ELIZABETHTOWN — The passenger list for a small plane that took off from the Elizabethtown airport on Tuesday was a bit unusual. There was Ginger and Ashley and Ma-Ma Mia and the four Pias — first names because they were all ... dogs.

Seven shelter dogs took off into the wild blue yonder to be flown to Pottstown, Pa., for adoption. Two Cocker Spaniels, along with a mother dog and her four young puppies made up that passenger list on the plane of John Greco from Lower Burrell, Pa. 

The dogs were being transported through an organization known as Pilots ‘N Paws, an online forum for animal rescue groups and pilots to coordinate animal transports around the country. Greco not only volunteers his time to the organization, he volunteers his plane and purchases fuel to transport the pets to places where they may become adopted. 

All the pets were named by their Bladen caretakers, including Sylvia Kim, a volunteer of the local group. Becky Spearman of Bladen County Extension Services, housed the mother dog and her four puppies, which were classified as a lab/bulldog mix. Denise Cross, owner of The Barking Lot, groomed the Cocker Spaniels and has housed them at her business for a few weeks as the decisions were being made as to where the pets would end up.  

The pets’ final destination will be Diane’s Discount Pets and Adoption Center in Pottstown, Pa.