When it comes to sick and unwanted animals, Christy Smith, District Lead of Petsmart in Mississippi, knows that Hope & Hearts 4 Paws in nearby Louisiana is one of the best places a dog can end up.
Dee Cristina, CEO of Hope & Hearts 4 Paws, and her team are devoted to helping animals get medical care and new homes.
“I’ve run into pet parents at my stores and through our conversation, I’ve learned that their pets were adopted from Dee,” says Smith. “Over and over again — and a few times with tears in their eyes — they express how grateful they are for Dee and her organization.”
Taking the Dogs No One Else Can Take
Quite simply, Hope & Hearts 4 Paws creates miracles for pets in need. That’s why Smith selected the animal rescue as a recipient of a PetSmart Charities grant.
“She takes in many of the elderly and sick dogs that other groups deny or overlook because they don’t have the time or funds to care for them,” says Smith. “Dee does all that she can to ensure that the later years of a dog’s life are the best ones.”
The grant will help the organization with their most pressing problem: medical bills.
Cristina says their monthly medical bills are over $7,000 a month, and that’s not including special surgeries like cataract or oral surgery.
“We are a small organization with minimal funding and have only a few fosters,” says Cristina. “But we rescue all we can afford and locate fosters to open their homes.”
Meet Sherman
The results are impressive. Cristina recalls one dog in particular that the organization helped, Sherman. Sherman was in a kill shelter, totally blind and in pain due to severe eye ulcers.
Hope & Hearts 4 Paws rescued Sherman and, with the help of a veterinarian, began aggressively treating the ulcers. Thanks to their help, he regained sight in one eye and ended up being adopted by the veterinarian’s parents. Now, he lives an amazing life, safe and loved.
For a small organization, Hope & Hearts 4 Paws makes a big impact. They are completely run by volunteers who are just as passionate as Dee, and they strive to help as many animals as they can.
“Our mission is to rescue the fur babies truly in need of medical care, give them hope, and heal their hearts, minds, and bodies of all that ails them,” Cristina says, “and then find amazing angels to adopt them. We believe in the power of one person giving hope and opening their hearts, and that it will multiply and carry forward.”
