If you are a frequent CablesAndKits blog reader, you may know that we like to lend a helping hand, or “PAW” in this case, whenever possible. We have participated in several community outreach projects over the last several months and I must admit, they all have been very touching experiences.
We volunteered at PAWS Atlanta a few weeks ago and it is something I will never forget. PAWS Atlanta, formerly known as the Dekalb Humane Society, was founded in 1966. They provide medical care, shelter, nutrition, basic training and love to homeless cats and dogs until their permanent, safe homes are found. PAWS is a no-kill shelter and they do not euthanize because of space constraints. They are a non-profit organization and rely 100% on donations, so we decided to help them out!
CablesAndKits employees rallied together and donated many of the supplies PAWS needs; such as: newspapers, bleach, dog toys, cat toys, leashes, dog beds, cat food, dog food, paper towels, cat litter, laundry detergent, hand soap, trash bags, dishwashing detergent, office supplies, bowls, monetary donations and much more. We even had an opportunity to volunteer at the shelter!
After gathering all of the items that were donated, we delivered everything to PAWS Atlanta and they were incredibly grateful for all of the help we provided to them. The shelter manager gave us a tour of the facility, and gave us a little history on the shelter and all they do for the animals. PAWS goes to several animal control facilities each week and rescues as many animals as possible that literally have days/hours to live, and gives them a second chance at life! Many of the animals are sick and have to be nursed back to health before they can be adopted, and PAWS is able to provide the care these animals need through the public’s donations.
We visited the building where the cats live, and they have it made! All of the rooms the cats are in have screened-in porches on them so they can be inside and out whenever they want. We were also able to see where the dogs stay, and got to walk several of them. PAWS has several volunteers that walk each dog multiple times a day, so they get plenty of exercise and socialization. There were a few puppies that had just gotten there that were a part of a puppy mill tragedy. PAWS Atlanta heard about this terrible situation and went to pick up as many puppies as they could facilitate!
We also helped paint a building (aka a BIG dog house) for two of the dogs that are permanent residents at PAWS. Barbara and Betty have been at the shelter since 2001 and have grown attached to each other, so they cannot be separated or they will both shut down completely. They were both adopted out and became depressed and stopped eating, so they had to be returned to PAWS and are doing just fine now! They have gotten so used to life at the shelter, they don’t know how to function outside of it; therefore, they will live the rest of their lives at PAWS Atlanta! We were happy to help with this project, and it is a great feeling to be able to help support such a great cause! This has been yet another successful CnK outreach project!
PAWS Atlanta has cared for and adopted out more than 30,000 cats and dogs, and they are only able to provide for these animals through donations and volunteer help from the public. If you would like to help in any way, or learn more about the cause, please visit www.pawsatlanta.org for more information.
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