Joliet woman finds home for cats, rats and dogs
JOLIET – Two years ago Tana Labuda founded a foster-based rescue that started with finding homes for four dogs.
Last year the Joliet-based Paws Up 4 Rescue saved 742 dogs, along with some cats and rats, Labuda said.
The rescue is hosting a fundraiser March 24 to help with medical expenses and "for people to have a good time," Labuda said.
Labuda said Paws Up 4 Rescue saves a lot of dogs with health issues, such as dogs that test positive for heartworm (a parasite that can be fatal) and puppies that test positive for parvovirus, a highly contagious disease.
Volunteers not associated with this rescue transport dogs and cats from Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas and bring them to rescues that can accept them.
Some, of course, go to Paws Up 4 Rescue.
Labuda said she's also accepted animals from hoarding situations, too.
"Animal control went into a home that was overrun with rats so we took what we could," Labuda said.
What type of rats?
"Basic house rats," Labuda said. "They're all different colors. They can be black back with tan, gray, solid white. They're not fancy rats. Some [rescues] get really fancy rats but we don't have any of those."
Still, the rescue often has a waiting list for the rats. Most are fostered by one volunteer "who loves her rats."
"I've had rats for pets and they're so smart," Labuda said. "People don't give them a chance."
Paws Up 4 Rescue has only one cat foster mom, so the rescue is limited on the amount of cats it can help at one time. Its lone cat, Pickles, was adopted this past weekend. The rescue currently has about 35 dogs and 30 rats, which includes mothers and their young.
"Puppies go quickly, in a few weeks," Labuda said. "Adult dogs can be a couple of weeks to almost a year."
None have stayed in foster longer than a year, Labuda said.
"When dogs go into homes, we do our best to get them ready for the next home," Labuda said.
Labuda feels dogs adapt to its adoptive family quicker in foster care than in a shelter. Maintaining a shelter is hard work, another reason why Labuda started a foster-based rescue.
"I'd been doing rescue since 2011 with two other groups besides this one," Labuda said. "The last group I left because it was a shelter-based rescue. It was just too much for me. I worked there seven days a week, 365 days a year."
Labuda, who also has a day job in addition to Paws Up 4 Rescue, said even running a foster-based rescue takes up great amounts of time. But in this case, the work is more mental and less physical.
So when new volunteers ask, 'When should I come clean cages," Labuda quickly informs them that's not the help she needs.
"Come to an event to help us," Labuda said. "Help us clean up after the puppies at the event."
IF YOU GO
WHAT: 4 the Love of Pets fundraiser
WHEN: 4 to 8 p.m. March 24
WHERE: American Legion Post, Renwick Road, Plainfield.
ETC: Food, open bar, raffle, DJ. $40 or $60 a couple. Benefits Paws Up 4 Rescue
INFORMATION: Visit PawsUp4Rescue.org.