Philly creator uses flights and social media to boost shelter dog adoptions

Philadelphia-area pilot and creator Ed Foley is partnering with Brandywine Valley SPCA to showcase adoptable dogs through Shelter Skip Day outings across the region. By taking some dogs on airplane rides and sharing their personalities on social media, Foley aims to help them reach new adopters.

Why it matters: - Ed Foley is trying to move adoptable dogs beyond the shelter kennel and into front of new audiences. - The effort gives dogs time to decompress, show personality and potentially connect with people who may never visit a shelter in person. - The campaign is built to turn social media views into adoptions.

What happened: - Philadelphia-area entrepreneur, pilot and creator Ed Foley is working with Brandywine Valley SPCA through the shelter’s Shelter Skip Day program. - The program takes adoptable dogs out for the day and documents their outings on Instagram and TikTok. - Some Shelter Skip Day outings include airplane rides, using Foley’s aviation background to create attention-grabbing content. - Foley said the goal is to help people see dogs as more than kennel photos and to give them a chance to show their real personalities.

The details: - Foley has featured Brandywine Valley SPCA dogs including Lemon Drop and Bluey. - Bluey’s outing became a multi-part social series. - After her flight, Bluey visited a local lemonade stand supporting the BVSPCA, got a pup cup, went on a long walk and stopped for a shopping trip at PetSmart. - Foley said the airplane gets people’s attention, but the real goal is to help viewers connect with the dog. - Foley’s audience spans aviation, exotic and performance cars, entrepreneurship, travel, dogs and adventure. - That mix gives the shelter dogs exposure to people who may not already follow rescue accounts. - Foley also highlighted Bauer, a mother dog whose puppies had already been adopted while she remained at the shelter. - Foley said stories like Bauer’s matter as much as the more attention-grabbing outings. - Foley’s social links are available on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

Between the lines: - The strategy pairs entertainment with adoption outreach. - Airplane rides are not the point by themselves; they are a hook to get people watching long enough to learn the dogs’ stories. - The approach also broadens the audience beyond traditional shelter supporters.

What's next: - Foley plans to continue featuring Brandywine Valley SPCA dogs in future Shelter Skip Day adventures across the Philadelphia area. - Future outings may include flights, neighborhood visits, local businesses or simple time outside the shelter. - The ongoing goal is to help viewers meet the dog behind the adoption photo and, in some cases, become the dog’s forever home.

The bottom line: - The program turns short outings into a digital adoption pitch, using storytelling to give shelter dogs a better shot at being noticed and adopted.