two people at airport holding Canine Companions puppy

Airplane full of puppies lands in Connecticut; pups to begin new lives assisting people with disabilities

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A small private airplane landed at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks on Wednesday night, and delivered sweetness, joy and hope to nine families waiting on the tarmac.

Nine 8-week-old puppies, which were flown from California, were carried off the plane one by one and handed over to the people who will begin their training to become assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

Two Canine Companions puppies sitting in front of an airplane

Volunteer Pilots Transport Future Service Dogs

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When the coronavirus pandemic made transporting future service dogs on commercial flights increasingly difficult, Canine Companions looked to private pilots for help and they stepped up in a big way, allowing the mission to continue in a difficult year.