When tragedy strikes, Red Paw is a friend indeed
BETHAYRES - Two miniature pinschers scurried around a pen, barking incessantly and as menacingly as dogs of that size can. The target of their ire was an approaching visitor who was rudely interrupting play time. The dogs – Big Red and Noel – are current but temporary residents of World of Animals, a veterinary hospital and pet boarding shop in Bethayres. The story is in how they got there. The Philadelphia house in which the dogs lived was leveled by a fiUH. 5HG CURss wDs Rn WhH scHnH WR RIIHU hHOS WR WhH GRg’s RwnHUs, but the temporary housing offered the people was not exactly petIULHnGOy. EnWHU 5HG 3Dw, D NLnG RI 5HG CURss IRU DnLPDOs. ThRugh nRW DIfiOLDWHG wLWh 5HG CURss, 5HG 3Dw Ls RIWHn RnH RI WhH fiUsW cDOOs 5HG CURss PDNHs LI UHsLGHnWs GLsSODcHG Ey D WUDgHGy hDYH SHWs.
Red Paw then takes in the pets, or more accurately, picks them up and delivers them to one of several partners in the area, including WwR Ln BucNs CRunWy. AOO RI WhH SDUWnHUs DUH OLNH WRUOG RI AnLPDOs – a vet or a place that boards animals. Occasionally the dogs will be taken in by a foster family. The organization is the two-year-old EUDLnchLOG RI -HnnLIHU LHDUy, D 3hLODGHOShLD fiUHfighWHU DnG 5HG CURss responder.
“It takes a while to get back on your feet after you lose everything Ln D fiUH,” LHDUy sDLG. “3HWs MusW PDNH LW hDUGHU. ThDW’s why 5HG 3Dw sWDUWHG.” LHDUy shUuggHG whHn LW wDs LnWLPDWHG WhDW shH’s gRing above and beyond in caring for animals in need. To her, she saw the need and did something about it.
LDsW yHDU LHDUy figuUHG shH took in more than 150 animals. ThLs yHDU, shH’s SODcHG GRuEOH WhDW DOUHDGy, DnG WhH yHDU’s nRW half over.
When Red Paw rescues an animal, its policy is to give the RwnHUs 30 GDys WR finG suLWDEOH housing for their pet. If the aniPDO’s RwnHU Ls cRRSHUDWLYH DnG communicative – a situation that is rarer than many might think – WhHy’OO gLYH WhHP Dn DGGLWLRnDO 30 days. During that time, the pets get fed, boarded and all the veterinary trimmings free of charge to the owner. Most of 5HG 3Dw’s SDUWnHUs gLYH LHDUy a steep discount, some a complete discount, on things like neutering and vaccinations. A ORcDO SDUWnHU, CHnWHU IRU AnLPDO Referral and Emergency SerYLcHs (CA5ES) Ln LDnghRUnH, has been only too happy to help Leary and her growing, nonSURfiW RUgDnLzDWLRn.
“WhDW shH GRHs Ls LPSRUWDnW,” said Donna Steckley, Practice 0DnDgHU IRU CA5ES. “ShH’s GRnH D gUHDW MRE. TUuOy LPSUHs- sive. detting involved with Red Paw was a no-brainer for me. A ORW RI hRWHOs GRn’W WDNH SHWs, sR WhHsH SHRSOH GRn’W hDYH DnywhHUH WR SODcH WhHLU SHWs.”
Big Read and Noel eventually warmed to the visitor. Their situaWLRn wDs Puch PuUNLHU MusW WwR GDys SULRU. LHDUy hDG EHHn unDEOH WR UHDch WhHLU RwnHUs. WhLOH 5HG 3Dw’s SDUWnHUs DUH gHnHURus, WhHy hDYH nHLWhHU WhH wDys nRU WhH PHDns WR NHHS WhHP DG LnfinLWuP. When pet owners disappear, Leary handles it herself.
“SRPHWLPHs, wH hDYH WR finG hRPHs IRU WhH SHWs,” LHDUy sDLG. “WH’OO NHHS WhHP DnG finG hRPHs. WH DGRSW WhHP RuW RuUsHOYHs. WH GRn’W WDNH WhHP WR shHOWHUs. ThH whROH SRLnW RI WhLs wDs WR NHHS WhHP RuW RI shHOWHUs.”
The pets get exceptional care and, almost as importantly, exceptional attention after Red Paw gets involved.
“ThHy gHW whDW Dny RWhHU GRg whR wH ERDUG gHWs,” sDLG CRnnLH GULIfin, SUDcWLcH PDnDgHU RI WRUOG RI AnLPDOs. “ThHy gHW WLPH RuW here in the pen to play. They probably get a little extra love from the sWDII EHcDusH RI WhHLU sLWuDWLRn.”
rltimately, Leary is looking for a strong presence for Red Paw Ln DOO fiYH ORcDO cRunWLHs. -Rhn FUDnNOLn Ls WhH BucNs CRunWy CRRUGLnDWRU IRU 5HG 3Dw. -usW D cRuSOH PRnWhs DgR, FUDnNOLn SODcHG Dn 80-SRunG EuOOGRg DW CA5ES.
“The goal is to keep them in the same type of environment that WhHy’UH usHG WR,” FUDnNOLn sDLG. “,I LW’s D hRusH SHW, LI wH cDn NHHS LW Ln D IRsWHU hRPH, WhDW’s gUHDW. BuW WhDW’s nRW DOwDys SRssLEOH.”