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Latest News Items:

2010 Calendars -- Tuesday December 22nd, 2009

Paws of Tomorrow is offering 2010 Wall Calendars featuring some of our adopted dogs. Please support our rescue by purchasing one of these calendars. If you are interested, please contact us at info@pawsoftomorrow.com for details on purchasing. They are available for $15.00

Homes for the Holiday -- Saturday December 19th, 2009

Only four of 131 dogs voluntarily surrendered Nov. 17 by an unidentified woman living near Edward remain at the Betsy Bailey Nelson Animal Control Facility on U.S. Highway 264 east of Washington. The woman told county officials that she surrendered the dogs because she couldn’t afford to take care of them any longer. Beaufort County animal-control officers first arrived at the woman’s property days before the dogs were taken. After the officers talked with her, the woman agreed to surrender the dogs. Later, with the help of Pitt County animal-control officers, the dogs were removed from the woman’s property, said Sandra Woolard, director of Beaufort County Animal Control. Most of the dogs were initially held at the county animal shelter while officers worked in conjunction with InnerBanks Canine Rescue and the SPCA of Wake County to find adequate housing for them. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Wake County took 21 dogs from the shelter to its no-kill shelter in Raleigh, while InnerBanks Canine Rescue took in 43 dogs. Another 31 dogs were euthanized at the shelter. “The rescue groups have been wonderful. They make sure they get (the dogs) homes,” Woolard said. Seven of the dogs taken by ICR have been adopted by loving families, while 26 were transferred to rescue shelters around the county, including Healing Hearts Small Animal Rescue, Minnesota Boxer Rescue, The American Bull Mastiff Association Rescue Program, Boston Terrier Rescue and Paws for Tomorrow, said ICR co-founder Mary McDonald. Some of the dogs were flown by certified volunteer pilots with Pilots N’ Paws from Warren Field Airport in Washington to Healing Hearts in Asheville and Paws for Tomorrow in Delaware, McDonald said. McDonald said she and her fellow volunteers have been working nonstop to find them homes since the dogs were surrendered. “It’s definitely a learning experience,” she said. The volunteers have tried to focus on the dogs as individuals, and not as a whole, McDonald said. “We didn’t look at the number of dogs. We looked at the individual animals, and tried to do our best with each one,” she said. “Some need a little more time before they can be adopted,” McDonald said, pointing out a particular dog. One of the dogs surrendered was a 14-year-old Maltese with medical problems. ICR took the dog from the shelter and gave it to Healing Hearts, a rescue agency that specializes in small, senior and/or special-needs animals. McDonald said ICR volunteers did their due diligence in finding suitable rescue shelters. “We had reference checks done,” she said. ICR has three pit-bull puppies and three Chihuahuas up for adoption. The animal-control officers and rescue volunteers also got help from veterinarians with Pamlico Animal Hospital and Chocowinity Veterinary Hospital, who provided medical care to some of the dogs. “Their donation of time, space, energy and services was enormous,” McDonald said. With the help of so many volunteers, McDonald said, the future looks bright for the surrendered dogs. “Their future’s wonderful. There’s somebody for all these dogs,” she said.

Petco Adoption CANCELED -- Friday December 18th, 2009

Due to the weather we are canceling the adoption event that is to be held at Petco of OC on 12/18. We do not want anyone having an accident simply by attending our event.

Fundraiser Success -- Saturday October 24th, 2009

We recently had a fundraiser at Dos Locos Fajita & Stonegrill Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, DE. We wanted to thank everyone who joined us for this night and let you know that this event was very successful for our rescue. Thanks to all of you and those at Dos Loco's we were able to raise $500 for our rescue while enjoying great food and company. We had a great night and plan to visit them again. We thank them for their generous support to our rescue. Please be sure to stop in and visit them when in the area.

Stop Gas Chamber Use -- Wednesday September 16th, 2009

A petition has been started to stop the use of gas chambers in the US. This petition by American Humane, a group that is working on the legal side to get the gas chambers stopped in America. Please take the time to sign this petition, it means life and death for so many. We have set up a link on the Gas Chambers page of our website to direct you to this petition. We appreciate everyone that supports us in this goal.

America Shelter Challenge -- Wednesday September 16th, 2009

Petfinder has started the America Rescue Site Shelter Challenge. This Challenge will grant the winning shelter $100,000. To win this challenge we would need each of you to vote from every computer you own DAILY. As well as asking your friends to do the same. $100,000 would supply our pets with the shelter needed to complete our rescue mission. Please take the time to vote each and every day. It could mean the world to many dogs and cats. We may not win but every vote is moral support for our rescue team. The link for this is located on our home page. www.pawsoftomorrow.com

A Friend of Mine Boarding -- Wednesday September 16th, 2009

This introduction is far overdue. We have found a boarding kennel in the local area that we feel is the best in care of your animals when you are away. We have visited this kennel and worked with the owner in our rescue efforts. Please consider this facility for your pets as a home away from home. They strive to offer them the best experience offered. We support them in every way and feel that their hearts are in the best possible place for any pet that needs a home while mommy and daddy are away. Please visit them at www.afriendofminekennel.com

Raffle Tickets -- Monday September 14th, 2009

We are selling raffle tickets to help our urgent pets. The following items are being raffled: $100.00 gift certificate to Beach Daze Seafood Market and Grill in Selbyville, DE. 1hr massage at Ancient Arts in Berlin, MD. And two lucky winners will receive $65.00 of dog training at Best Paws Forward in Berlin, MD. To purchase tickets please visit House Pets in Millsville, DE; Millsville Pet Stop in Millsville, DE; or Beach Daze Seafood Market and Grill in Selbyville, DE. Tickets are $3 per ticket or $12 for a book of 5. Drawing will be held on October 3rd. Please contact us for additional details.

A Heartless Job -- Monday September 14th, 2009

I Gas Dogs and Cats for a Living. I'm an Animal Control officer in a very small town in central North Carolina. I'm in my mid thirties, and have been working for the town in different positions since high school. There is not much work here, and working for the county provides good pay and benefits for a person like me without a higher education. I'm the person you all write about how horrible I am. I'm the one that gasses the dogs and cats and makes them suffer. I'm the one that pulls their dead corpses out smelling of Carbon Monoxide and throws them into green plastic bags. But I'm also the one that hates my job and hates what I have to do. First off, all you people out there that judge me, don't. God is judging me, and I know I'm going to Hell. Yes, I'm going to hell. I wont lie, it's despicable, cold, cruel and I feel like a serial killer. I'm not all to blame, if the law would mandate spay and neuter, lots of these dogs and cats wouldn't be here for me to gas. I'm the devil, I know it, but I want you people to see that there is another side to me the devil Gas Chamber man. The shelter usually gasses on Friday morning. Friday's are the day that most people look forward to, this is the day that I hate, and wish that time will stand still on Thursday night. Thursday night, late, after nobody's around, my friend and I go through a fast food line, and buy 50 dollars worth of cheeseburgers and fries, and chicken. I'm not allowed to feed the dogs on Thursday, for I'm told that they will make a mess in the gas chamber, and why waste the food. So, Thursday night, with the lights still closed, I go into the saddest room that anyone can every imagine, and let all the doomed dogs out out their cages. I have never been bit, and in all my years doing this, the dogs have never fought over the food. My buddy and I, open each wrapper of cheeseburger and chicken sandwich, and feed them to the skinny, starving dogs. They swallow the food so fast, that I don't believe they even taste it. There tails are wagging, and some don't even go for the food, they roll on their backs wanting a scratch on their bellys. They start running, jumping and kissing me and my buddy. They go back to their food, and come back to us. All their eyes are on us with such trust and hope, and their tails wag so fast, that I have come out with black and blues on my thighs.. They devour the food, then it's time for them to devour some love and peace. My buddy and I sit down on the dirty, pee stained concrete floor, and we let the dogs jump on us. They lick us, they put their butts in the air to play, and they play with each other. Some lick each other, but most are glued on me and my buddy. I look into the eyes of each dog. I give each dog a name. They will not die without a name. I give each dog 5 minutes of unconditional love and touch. I talk to them, and tell them that I'm so sorry that tomorrow they will die a gruesome, long, torturous death at the hands of me in the gas chamber. Some tilt their heads to try to understand. I tell them, that they will be in a better place, and I beg them not to hate me. I tell them that I know I'm going to hell, but they will all be playing with all the dogs and cats in heaven. After about 30 minutes, I take each dog individually, into their feces filled concrete jail cell, and pet them and scratch them under their chins. Some give me their paw, and I just want to die. I just want to die. I close the jail cell on each dog, and ask them to forgive me. As my buddy and I are walking out, we watch as every dog is smiling at us and them don't even move their heads. They will sleep, with a full belly, and a false sense of security. As we walk out of the doomed dog room, my buddy and I go to the cat room. We take our box, and put the very friendly kittens and pregnant cats in our box. The shelter doesn't keep tabs on the cats, like they do the dogs. As I hand pick which cats are going to make it out, I feel like I'm playing God, deciding whose going to live and die. We take the cats into my truck, and put them on blankets in the back. Usually, as soon as we start to drive away, there are purring cats sitting on our necks or rubbing against us. My buddy and I take our one way two hour trip to a county that is very wealthy and they use injection to kill animals. We go to exclusive neighborhoods, and let one or two cats out at a time. They don't want to run, they want to stay with us. We shoo them away, which makes me feel sad. I tell them that these rich people will adopt them, and if worse comes to worse and they do get put down, they will be put down with a painless needle being cradled by a loving veterinarian. After the last cat is free, we drive back to our town. It's about 5 in the morning now, about two hours until I have to gas my best friends. I go home, take a shower, take my 4 anti-anxiety pills and drive to work.. I don't eat, I can't eat. It's now time, to put these animals in the gas chamber. I put my ear plugs in, and when I go to the collect the dogs, the dogs are so excited to see me, that they jump up to kiss me and think they are going to play. I put them in the rolling cage and take them to the gas chamber. They know. They just know. They can smell the death.. They can smell the fear. They start whimpering, the second I put them in the box. The boss tells me to squeeze in as many as I can to save on gas. He watches. He knows I hate him, he knows I hate my job. I do as I'm told. He watches until all the dogs, and cats (thrown in together) are fighting and screaming. The sounds is very muffled to me because of my ear plugs. He walks out, I turn the gas on, and walk out. I walk out as fast as I can. I walk into the bathroom, and I take a pin and draw blood from my hand. Why? The pain and blood takes my brain off of what I just did. In 40 minutes, I have to go back and unload the dead animals. I pray that none survived, which happens when I overstuff the chamber. I pull them out with thick gloves, and the smell of carbon monoxide makes me sick. So does the vomit and blood, and all the bowel movements. I pull them out, put them in plastic bags. They are in heaven now, I tell myself. I then start cleaning up the mess, the mess, that YOU PEOPLE are creating by not spay or neutering your animals. The mess that YOU PEOPLE are creating by not demanding that a vet come in and do this humanely. You ARE THE TAXPAYERS, DEMAND that this practice STOP! So, don't call me the monster, the devil, the gasser, call the politicians, the shelter directors, and the county people the devil. Heck, call the governor, tell him to make it stop. As usual, I will take sleeping pills tonight to drown out the screams I heard in the past, before I discovered the ear plugs. I will jump and twitch in my sleep, and I believe I'm starting to hallucinate. This is my life. Don't judge me. Believe me, I judge myself enough. This has been posted all over the internet, we are unsure of who originally wrote it. We feel that it sums up what we're doing, what we work and live for every day of our lives. We need to all work together to get these laws changed, and these acts outlawed. It's not the shelter workers who make the laws, they're just forced to follow them. This is why we do what we do.

Fosters Needed for Kitten -- Wednesday August 26th, 2009

We are in URGENT need of fosters for 6 kittens. They are all in our rescue currently but the foster can no longer keep them. We need to move them right away and have no where for them to go. Please offer these guys a temporary home. It would mean the world to them and to us. If you are interested, please contact us for details.

URGENT Help Needed -- Monday August 24th, 2009

Most of you know how high the cost of pet care can be. Besides the pet food, bedding, flea treatment, and heartworm medicine; we are faced with many bills for these animals. Most of them come to us from far worse conditions than most could imagine and they are faced with many challenges to prepare for adoption. We understand that a $300 adoption fee is a lot of money, especially in this economy but most of our dogs surpass that cost in vetting fees. The last few weeks we have been faced with far more vet bills than any rescue can handle. Our vetting costs for last week were $4980.51 for our new and current dogs. And now, it is only Monday and have already faced $1112.65 in costs this week. That's $6093.16 in 8 days. We can not cover bills of this capacity with our adoption fees alone. Many of our dogs have had kidney blockages, broken bones, skin infections, ear infections, flea allergies, heart murmurs, and toxin ingestion. These are all things they come to us with. We never know when we pull a dog what illnesses that dog may have. We pull dogs based on their personalities not on their overall health. We feel that a rescue is created to help the dogs that need us. The ones that are ill or have broken bones. Many rescues will only pull highly adoptive pets and we prefer the seniors or injured dogs that would never get a second glance. We get many of our dogs from puppymills. These dogs are not offer vetting care at all before they are surrendered. This means that most of these dogs must be treated for multiple problems before being placed for adoption. We do our best to insure that our dogs are healthy at the time of adoption. To do this we spend massive amounts of money helping them reach this point. But they repay us every day by showing us how grateful they really are. And then we insure that all dogs over 6 months are spay/neutered before adoption as well. Those costs are high as well. This week we have 7 dogs that need to be spay/neutered. We are sad to say that we will have to put a halt on pulling anymore dogs until these costs are covered. It would be irresponsible of us to pull a dog that we could not vet in its entirety. So we are reaching out to you for help with this matter. Please help us save more lives by donating to our rescue and helping us cover these urgent bills. Shelter dogs everywhere are relying on us. However, we can not fight this battle alone. PLEASE donate even a small amount to help us at this time. These dogs need you as much as they need us. One dollar can not change the world but one dollar can change the world for one dog....

Help Needed for 09' Goals -- Tuesday August 18th, 2009

My name is April and I am the main operator of the rescue. I spend 7 days a week, 24 hours a day working with these animals and local shelters to find homes for our pets in need. We have been working hard over the last year to make my life more comfortable for these pets and work more efficiently with the rescue. All of my work is solely volunteer work, I am not compensated for this work but one look in the eyes of these animals is payment enough. Sometimes, the rescue can get a little overwhelming. There are so many things that we have visions of doing but, simply have not had the man power to put these things into place. As most of you know, we have moved to a new location and have a 4 acre partial for our rescues to run and play. We have also set up an office to operate out of. This office is connected to my home, to help with the time constraint of every day life. We are now looking for volunteers to help at this location. We need individuals that are willing to become involved in many ways. To help make a difference in the life of these animals. We need individuals to simply play with, feed, and help clean up after the animals held at this location. We will average about 15-20 rescues held here. There is a fenced area for them to run but we still want them to have one on one attention. With the massive amount of emails we receive each and every day, along with phone calls, mail, and visitors; it is hard for us to give them the attention they deserve. That is why we are reaching out to you. The operating hours for our location will be 1pm - 7pm. If you or someone you know has an hour or two to spare ANY day, please let us know. Any help will be appreciated. We are also looking for a couple people to do fundraising coordination. These individuals would work together to set up and organize fund raiser for our rescue. We have many ideas but need someone to help do the leg work and put them into place. We are always open to new ideas also. One of our most urgent positions would be someone to help write letters to DE and MD businesses with the hopes of getting donations for a much needed kennel location. We have found that many businesses will donate materials for the building itself. Fund raising along will not be enough to build this kennel as quickly as we need it to be done. With winter approaching quickly, we will need to have a enclosed area prepared. At this time we are using an abandoned building on the property but the floor is very unstable and the roof could cave at any time. We would like to take this building out and put another building in its place. As you can see, this is an urgent matter and needs our prompt attention. Anyone that is willing to help us visit businesses or write letters for this will be greatly appreciated. We would like to set up a meeting for anyone interested at our new location so that they can see our goals and gather information for an organized process. We are going to meet with a builder to put a plan into place and get an idea of the costs and supplies involved. This will be a stepping stone process. We also need individuals to transport pets to and from our location. For example, we are meeting a transporter tonight to pick up 7 small dogs. We meet them close to Easton and bring them back to our location. The main problem with this is that these types of transports run around 2am. Along with this, we need someone to assist in taking animals to and from the vet. Our vetting location is Berlin Animal Clinic in Berlin, MD. We are also in hopes of finding a cheap vehicle to use for transports and runs for the rescue. A van or SUV to put kennels in. Again, fund raising will play a huge part in this. And then we have general office work. People to help with returning phone calls, answering emails, listing new dogs, taking photos, making copies, filing, mailing records, preparing adoption packets, making fliers, passing out information, and so on. These things would have to be done from our location because all of our records are kept here. Again, our operating hours will be from 1pm - 7pm. Although, the office itself will be closed on Sundays. Obviously this does not include the kennel because the dogs will need attention 7 days a week. Right now our office is still very unorganized from the move, but we are working hard to get it set up and running smoothly. We are hoping to have everything set up and running by the 24th. Anyone interested in assisting with our rescue, please contact us. We need help more than ever and are attempting to make 2009 a year to remember for Paws of Tomorrow.

If We Only Knew.... -- Tuesday August 18th, 2009

They told me the big black Lab's name was Reggie as I looked at him lying in his pen. the shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. I'd only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street. But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn't hurt. Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie's advertisement on the local news. The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn't look like "Lab people," whatever that meant. They must've thought I did. But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes, and a sealed letter from his previous owner. See, Reggie and I didn't really hit it off when we got home. We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too. Maybe we were too much alike. For some reason, his stuff (except for the tennis balls - he wouldn't go anywhere without two stuffed in his mouth) got tossed in with all of my other unpacked boxes. I guess I didn't really think he'd need all his old stuff, that I'd get him new things once he settled in. but it became pretty clear pretty soon that he wasn't going to. I tried the normal commands the shelter told me he knew, ones like "sit" and "stay" and "come" and "heel," and he'd follow them - when he felt like it. He never really seemed to listen when I called his name - sure, he'd look in my direction after the fourth of fifth time I said it, but then he'd just go back to doing whatever. When I'd ask again, you could almost see him sigh and then grudgingly obey. This just wasn't going to work. He chewed a couple shoes and some unpacked boxes. I was a little too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell. The friction got so bad that I couldn't wait for the two weeks to be up, and when it was, I was in full-on search mode for my cellphone amid all of my unpacked stuff. I remembered leaving it on the stack of boxes for the guest room, but I also mumbled, rather cynically, that the "damn dog probably hid it on me." Finally I found it, but before I could punch up the shelter's number, I also found his pad and other toys from the shelter.. I tossed the pad in Reggie's direction and he snuffed it and wagged, some of the most enthusiasm I'd seen since bringing him home. But then I called, "Hey, Reggie, you like that? Come here and I'll give you a treat." Instead, he sort of glanced in my direction - maybe "glared" is more accurate - and then gave a discontented sigh and flopped down. With his back to me. Well, that's not going to do it either, I thought. And I punched the shelter phone number. But I hung up when I saw the sealed envelope. I had completely forgotten about that, too. "Okay, Reggie," I said out loud, "let's see if your previous owner has any advice."......... _______________________________________ To Whoever Gets My Dog: Well, I can't say that I'm happy you're reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie's new owner. I'm not even happy writing it. If you're reading this, it means I just got back from my last car ride with my Lab after dropping him off at the shelter. He knew something was different. I have packed up his pad and toys before and set them by the back door before a trip, but this time... it's like he knew something was wrong. And something is wrong... which is why I have to go to try to make it right. So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you. First, he loves tennis balls. the more the merrier. Sometimes I think he's part squirrel, the way he hordes them. He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there. Hasn't done it yet. Doesn't matter where you throw them, he'll bound after it, so be careful - really don't do it by any roads. I made that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly. Next, commands. Maybe the shelter staff already told you, but I'll go over them again: Reggie knows the obvious ones - "sit," "stay," "come," "heel." He knows hand signals: "back" to turn around and go back when you put your hand straight up; and "over" if you put your hand out right or left. "Shake" for shaking water off, and "paw" for a high-five. He does "down" when he feels like lying down - I bet you could work on that with him some more. He knows "ball" and "food" and "bone" and "treat" like nobodies business. I trained Reggie with small food treats. Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog. Feeding schedule: twice a day, once about seven in the morning, and again at six in the evening. Regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand. He's up on his shots. Call the clinic on 9th Street and update his info with yours; they'll make sure to send you reminders for when he's due. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet. Good luck getting him in the car - I don't know how he knows when it's time to go to the vet, but he knows. Finally, give him some time. I've never been married, so it's only been Reggie and me for his whole life. He's gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn't bark or complain. He just loves to be around people, and me most especially. Which means that this transition is going to be hard, with him going to live with someone new. And that's why I need to share one more bit of info with you.... His name's not Reggie. I don't know what made me do it, but when I dropped him off at the shelter, I told them his name was Reggie. He's a smart dog, he'll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. but I just couldn't bear to give them his real name. For me to do that, it seemed so final, that handing him over to the shelter was as good as me admitting that I'd never see him again. And if I end up coming back, getting him, and tearing up this letter, it means everything's fine. But if someone else is reading it, well... well it means that his new owner should know his real name. It'll help you bond with him. Who knows, maybe you'll even notice a change in his demeanor if he's been giving you problems. His real name is Tank. Because that is what I drive. Again, if you're reading this and you're from the area, maybe my name has been on the news. I told the shelter that they couldn't make "Reggie" available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. See, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could've left Tank with... and it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq , that they make one phone call the the shelter... in the "event"... to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he'd do it personally. And if you're reading this, then he made good on his word. Well, this letter is getting to downright depressing, even though, frankly, I'm just writing it for my dog. I couldn't imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids and family. but still, Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family.. And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he loved me. That unconditional love from a dog is what I took with me to Iraq as an inspiration to do something selfless, to protect innocent people from those who would do terrible things... and to keep those terrible people from coming over here. If I had to give up Tank in order to do it, I am glad to have done so. He was my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades. All right, that's enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. I don't think I'll say another good-bye to Tank, though. I cried too much the first time. Maybe I'll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth. Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me. Thank you, Paul Mallory _____________________________________ I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope. Sure I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver Star when he gave his life to save three buddies. Flags had been at half-mast all summer. I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog. "Hey, Tank," I said quietly. The dog's head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright. "C'mere boy." He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn't heard in months. "Tank," I whispered. His tail swished. I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my face into his scruff and hugged him. "It's me now, Tank, just you and me. Your old pal gave you to me." Tank reached up and licked my cheek. "So whatdaya say we play some ball? His ears perked again. "Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?" Tank tore from my hands and disappeared in the next room. And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth.

Our Office -- Saturday August 15th, 2009

We are in the process of moving to a new office location. During this time, applications and responses will be delayed. We do apologize for this and hope that everyone can understand. We are working hard to help more animals in the future, as well as, care for the ones currently in our rescue. We hope to unpack quickly and get back on track. This will take some time but we are working hard to make this a smooth process. All records and mailings will be delayed during this time as well. We also have 9 small dogs coming this week. We will need foster homes for them and will list them quickly. Please check the site for them on Wednesday. We need your help more than ever right now, to insure that our pets are given the love they deserve. As our time will be greatly reduced. However, after this time, we feel that we will be unstoppable as a rescue group. We will plan an open house/meet and greet for everyone once we have gotten organized. This will help show you the strides we are taking to make Paws of Tomorrow a loving, safe, and fun environment for each of the animals that grace our presence.

Newsletter -- Thursday July 23rd, 2009

We have recently decided that we will be making updated via our news articles with information that we need to spread the word about. Currently we are working with Mrs. Edna Walls to set-up a petition to stop puppy mills in MD and DE. We need help getting as many signatures as possible for this petition. If you would be able to help with this, please contact us for details. We will have the petitions available at all events for individuals to sign but would like to have others passing them around as well. The more signatures we can get the better. We know of 4 puppy mills that are running LOCALLY. We have inside information on some of them and can tell you that many would be shocked by the information we could share. As well as, the locations of the current puppy mills being operated in your back yard. We also need to know of other puppy mills that you may be aware of. We are doing all that we can to gather information to take to law makers about this and help these innocent animals. It is the animals that are suffering from this each day. We owe it to each of them to try.... Please contact us if you would be interested in assisting with the process or have information that you feel would be of benefit to us. We are also in the process of moving to a location that will allow for a central meeting place. However, to achieve this we will need donations of supplies or monetary donations for setting up the location to allow this. This location will need a fence and building for housing urgent dogs. We are asking for help with this as well. Please consider attending one of our fundraisers or contacting us with ideas for helping with the goal. We have been striving for this for a very long time; please help us make this dream a reality. Please remember that all donations are tax deductible and will mean the world to our animals. If you can't donate, consider passing out fliers to promote our upcoming events. This week we need individuals that will pass out fliers for our fundraiser on the 30th. You can see our upcoming fundraisers and adoption days on our events page.

The Strays That Stayed -- Tuesday July 21st, 2009

How the founder of Petfinder.com found her calling By Betsy Saul, Chapel Hill, North Carolina August, 2009 You’ve heard of Petfinder.com [1]—a website that helps shelters and rescue groups find loving homes for animals? Maybe you even found your own pet through the site—we’ve facilitated more than 13 million adoptions. But did you know Petfinder started as an inspiration that came out of the blue on the way to a New Year’s dinner? As a kid I’d volunteered with a rescue group, but as an adult, I’d turned to a career in natural resources. Until that night, I had no idea I was about to get involved in pet adoption again. Back in 1995 Google wasn’t a verb and Facebook didn’t exist. The world wide web was more of a wild world. My husband, Jared, and I weren’t dot-commers. He was beginning his medical residency and I worked for New Jersey’s urban forestry. But we were intrigued by the sense that anything was possible on the web. We just didn’t think it was being used effectively. The question was, what would benefit from its fantastic search capabilities? That’s what we were discussing in the car that night on the way to meet friends for dinner. The site we were dreaming of would be searchable, sortable and colorful. We tossed around ideas. Maybe real estate listings? But that didn’t seem right. If we were going to try to use some of this new digital power, it should be worthwhile. “The ultimate website would harness technology for a socially responsible cause,” Jared said. I nodded. We fell silent. What cause needed our help? Then we both said, in unison, “What about animal shelters?” I got goose bumps when I thought of all the lives we could save. What were the chances the same inspiration would strike us at the same instant? Sure, we loved animals and I’d “rescued” them when I was a kid (like the snake I found in the backyard and convinced my parents to let me keep), but now my focus was on planting trees and building green spaces in cities and Jared’s was on healing the sick. We didn’t even have a pet. Yet I knew every year, millions of abandoned pets—healthy, loving animals who wanted only for a home—were killed. We couldn’t wait to tell our friends our idea. They volunteered to help. Jared and I worked on Petfinder.com [1]—that’s what we named it—whenever we weren’t at our jobs. He did the programming and I designed the site. Our friends helped spread the word to shelters. Animal-welfare groups are usually strapped for funds, so we wanted the site to be free to them and to potential adopters. That meant all expenses came out of our pocket. But we knew if we saved just one life a month, it would be worth it. We launched the site with 13 shelters. I entered all the data because most shelter folks didn’t have access to the internet. It was odd for the Petfinder creators to be without a pet, but that didn’t last long. One morning a few months after we launched, I was on my way to work, walking to the train station, when I had my purse snatched—by a dog. Off he ran. I followed and retrieved it—and him, using my purse as a leash (he wouldn’t let go). The dog seemed to be on his own, so I called Jared. He picked us up. This was our first chance to use our site ourselves. We checked with shelters to see if anyone was looking for him. Then we posted him on Petfinder, named him Max and prepared to interview prospective adopters. We discovered how effective Petfinder was. Soon we heard from several interested people. But none seemed right. “I’ll take him,” one man said. “He’s used to living outside. Perfect for guarding my junkyard.” Used to living outside? I don’t think so. That’s when I realized we’d already found Max a home—ours! In those early days, my biggest struggle was hearing heartbreaking stories about abused or abandoned animals. The pup who was left tied to a lamp post in a thunderstorm. The dog who almost ran into traffic trying to escape some mean kids throwing rocks at him. Because of his physician’s training, Jared was able to keep his emotions somewhat apart from the work. But me, I’d go from outrage to sorrow to helplessness as I put up dogs’ photos on our website. Could our efforts make a difference when there were so many animals in desperate need? Then a few months into our project, something changed. Somehow my perspective shifted. I started to see the hopeful side of those sad stories, like the woman who chased off the mean kids and coaxed the dog into her car, or the vet who stayed after hours to patch up a street cat who’d been injured, or the family who adopted an abused dog and lovingly taught her to trust again. Or the wonderful community in Bowling Green, Kentucky, that helped a stray dog with a broken jaw. A police officer carried him off the street to the humane society, which posted him on Petfinder. A veterinary dentist donated his services. A woman in another state saw the Petfinder posting and knew her friend in Ohio would be the perfect owner. Once the adoption was arranged, a chain of volunteer drivers took the dog to his new home. Finding the heroes in those situations—and there always are—was empowering. It reminded me that no matter how small, every action a person takes to help one of God’s creatures has an impact. And that when we put together all the pieces each of us works on, we can make a big difference. There was one thing, though, about Petfinder I didn’t understand—the idea that you could see an animal’s picture and know you were meant to be together. “It was love at first sight!” I kept hearing from happy new pet owners, like the couple who drove from Florida to Michigan to adopt a black cat they saw on our site. I assumed Petfinder would be like the Yellow Pages, but you’d still need to meet your new pet to fall in love. That is, until about a year after we started Petfinder. I was going through some incoming adoption lists when a photo of a big, spotted mutt named Kobie made me stop short. I couldn’t turn away from his face looking out from behind the bars of a crate in a shelter in Harlem. He was a year old, but he had the eyes of an old soul. I know you, I thought. I called the shelter. Kobie was scheduled to be euthanized at five o’clock that day. I’d never make it there in time. The woman at the shelter proposed a deal: “I’ll put Kobie in my Jeep and meet you halfway…but you have to take two other dogs that are going to be euthanized today.” What am I getting myself into? But it was too late. I’d made up my mind the second I saw Kobie’s photo. Jared wasn’t so sure, but we drove to the halfway point and piled the dogs into the car. Friends fostered the other two, and it didn’t take long for Kobie to become a part of our family. Two years later our site went nation¬al. I left forestry to devote myself to it full-time. Today, more than 12,500 animal welfare groups post animals on Petfinder; 65 percent of animal adoptions in the U.S. come through the site, includ¬ing most of the animals on my farm in North Carolina. Max and Kobie have passed on, but I live with three horses, seven chickens, a guinea hen, two goats, a sheep, two guinea pigs, two cats and a dog. Helping animals find homes isn’t always easy, but it’s what I was meant to do. Every day I’m reminded we’re all connected in ways beyond our imagining. Maybe it goes back to what first struck me about the web, that anything is possible. I hear so many stories like Max and Kobie’s, and well, with over two million adoptions a year…let’s just say I get a lot of goose bumps

Fels responds -- Friday May 29th, 2009

Editor: I am writing this letter in response to a letter published on May 15 by Sandra Ray of Bethany Beach. The letter was of her disappointment in our group for not assisting the dogs in Delaware. Paws of Tomorrow would like to clear up these miscommunications and state that 90 percent of our animals now come from Delaware and until recently only 2 percent of our adopters were from Delaware. We transport all over the East Coast. Because of this, most of our adopters are not from this local area. We have started doing more public events and adoption days locally but still we have many adoptions from out of state. Virginia and New Hampshire are our top adoption states. We will adopt a dog to any area in the U.S. that will give these dogs a great home. We have one dog that now resides in Colorado. The gentleman and his wife drove all the way to Delaware to pick up their new baby. We have changed our systems over the course of time to pull the majority of our homeless animals from the local area. We still take some of our pets from out of state, but only about 5 to 10 percent of them come from other areas. Paws of Tomorrow animal rescue has only been in operation since Oct. of 2008. We have worked hard to help every animal that found its way into our care. Our main reason for not originally pulling dogs from Delaware was because the shelters in this area are not as rescue-friendly as other states. We have bent over backwards to work with them and yet only Kent County SPCA has agreed to work with us. We now pull most of our animals from Kent County, as well as donating food, treats and other items to the shelter for the animals we cannot assist. We pull an average of 5 pets per week from them currently. And if they have some that are facing euthanasia, we pull from that list also. We are dedicating our lives to helping the Delaware animals. However, we can only do this if the shelters will allow us. We have extended our help to the Georgetown SPCA. They have told us that they are no longer a “kill” shelter and do not need our help. We applaud anyone that is trying to help these animals and feel that anything the shelters can do is great, although recently we have gotten a lot of our owner surrenders from individuals that have been to the SPCA in Georgetown and been turned away. They say they are too full and cannot accept the animals. We recently took four kittens and a pure bred Great Pyrenees that were turned away from the shelter. The Great Pyrenees weighs in at about 130 pounds and within a day of being on our Web site had brought in eight applications. We prefer to help local animals; it saves us valuable time and energy that we spend transporting dogs from out of state. Paws of Tomorrow is an all-volunteer team. We all have other jobs and spend our lives helping these animals because we care. Unlike some other rescues, we do not just take in the super-adoptable animals; we are dedicated to taking the animals that really need a rescue: the senior dogs that would never get a second glance, the injured dogs that no one wants to treat and the special-needs dogs that grab your heart. We love them all and will help any animal sent our way. Our team has faced a lot of negative feedback lately. It appears that a lot of individuals in the local area are not animal lovers and do not like that we have brought a rescue into the area. We have faced so much scrutiny in recent weeks that we almost decided to fold our hands and walk away. We almost gave up. Below is one example of trials we have faced: One of our current volunteers resides in the Forest Reach development of Frankford. He resides in this community with his wife, son and their furry friends. … Another home owner in this community does not like the fact that this resident has multiple dogs. He states that these dogs bark at him and are a nuisance. However, no one else in the community hears them bark and [they] feel they are not a problem. After contacting the home owners’ association multiple times, [this man] feels this person should be forced out. Not factoring in that only one neighbor in the entire community feels this is problem or that multiple other residents have far more dogs in their homes, the president of the home owners’ association has taken the position that the number of dogs at this residence is a violation of the covenants and restrictions of the association. This, coupled with the complaint by [the resident] is their cause of action to enforce the covenants. “Although, we acknowledge the fact that there are other homes in the community that are not in compliance, there have been no other complaints for the need of enforcement,” said [the HOA president], also stating that this, coupled with the fact that the resident is involved in rescue work (dogs that come and go), is exasperating the situation. The day after this was disclosed to the resident, all of dogs in this home were poisoned. The vet results show the toxin to be raw meat and rat poison. Paws of Tomorrow and this family spent $3,600 dollars in vet bills to help save these dogs. They did pull though, after a week of being hospitalized. However, one of the smaller dogs will be a special-needs dog for the remainder of his life, due to the toxins. What is wrong with the protection level and love for animals in the Delaware area? What has to happen before a community realizes that the home owners’ association is going too far? How is it fair or legal for them to enforce this to one home? What kind of people makes up the Forest Reach Home Owners’ Association? And how safe does it make the residents of this community feel to know that these things can happen and the home owners’ association simply looks the other way to just enforce the convents? This family has decided they will not alter their life because of this situation. Paws of Tomorrow will back them 100 percent in this decision and assist in any way possible. But when these things happen and we feel like everyone is against us in our fight, we look in the eyes of one of the animals that we have saved and remember why it’s worth it. The gratification that is offered by those puppy-dog eyes, in a dog that would have been euthanized within hours... Ava, Berber, Chauncey, Lady, Riley and Tinkerbelle are all dogs currently in our care that were pulled from Kent County at the last minute. You can view them on our Web site at www.pawsoftomorrow.com – dogs that were on the euthanasia list – take a look and you will see why we cannot give up on them. The next time you see someone involved in this or any other rescue, please take the time to stop and thank them for their continued dedications to these animals. They spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week trying to save these pets from a grim fate. To them, one word of support can be what is needed to keep going. Also, please join us for a fundraiser at Beach Daze (formerly Outrigger’s Grill) located on Lighthouse Road, Selbyville, off Route 54, on June 4 from 5 to 9 p.m. A portion of all proceeds from the restaurant and bar will be donated to Paws of Tomorrow to help us cover the medical bills for these and other animals. As you can see, we need your help more than ever. For details visit www.pawsoftomorrow.com. We would also like to thank our sponsors for their continued support to our rescue and our urgent pets: House of Pets, Millville; Jerry Mueller Real Estate, Bethany Beach; and Beach Daze Seafood Grill and Market. Please take the time to thank them for us! Without them, we would not have the ability to assist these animals locally. April Fels Paws of Tomorrow Inc.

Good News..... -- Wednesday May 13th, 2009

Seven states are considering proposals to ban carbon monoxide gas chamber use in animal shelters as a means of euthanasia, in response to animal rights supporters who say the process is inhumane. Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have legislation pending, according to Kimberley Intino, director of the Shelter Services Program for the Humane Society of the United States. Twelve states already ban it, she says. Death by CO poisoning can be slow and terrifying," says Daphna Nachminovitch, vice president of cruelty investigations for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "During the process, which can take 30 minutes, panicked animals may gasp for breath, try to claw out of the chamber, and even attack each other." Intino says that in her six years at the Humane Society, this is the first time multiple states have introduced legislation banning euthanasia by carbon monoxide gas chambers. She says the Humane Society is "incredibly involved" in advocating legislation to protect animals. The new legislation is being met with some opposition from veterinary medical groups. Jane Williston, president of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, acknowledges injection is the preferred method, but she says there is a danger using it on aggressive feral animals. "Dogs and cats in shelters, most often, are not of the same temperament, and you are not in the same controlled environment that you are in your veterinarian hospital. ... There is nothing kind, gentle or stress-free about it," she says. The method is either legal or not referenced in state laws governing animal euthanasia in 37 states and the District of Columbia, Intino says. Virginia became the latest state to stop using gas chambers in 2008, Intino says. More states are looking at it, she says, because "the general public, as well as the people working specifically in animal welfare, are just simply becoming more educated about carbon monoxide as a form of euthanasia." Illinois state Sen. Heather Steans, a Democrat, says she introduced a bill in January to ban the practice after someone from the Humane Society approached her about it. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines list the gas-chamber method as a "conditionally acceptable agent and method of euthanasia." Legislation in the six latest states is either in committee or awaiting votes. Among those states, the Georgia VMA says it supports national AVMA guidelines, and New York's says it is neutral.

Beach Daze Animal Sponsor -- Wednesday May 13th, 2009

Beach Daze restaurant is the main sponsor for our little paws. Located on Rt. 54 in Selbyville, DE next to Mr. Bills Bayside Crabhouse, 1.5 miles west of Coastal Highway. They are open year-round, promising customers the best service and food through all the seasons. Beach Daze will be hosting charity nights for our rescue this year and a portion of ALL sales will be donated to our urgent dogs and cats. Please help make these events a success by joining us for a great meal, to benefit a great cause. There will also be some cocktails and conversation to enjoy. Members of our rescue will be available to speak to anyone that attends. Please check our events page "frequently" for updates on these and other events in the area. Let’s make 2009 a year to remember. PLEASE stop into Beach Daze and thank them for their continued support! The gentleman that own this restaurant are true animal lovers and have volunteered their time to help our rescue. They are helping us give each of these animals, a voice.

Thank You All... -- Wednesday May 6th, 2009

An adoption day, sponsored by 2nd Paws of Tomorrow -- a local nonprofit group that rescues dogs and cats from high-kill shelters -- was held at House Pets in Millville on April 25 and May 2. During these events, more than 20 puppies and dogs were either adopted or placed in foster care. I would like to thank those who opened their hearts and homes to these loving companions and to those who made donations. For those who couldn't make it, but are interested in helping, visit www. pawsoftomorrow.com. Donations of new or used items may be dropped off at House Pets in the Creekside Plaza in Millville. Again, thanks to all and keep watching for the next adoption. Kim Ciavolella House Pets Millville

Editor makes a new friend -- Friday May 1st, 2009

Dash is a 2-year-old Brittany spaniel/pointer mix. A sweet, quiet fellow who is already house-trained and learning to sit on command and shake hands, he ended up in an animal shelter in North Carolina, where he had about 24 hours to live before he would have been put into a gas chamber and killed in a way that is outlawed in Delaware. But, instead, a local group called Paws of Tomorrow arranged to bring Dash – and some of the other dogs on North Carolina’s death row – to Delmarva. A donor paying about $5 or $10 per month sponsored Dash’s rescue and retrieval from the most high-kill shelter Paws of Tomorrow works with. He was delivered to a foster mother on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where he’s been living with his foster family, numerous other dogs of all sizes and even some cats. On Saturday, April 28, Dash made the trip to Millville, where he was one of the guests of honor at Paws of Tomorrow’s adoption day at House Pets. Along with him came Sawyer, a white Lab mix with black spots who couldn’t wait to play with the other dogs. There was Chester, a golden retriever mix who they think is about 10 years old, looks like a lion after being groomed and was found wandering along a bridge. Dora, a Chihuahua mix, wanted to visit with everyone, wagging her curly tail and jumping up to join the visitors outside the puppy pen. Little Bear, with the unique look of his Pekinese and Pomeranian blend, loved visiting with everyone. He’s hoping to find a new home after staying with his master after he had passed away and then being stuck in the shelter for a while. Rascal, a Chihuahua/Shih Tzu mix, was the life of the party, playing with the puppies who won’t be his size for much longer. Tinkerbelle, the brown-and-white Dachshund, got a lot of attention last Saturday, held close to loving chests and nuzzled by the people she couldn’t see, due to her blindness, but wanted so much to go home with. Rocko, the Lab-mix pup, settled down in a variety of laps, enjoying the stroking that sent him right to sleep. Kalani – named the Hawaiian word for “Heaven” by his foster mom, who is from Hawaii and is fostering 11 dogs right now – came all the way from Maryland to visit with potential new owners in Millville. He’s big, but calm and looks like a German shepherd, except for the pale yellow coat he got from his Lab parent. He had been rescued from that same high-kill, gassing shelter where Dash had been. Popeye, the Dachshund/Lab mix pup who’s already been a therapy dog, almost went home with one family last Saturday, but as of mid-week he’s still looking for a forever family. Mindy, the boxer mix, was all but guaranteed to go home with her new family. They’d driven all the way from Connecticut to meet her and let her meet her new sister, an American foxhound the young couple had adopted previously from a shelter in that state. The new family got along wonderfully, and Mindy went home to Connecticut last Saturday. It was also a happy day for Addy, the beagle mix, who impressed everyone with how sweet and friendly she was with both people and dogs. Like Dash, Addy had been less than 24 hours from being euthanized when Paws of Tomorrow had pulled her from the shelter for fostering. So far this year, Paws of Tomorrow has rescued 120 animals from being euthanized. Donations to the group offset costs of rescuing the pets from shelters, while foster parents pay for their upkeep and basic veterinary care, and work on house- and obedience training if they need it, until they find their adoptive homes. The animals find homes through the group’s Web site at www.pawsoftomorrow.com and through meet-and-greet events like last Saturday’s and this weekend’s Nuts For Mutts Adoption Day on Saturday May 2, from 1 to 5 p.m., also at House Pets, off Route 26 in Creekside Plaza Shopping Center in Millville. Nuts for Mutts will again feature numerous puppies – 15 of them – and young dogs, as well as some seniors and even some cats and kittens. Anyone interested in adopting a cat or dog can attend and get to meet the animals up for adoption, and even bring their own dogs to meet their potential siblings. There will also be light refreshments, as well as a chance to talk to the Paws of Tomorrow volunteers about adopting, fostering and making a donation. As for Dash, he was one of the lucky dogs to get a new home after the April 28 event in Millville. He got some head-pats and some belly rubs – and almost nabbed a brownie – from a 3-year-old Ocean View boy who was looking for a dog who wanted to play but who wasn’t too big and wouldn’t be too loud or too rough or chase his cats. The boy’s mother had seen Dash on the Paws of Tomorrow Web site and was considering adopting him. After they met him on Saturday, sweet Dash just stole their hearts. So, Dash is moving to Ocean View, where he’ll be taking walks, chasing tennis balls and getting all the head-pats and belly rubs he could ever want. It’s hard to believe this wonderful dog was less than a day from being euthanized. Instead, he’ll be hanging out at my house, being a cherished part of the family.

Puppy Mill Investigation -- Friday March 27th, 2009

Well friends, once again, the cat is out of the bag - or should we say the dog out of the hutch! This Friday night, March 27, ABC's Nightline will be investigating puppy mills! ABC Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and investigators from Nightline travel the byways and back roads of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - visiting numerous puppy mills and filming Main Line Animal Rescue's volunteers as they rescue breeding dogs and puppies from Lancaster County's notorious Amish commercial breeding facilities. This promises to be a very special program. If you are involved in rescue, advocate on behalf of the millions of puppy mill dogs interned in our nation's commercial dog breeding facilities, or if you just simply love animals, you will not want to miss this. Sharyn Alfonsi interviewed, on camera, an Amish breeder while touring his facility - a first for network television. With approximately 500 dogs housed on his property, this commercial breeder speaks openly about an industry cloaked in secrecy and suspicion - the cruel factory farming of man's best friend. PLEASE tell your friends, your family, your coworkers - ABC Nightline investigates puppy mills - this Friday at 11:35 pm (Eastern Standard Time). Please take the time to forward this to all the rescues, shelters, and legislators in your area. It has been almost one year since Oprah's puppy mill show aired. That program received the highest viewer response of any Oprah Show in years. Now we need to spread the word about this very special Nightline. Only by educating as many people as we can, will we be able to help these animals. And after you watch the program, please don't hesitate to contact ABC and Nightline to thank them for casting such a strong light on the plight of our nation's puppy mill dogs.

Local group finds home fo -- Thursday January 1st, 2009

For April Fels of Ocean View, all it took was watching a YouTube video about an animal shelter in North Carolina that used a gas chamber to put unwanted animals to sleep. Fels had always been a self-described “animal person,” but seeing the video brought it all together. Coastal Point • Submitted Paws of Tomorrow takes dogs and cats from shelters and helps find them homes. “I had always been into animals and had always taken in rescues, and in doing Internet searches I came across the video that is now posted on our site. That’s when it hit me so hard – I had to do something to help.” Fels’ group, Paws of Tomorrow, now works with several East Coast shelters to take dogs and cats that would otherwise be put down and get them into foster homes or, ideally, into permanent adoptive families. Many of the animals have had no recent veterinary care or may be without any medical records, so Paws of Tomorrow takes care of getting their shots up to date, deworming them, testing for heartworm and other health analyses and getting them treatment for any illnesses that are discovered. Since starting up her Paws of Tomorrow rescue mission with four other all-volunteer staffers, Fels has saved 68 animals from certain death and matched them up with permanent families. And that doesn’t even include the approximately 30 animals they have currently living in local foster homes. The families the dogs have gone to are from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware and Maryland. They have also transported animals to new permanent and temporary homes throughout the region and can work anywhere from North Carolina to Vermont. Two states they cannot work with because of legal issues are Rhode Island and Massachusetts. All of this has been done without the benefit of a dedicated shelter from which to operate and with the costs of health care and transportation of the animals paid through donations, sponsorships and adoption fees. “We do not have a shelter here. That’s the only downfall, because we don’t have the funding for it. But, 50 percent of the dogs we pulled are in foster homes.” After she contacted the North Carolina shelter where that grisly gassing video takes place, Fels said, most of the other shelters have contacted Paws of Tomorrow for help. “The people that work in the shelters aren’t bad people, obviously,” said Fels. “They do everything they can to try and get them adopted.” She does admit that some shelters are not the warm and fuzzy places people might imagine, even though their hearts are in the right place – hence the need for an organization like Paws of Tomorrow. “Shelters aren’t really a good place to be,” she said. “They are doing what they can, but there is a limited time there.” For the short term, Fels and her crew are content on trying to work out the kinks of any new organization, such as getting set up and acquainted with a transport system that works, and getting the word out to people that they are here. She said that, in addition to rescuing shelter animals, they are willing to take owner surrenders, too. “If they can no longer take care of the dog, we try to be the middleman,” she said of finding a new permanent home for an unwanted pet. They work mostly with dogs but do find homes for cats, too. They are working with one shelter now that has 51 cats, so they have plans to grow their operation for felines. Over the long term, Fels said she has visions of a building a local no-kill shelter or home for the dogs and cats. She said she wants to someday call Paws of Tomorrow her full-time gig. For more information on adoption or fostering a pet through Paws of Tomorrow, including a list of available animals, or if you or someone you know can no longer give a pet the care it needs, contact Paws of Tomorrow by e-mail at pawsoftomorrow@verizon.net, by phone at (302) 604- 4701 or online at www.pawsoftomorrow.com. By Monica Fleming Staff Reporter, Costal Point