Many
who were affected by Hurricane Katrina are now getting back on their
own two feet but some are actually landing on all four in Chicago.
Watch the Video
Playful puppies and cute kittens are just some of the thousands
of pets that were chased from their homes by Katrina. Today, they
are living at PAWS -- Pets Are Worth Saving. This Chicago humane
group decided to reach out to helpless pets this fall by going on
three separate rescue missions, days after the hurricane hit New
Orleans.
"Our third mission was our biggest one. We took back 80 animals,
about 53 dogs and 27 cats I believe. I remember walking through
at the end and thinking. O my god we haven't even made a difference
because we took all these animals but there were still so many cages
that were full down their of all these animals that needed homes.
So it was great to see the difference we were making but also it
was really eye opening to see just how many animals needed help
our help in addition to what we were doing on our own as much as
we can do being a small non-profit up in Chicago, so," said Lisa
Dawson, PAWS.
PAWS vans made several 12-hour treks to a no-kill shelter just
outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. In all, more than 200 cats and
dogs were brought to Chicago. And since then many have been adopted
into loving homes. Chris and Charles Day volunteered for Paws for
two weeks straight at the Hurricane adoption events.
"Feeling really helpless with what was happening with Katrina
and wanting to do something, so it was very empowering for us. To
feel like even in a really small way we could do something that
could make a difference," said Chris Tardio, Volunteer.
"It was by far the best work I had ever done but it was also the
hardiest work. Because as Chris said, there are so many animals'
cats and dogs who need so much help. And you don't think anything
you're doing is enough. But somebody said to me. I was saying this
to somebody. They said to me; you got two choices you ether live
in the darkness or light a candle. You do what you can do. You know
I think we just chose we would light a candle and just do the bit
that we could do for the time that we could do it. Charles Day/Volunteer
Thanks to local media, hundreds of folks came out and nearly all
of the Katrina pets have been adopted.
"So it was actually a great problem to have because for once.
We actually had too many people and not enough animals which doesn't
happen very often. Normally it the other way around where there
is too many animals and not enough homes. So it was a really great
problem and I think. It raised a lot of awareness about the problem
in Chicago and how there is so many animals just in general. That
need shelter animals that need homes," said Dawson.
Not only did they volunteer, they also opened up their hearts
and home to this little guy," said Michelle Maude.
"We were not really intending to get a third dog and we went down,
one of the adoption events. I was working in one area Paws and Charles
was in another area. He came to me and he said I just met a puppy
and she stolen my heart you have to come meet her. I meet her and
he was right. She's adorable and very, very special. We decided
that not only would we volunteer but we also adopt a Katrina puppy
as well," said Chris.
PAWS has been helping Chicago's furry since 1997. Through weekly
adoption events PAWS is saving lives and educating the public but
that was not enough. They also run a spay/neuter clinic in Little
Village and since its opening in 2001 more than 23,000 pets have
been sterilized.
"To really increase adoptions, but most importantly to get to
the root of the problem. Which is the solution to the problem which
is really sterilization? So in the year 2000 we opened up the Lurie
family spay/neuter clinic. Which is Chicago's only high volume free
clinic? So anyone on public assistance or that lives in the more
impoverished communities that have high strays and low income populations.
Can come to our clinic for free and get their animals fixed, vaccinated,
checked, and it's really the most important component to stopping
the killing of homeless animals," said Paula Fasseas, PAWS.
Chicago, like many cities around the country, has a pet-overpopulation
problem in which stray animals are collected, housed for days or
weeks and when they aren't claimed or adopted are destroyed. Since
its inception, PAWS has dramatically helped reduce the killing rate
of homeless pets.
"Most of these animals come from very poor families. That can't
afford vets; they have never been to a vet. They come here they
never had a health check. So we give them vaccination, we do health
checks, if they have fleas we take care of that. If they have mites
ear mites. Any kind of basic things we take care of. While were
doing the surgery if they need things we take care of them during
the surgery because their under the anesthetics. We do a lot of
education with these families," said Paula.
Opening in the fall of 2006, the new adoption center will feature
wonderful cats and dogs in need of a home plus it will serve as
an educational center. PAWS plans to redefine the whole concept
of the term 'animal shelter.' Only the fourth of its kind in the
nation, this facility will have special living areas-dogs will have
suites instead of cages and cats will have their own kitty rooms.
"Because we really want to market these adoptable animals. We
want to have a place that we can be everyday available. We do wonderful
mall events every weekend, but we really want to have a home base
for Paws. A home for all of our volunteers. All of our adoptions
are done by volunteers and so we're opening up at Clybourn and Racine
this time next year we should be open. With a really state of the
art no kill adoption center," said Paula.
The new 13,000 square foot center will also have classical music
piped in to reduce stress and a state-of-the-art ventilation system
with 100 percent fresh air flow to eliminate disease transmission.
"We guarantee life for every animal that comes in. Some of them,
most of them need treatment we treat them and we work with them.
If some of them need special training we train them, so they all
end up very happy and we work with the owners, so that their educated.
Actually people benefit going to a shelter as appose to a pet store
or breeder because we know the animal. We know everything about
the animal. You know if you go to a pet store or breeder you don't
know what you're getting," said Paula.
Last year alone, over 24,000 homeless pets were killed in Chicago
because there are simply too many pets and not enough homes. This
new center will enable thousands more animals to live and find good
homes.
"I think dogs are all about unconditional love, I really do. I
think they are amazing creatures. Their resilient and they know
how to just be with you and adapt to your situation. They just want
to be loved and give love, it's really that easy," said Chris.
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