Air Charter Service utilises Boeing 747 for rescue animal flight

Air Charter Service (ACS) has utilised a Boeing 747 freighter to move a variety of animals weighing a total of 50 tons to a sanctuary in India.

ACS said that the move involved transporting a “whole host” of animals that had been rescued from zoos, circuses and trafficking networks from Bangkok to a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation centre in Ahmedabad on India’s eastern coast.

The animals, which included zebras, sloths, wallabies, hawks, pacas and raccoons, required close monitoring by veterinary staff during transport, while it was important to ensure documentation was correct.

ACS Singapore chief executive Brendan Toomey said: “We received a call from our client who was looking to transport a whole host of animals from Bangkok to Ahmedabad, to a sanctuary hosting thousands of similar animals – many rescued from circuses, zoos, or trafficking networks.

“There was a wide range of different animals that needed to fly on the charter, including zebras, sloths, wallabies, hawks, pacas and raccoons, all of which needed to be monitored by onboard vets throughout the flight.

”The total weight of the animals, their enclosures, their food and the vets came to 50 tons, meaning a B747 was the best choice for the flight. Initially, we worked closely with the Thai Civil Aviation Association and the client to ensure all correct export documents were provided, in order to get the permits in a timely manner, as we were given less than two weeks’ notice to get the job done.

“The representative from our Singapore office on the ground helped coordinate the airport warehouse, a dedicated area and necessary equipment in order to load the animals safely and as swiftly as possible.

”He then travelled on the charter to help manage the offloading process in India, before the animals’ onward journey to their new home.”