‘Paws Of My Heart’ picks up 22 dogs, cats

By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

Marilyn Busey and Amy Bluedorn made a lot of new friends Wednesday.

The two animal rescuers drove 10 hours from Pennsylvania Tuesday night to “clear out” the Columbus County Animal Shelter Wednesday. They are members of Paws Of My Heart, a non-profit, no-kill animal rescue in Pittsburgh, Pa.

“We want them all,” Busey told Animal Control Director Rossie Hayes, moments after being introduced. “Every one that’s adoptable, we want them.”

Busey explained that Paws Of My Heart concentrates on rescuing pets from shelters that use gas chambers to euthanize unwanted animals. The group has most recently been picking up animals in West Virginia, only a two-to-three hour trip from their home base.

“We’ve moved 32 animals from there in just the past two weeks,” Busey said.

Paws Of My Heart works with pet stores and “anyone who will help” to adopt animals out into new homes, Busey said. The group works mostly with cats, but recently branched out into rescuing dogs as well.

“This was a long way,” Busey said, “but I’d do it every day if we could.”

Adoptable animals are at a premium in northern states, especially in urban areas, due to spay and neuter programs.

“We’ve had people from up north adopt animals here before,” Hayes said, “just not this many at one time.”

Busey and Bluedorn arrived at the local shelter in an SUV around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. Plans to rent another vehicle fell through, and they were scrambling to obtain a second rental Wednesday afternoon. They found one in Wilmington, and left around 9:30 p.m., with two SUV’s crammed with 22 dogs and eight cats.

“This was kind of a gunshot trip,” Busey said. “I was doing some research on the internet when I found the Columbus County site (the Humane Society and Animal Control have a page on Petfinder.com) and we had to come.”

Columbus County Humane Society President Wayne Cameron said he looked forward to more cooperation between groups like Paws of My Heart and the local society.

“This is a good thing,” he said as Busey and Bluedorn filled out paperwork adopting 19 dogs. “This was a great effort on their part, and we appreciate all the help we can get. The key is to get animals spayed and neutered in the first place, then we’ll have fewer unwanted animals. I wish we could get rid of places like this entirely, but that will never happen.”

The Columbus County society participates in pet fairs at Wilmington pet stores, and holds adoption fairs in the county as well. The pet fairs, combined with the Petfinder website, gives the county one of the highest adoption rates in the state, but the supply always outstrips the number of people wanting pets, Cameron said.

“This gives all these pets a chance at a good life in a new home,” Cameron said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

“The sad part,” Hayes said, “is that we’ll be full again in a week.”