By Cindy Alvarez
To most people, their pets are a part of the family. For some of Tulsa’s homeless, however, their pets are the only family they have. In these situations, the people often depend on their animals as much as the animals depend on their owners.
Not only are they like their children, but they also often serve as protectors, companions, supporters, motivators and intermediaries. The bond between the homeless and their pets is an important one and can be a stabilizing factor in an otherwise unsteady reality.
An animal is sometimes the only constant in the individual’s life, and he or she will do whatever is necessary to keep it safe. Sometimes, this means putting the needs of their animals before their own, even when it means that their own illnesses remain untreated.
Compounding the dilemma, local homeless shelters don’t have the capacity to take in pets. So, if seeking continuing medical treatment would leave their pets simply abandoned, it leaves some no other option than to forego treatment, as to not leave behind their furry friends.
THE NEED IS BIG
In working with Mental Health Association Oklahoma, Katy Inhofe saw this situation arise over and over again. Getting people the help they needed was more difficult when those people didn’t feel they could leave their animals behind in order to do so. The group surveyed the Community Service Council, a group involved with enhancing local community development, and found that this barrier to treatment was a common obstacle for those who had no other options. So, she and other members got to work on how to help solve this important issue. They began structuring a new program, Pause4Paws, a nonprofit organization that was created to help with short-term foster placement of pets for those in need of medical services.
They employed Cindy Webb as the executive director and officially launched their services in January 2019. By Cindy Alvarez 16 TulsaPets May/June 2019 A TEMPORARY HOME FOR THE PETS OF TULSANS IN NEED Webb has a big heart for both those in need and also for pets in general. She recounts the story of a woman she encountered shortly after the program launched. When doing the intake for her and her dog, one of the first pets taken into the program, Webb asked the woman for her emergency contact number.
“I have no one,” the woman said. And this is why Pause4Paws was created. The only reason this woman was accepting treatment for her mental health crisis was because Pause4Paws was there to care for her dog. If she hadn’t been told about the program, she possibly would have put her pet’s needs above her own. “You didn’t tell me this job was going to break my heart,” Webb said. “The need is big.”
GETTING THEM THE HELP THEY NEED
The program is specifically for those impacted by homelessness, mental illness or addiction and will accept pets whose owners need emergency medical, mental health or substance abuse treatment. This service lightens the burden for people who need the help but are afraid of how it would affect their pets’ lives. It serves as a safety net for those who may find themselves in need of the extra support but don’t want to give their pets up in order to get it. “It really is a big push for us to make sure that people understand that when their pet comes into foster care, they will get their pet back. It doesn’t matter the situation they’re going back to; they’re going to get their pet back. It can be a big boost to their mental health to be able to have their pet cared for and know that they’re safe.” It’s important that the animals are fully cared for, and the organization does more than just foster for those in need of their services. Every animal that comes through the Pause4Paws program is also spayed/ neutered and vaccinated at no charge to the owner.
Spay Oklahoma has been a great resource by offering an affordable option for Pause4 Paws to help animals get the care they need. They also work with several local veterinary offices. Veterinary Associates, VCA Central, Brookside Animal Hospital, City Vet and River Trail Animal Hospital have all been invaluable in providing medical care for pets in the program.
BECOMING PART OF THE PROGRAM
“Our goal is to help people get the help they need to become more independent in life,” Webb said. Tulsa has embraced the Pause4Paws mission, and word is spreading quickly. They are always welcomed and thanked for their offerings by social services staff and have been well-received by the community that knows the importance of their work. In order to get into the Pause4Paws program, clients must be referred by a case manager or other partner agency. There is an eligibility checklist clients must meet before their animals can be accepted. They must have no other pet care resources; they must be willing to let the organization spay/neuter and vaccinate their pets; and they must take the pet back after they are released from care. The pet also cannot be sick or injured and must not be a safety hazard to the foster family. Once the organization receives a call from an agency and acquires the necessary information, an agreement is signed by the pet owner. After paperwork is finalized, Pause4- Paws will arrange transportation for the animal to go directly to a partnering veterinary clinic to be checked out. Once vetted, the animal will stay with the foster family until its owner is released from treatment. While most of the pets in the program are dogs or cats, Webb said the organization will also take in some small caged animals, to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Because of the nature of the situations, these animals are fostered just for a short time, generally between 5 to 30 days. While the initial timeline may need to be renegotiated in special circumstances, this gives people just enough time to get the treatment they need and get their pets back in a short time period.
The organization has also been in contact with the City of Tulsa in order to work together in time-sensitive situations. If someone is in need of emergency assistance, and it’s late at night or on a weekend where the staff can’t get to the pet immediately, the City of Tulsa has agreed to pick up the animal and house it until Pause4Paws can take over. Pause4Paws and its founders are thankful for the collaboration with and support from the Tulsa community, enabling the organization to further assist those in need.
Photo by Cindy Alvarez
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Pause4Paws is funded in part by several wonderful organizations: the Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation, the Hardesty Family Foundation, the Little Family Foundation and the Flint Family Foundation.
Additionally, foster families are a crucial aspect of the program’s success. “Our program is completely dependent on foster families, so that is a continual need that we have—to recruit foster families that are willing and able to take in a pet for a short time,” Webb said.
Pause4Paws is currently taking applications for foster families to assist with their quickly-growing need for placements. Interested applicants can fill out an application, which is found on the website. Next, a meeting and home visit are required to make sure the home is suitable for the pets in need. Once approved, the foster family can begin assisting animals, allowing the owners to receive needed treatment without worry for their precious pets.
At press time, Pause4Paws has 10 families available to foster the pets in the program. Because of the demand, their goal is to have up to 50 families available. So, if you love animals and have the schedule and accommodations to provide temporary care, please fill out an application. Both fosters and pet owners remain anonymous—the organization is the link between the two. If you cannot foster but still want to get involved, the organization needs people to assist with transporting pets to vet appointments and to/from foster care. They also need assistance with fundraising events, recruiting new fosters, providing computer tech assistance and gathering donated pet food, leashes, toys, bedding and other supplies.
Additional veterinary assistance is also welcome. If you are in the veterinary field and are able to contribute your time and talent to this worthy cause, please fill out a volunteer form on the website. And, of course, private monetary donations always help keep the operation running smoothly.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND PAUSE4PAWS
A true animal lover, Webb remembers all the names of the pets that have come through the program. She knows their stories, their personalities and remembers their reactions when going into foster care, as well as their reactions to being reunited with their owners once they were released from treatment.
Emotional reunion videos on the Pause4Paws Facebook page show ecstatic pets being returned to their similarly overjoyed people. One recent reunion especially moved Webb when a Beagle named Little Girl was returned to her mom.
“Getting Little Girl back with [her owner] was just so heartwarming. Just to see the excitement that both the individual and the pet had for being reunited was just a beautiful thing.”
If someone you know needs assistance provided by Pause4Paws, please have him or her contact a care representative for a referral. If he or she does not currently have a representative, the individual can call 211 to get in touch with one. 211 is a free and confidential service put in place by Tulsa’s Community Service Council and Oklahoma City’s HeartLine.
Visit www.pause4pawsok or like them on Facebook @Pause4Pawsok for more information. ■
