Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/442406
arrange transportation) along with the application started the process. McGehee traveled two hours to Shreveport, LA, to meet with the first "layover" and deliver Vegeta. e person from the layover home also traveled two hours, from Texas to Shreveport, to make the connection. Vegeta remained in the home for about a month before a transport connection could be arranged. Aer that, it was a series of truck drivers who were willing to transport the dog in the cab of their truck to the next layover site or the next driver en route to the dog's home. e whole process took about two months. "It took quite a process to get (Vegeta) home," Shelly McGehee said. "He stayed at several people's houses along the way. I kept asking, 'Aaron, are you sure they're sending your dog home? Are they keeping your dog?'" Finally, though, it happened. Vegeta was delivered to Shelly McGehee in September and Aaron McGehee was discharged and returned home Oct. 3, where he and Vegeta were reunited. Shelly McGehee stressed Operation Roger isn't just for dogs and cats. "ey do snakes, turtles, spiders … whatever needs transported and they are willing to transport it," she said. Operation Roger does not transport barnyard animals and the larger the pet, the longer it may take to get the animal transported. In fact, the driver who transported Vegeta on his final leg of the journey (Brad M.) had recently transported a mastiff, which required him to remove the passenger seat from his truck to accommodate the large dog. Aaron McGehee said the application was long and very detailed, but well worth the effort. According to Maple, it needs to be. "ey want to make sure the dog is vetted and you have to have a health certificate," she said. Operation Roger is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity with the mission of transporting rescued pets to a new home or reuniting pets with their owners in an inexpensive manner. ose wanting to transport a small pet through Operation Roger must first fill out an application for transport and pay a non-refundable, tax- deductible donation of $40, which helps offset the costs associated with transporting the animal. All members of Operation Roger are volunteers. Because of this, it can take some time to have a pet transported anywhere across the country. Operation Roger cannot give those using the service a specific time of when a pet will arrive at its destination and, therefore, cannot do emergency requests. It can take as little as a couple of weeks for travel or it can take up to a few months. Everything depends on truckers who can transport the animals and when they will be in the general area of the destination. ose who transport the pets are truckers first and must meet the requirements of their job. erefore, the pet may have to be boarded at "layover" homes en route to their final destination. ese homes are temporary foster homes and are also volunteers for Operation Roger who agree to keep the pet until transportation can be arranged. Pets must be at least partially house trained (with the exception of young puppies). Pets will ride in the cab of the truck and drivers cannot take the time to house train animals while doing their job. ose receiving the pet may have to drive a few hours to make contact with the truck driver and take possession of the pet. is meeting can take place anytime during the day or night, depending on the truck driver's schedule. e person picking up the pet must agree to meet the truck driver in person at a predetermined location where the animal will be handed off. As of early December, Operation Roger had completed transport for 64 pets in 2014, bringing the total number of pets transported to 849 since 2005. Operation Roger has a goal of transporting 1,000 pets by its 10th anniversary on September 16, 2015. ose wanting to transport a pet should visit www.operationroger. com, read the instructions on how to register and fill out an application. Make sure to read the instruction carefully and understand the application process. You must register with Operation Roger before you can fill out an application. Failure to fill out the application correctly and entirely will result in delays getting your pet transported. Applications for those wanting to volunteer for Operation Roger are also available on the site. Volunteers can be truck drivers wanting to transport pets, layover homes, shuttle drivers or non-pet transport. Aaron & Vegeta Trucker Brad & Vegeta Shelly & Vegeta Aaron & Vegeta Reme' & Vegeta A S O F E A R LY D E C E M B E R , O P E R AT I O N R O G E R H A D C O M P L E T E D T R A N S P O R T F O R 6 4 P E T S I N 2 0 1 4 , B R I N G I N G T H E T O T A L N U M B E R O F P E T S T R A N S P O R T E D T O 8 4 9 S I N C E 2 0 0 5 . " " Vo l . 9 , N o . 1 TRUCKSTOP.COM 19