Steklenski became sad as he piloted the plane with Ashlyn in the seat next him, thinking about how this may be her final flight anywhere.

Even though Steklenski is used to transporting needy puppies to rescues so they may find loving homes — he normally transports between 15 to 30 dogs each month — the elderly dogs particularly tug at his heartstrings. "Those are the ones where you really focus on what they're going through," Steklenski explained to The Dodo.

Ashlyn was nervous at the bit of the two-hour travel. "She seemed a touch distant at first," Steklenski remarked. "Then she'd kind of open up a bit and get closer."

He surely made her feel better by feeding her dog treats. "She then gave me one paw, then the other," he explained.