Hill County Paw Pals, Hill County, Texas
  

Rescue Airlift Bridge to Aspen, Colorado Well Traveled

            Since September, three additional rescue airlifts with some 30 Hill County dogs were arranged to move north to Colorado to a better life...or just to have a life since these dogs were either abandoned and would have met certain horrific death or scheduled to be unceremoniously euthanized.  By arrangement from Carole and David Huens, of Paw Pals adoption committee, the dogs were airlifted to Aspen, Colorado on the private jet of philanthropists Cheryl and Sam Wyly as it repositioned from Dallas Love Field to Aspen (Carole, of Whitney, is the mother of Cheryl Wyly).  Aspen is the home of a group called Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter (FAAS)(www.dogsaspen.com) where the animal shelter is proudly named Cheryl and Sam Wyly Aspen/Pitkin County Animal Shelter.  To date, over 100 dogs from Hill County have been airlifted to Aspen and with an overwhelmingly successful 100% adoption rate—some of Hill County’s abandoned dogs have found homes with celebrities; one now resides on Park Avenue—a real Cinderella story! 

            Cheryl promoted the idea of adopting Hill County Paw Pals as the sister organization of the Aspen group.  Although our two organizations are 873 miles apart, our causes parallel one another—providing shelter and hope for unwanted companion animals.  Citizens of Hill County, particularity volunteers with Paw Pals, are forever grateful to Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter for their benevolent outreach to Hill County—particularly to directors Seth Sachson and Anne Gurchick who make the pet adoption process happen.  Last year this group also made possible 200 “free” pet sterilizations for Hill County citizens of which Paw Pals administered.

            Thanks to the efforts of Paw Pals ever rising adoption program, fortunate animals of Hill County are being saved from certain death.  Paw Pals adoption program’s growing success stems from the supreme dedication of volunteer workers.  Outstandingly are director Lana Crow, Andree Luallen, Kathy Moore, and already mentioned Carole and David Huens.  Hillsboro Animal Control Officer James Deluca is also to be thanked for his unwavering dedication with life saving initiatives.  However, despite the happy ending for the dogs airlifted to Aspen, there are hundreds more that don’t get a second chance each year in Hill County.  Transporting unwanted pets to another state is not the answer to pet overpopulation in our county.  We must continue to look at already identified proactive programs of education, enforcement of existing Texas animal control laws (legislation), and low cost pet sterilization.  To support these proactive programs, we must move forward to build an animal shelter for Hill County and implement animal control for our citizens.  Isaac Newton once wrote: “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants”.  We thank Cheryl and Sam Wyly and Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter to allow us to stand upon their shoulders and view first hand how a county can achieve success with stamping out pet overpopulation and achieving a shelter where pets are adopted and not euthanized.

            Please continue to support the endeavors of Paw Pals as we reach towards the reality of installing an animal shelter and correcting our county’s pet overpopulation issue.  Visit www.helphillcountyanimals.com for information about Paw Pals or simply call: (254) 580-0679 or email: hcpawpals@yahoo.com.