larger, recruiting volunteers and adding more vehicles to it’s fleet. In 2017 PAART helped transport pets from Texas to Pittsburgh after Hurricane Harvey flooded shelters – with both rainwater and dogs who became separated from their families. The organization also works internationally, and has helped bring dogs rescued from South Korean meat farms to the U.S.

In twelve years, the group has helped save over 8,000 lives! Their hard work even earned them a big gift from the Rachel Ray Foundation earlier this year – a new plane to add to their fleet!

Plesset is also spreading his love for animals as the owner of Shadyside Inn All Suites Hotel in Pittsburgh. If you’re travelling to Pittsburgh this year, consider booking a stay. Pets are not only welcome, but encouraged! The hotel is known to be very accommodating to furry guests, offering treats and an on-site doggy park to play and mingle. This year, Shadyside Inn is offering a special incentive to adopt to guests.

According to TribLive.com, guests who stay for five or more nights earn a $250 credit towards the adoption of a new pet! There are some stipulations though to make sure that the program runs smoothly:

  • Stays must be booked on the inn’s website or through a staff member, not through a third-party website.
  • Guests must complete a pre-adoption form at the hotel during the stay. They then will have 30 days after checkout to initiate the adoption process with a shelter of their choice. The shelter does not have to be in the Pittsburgh area.
  • The shelter must be a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit in good standing with local regulating authorities.
  • The adoption process will be conducted by the local shelter, and the adopting individual or family must pass its background check.
  • The guest will have 60 days to complete the adoption once the application is submitted.

Not every guest will be looking to adopt, but maybe it’ll encourage a few who hadn’t considered it!

For more information, visit the Shadyside Inn online!

Learn more about PAART at NoDogLeftBehind.org or on Facebook.

H/T: TribLive.com
Featured Photo: Shadyside Inn All Suites Hotel/Facebook

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