Founder & Top Dog

Michael Schneider started the nonprofit organization Pilots To The Rescue in 2015 to unite his two greatest passions: general aviation and animal welfare. Today, he channels his entrepreneurial background into the rescue arena, building an efficient, hybrid transport model that has saved the lives of over 7,500 at-risk animals from euthanasia.

A Love of Animals and Aviation

Michael’s passion for animals started at a young age, but his love for aviation came a little later ignited by a spontaneous decision to go skydiving. The thrill of the small plane, the pilot’s skill, and the unique perspective of flight captivated him. After just a few jumps, he was hooked, and in 2013 at age 35, Michael earned his pilot’s license. Michael is an instrument rated commercial pilot with more than 1,500 hours.

I’ve always loved animals. My family would go to the SPCA in Westchester, New York to adopt cats and dogs. I had a pet sitting business when I was 11 and also rescued and rehabilitated injured birds.

Building a [Rescue] Mission

Always an animal advocate, in 2015 Michael heard about a litter of puppies abandoned in a ditch in rural North Carolina that were scheduled for euthanasia simply due to shelter overcrowding. Knowing that many Northeast shelters had open kennel space, Michael and a fellow pilot sprang into action, flying a rented plane to bring the puppies to safety.

I'd been looking for a sense of purpose and fulfillment for a very long time. It only took COVID-19 and 45 years to realize what I wanted to do when I grew up.

For years, Michael balanced these life-saving rescue missions as a "side passion" while running a successful corporate events management business. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the event industry in 2021, Michael made the bold decision to leave the corporate world behind and commit to Pilots To The Rescue full-time.

Flying To Save Lives

Under his Michael’s leadership, Pilots To The Rescue has grown from a one-man volunteer effort into one of the country's most impactful aviation rescue networks.

What started with a single engine Piper Lance—the reliable workhorse that carried the organization through nearly a decade of flights—evolved as the demand to save lives grew.

In October 2024, Michael secured critical donor funding to scale up, purchasing a 2013 Daher Kodiak 100 turboprop. Affectionately nicknamed “Big Paw”, this powerhouse aircraft doubled Pilots To The Rescue’s capacity per rescue mission by allowing the team to safely stack crates and carry support passengers.

In February 2025, the fleet received a legendary addition when rock icon Tom Scholz, founder and lead guitarist of the band Boston, donated his personal 1980 Beechcraft Bonanza A36. Dubbed “Little Paw”, the nimble piston prop plane now serves as PTTR's economical option for smaller special operation missions.

Both aircraft are proudly hangared at PTTR’s home base at Essex County Airport (KCDW) in Fairfield, NJ, where a dedicated team of 13 volunteer pilots stands ready to fly.

To bridge the gap between shelters and airports, Pilots To The Rescue also commands a strategic fleet of 7 ground transport vans currently stationed in Fairfield, NJ, Dallas, TX, Greenville, SC and Vero Beach, FL. Plans are already underway to expand ground operations to Indianapolis, IN, by the end of 2026, alongside funding goals to add a third transport aircraft to the fleet by the end of the year.

Big Paw

Little Paw

Both aircraft are proudly hangared at Pilots To The Rescue's home base at Essex County Airport (KCDW) in Fairfield, NJ, where a dedicated team of 13 volunteer pilots stands ready to fly.

We’re not just saving animals… we’re improving people’s lives… I hear from adopters who say their pet helped them through grief, loneliness, or depression. That kind of connection is powerful. It reminds me why I started the organization.

Since 2015, this powerhouse combination of wings and wheels has allowed Pilots To The Rescue to complete over 400 missions, transporting more than 7,500 at-risk animals—including domestic pets, critically endangered wolves, and sea turtles—to safety. If there are animals in need, Michael and his team will be waiting on the tarmac, ready to fly.

Off The Runway

When Michael isn’t navigating the skies, he can be found spending time with his wife, their four energetic boys under 10 years old, and Sydney, their beloved 90-pound rescue dog. Michael and his family reside in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.