First I would like to thank each and every one of you for all the love and support. It is greatly appreciated.

When I was sick for 5 weeks (worst flu ever for one week and then walking pneumonia for 4 weeks, my 86 year old neighbor Marge literally saved my life) Adama, Paws manager told me the landlord decided to take me off the lease because I was way behind in rent and he was going to allow her to stay rent free to get the dogs and cats home. Adama is very capable of taking care of the PAWS dogs and cats, she has been running the shelter for the last year.

For eight years we ran the shelter out of my house and was 100% foster base. For many of those years we were number one adopter for Petco in the State of Arizona and within the top 25 adopter for Petco in the nation. The reason I wanted a shelter was to get some relief since I was burnt out and overwhelmed (lived on 2-4 hours sleep for many years). I also wanted my house to become my sanctuary, a place to relax and escape. Just the opposite happened the shelter became a financial burden with $5,000 a month rent, $1,000 a month electric, plus trash and much more. Although Adama was at the shelter everyday cleaning up and feeding all the animals I still ran a shelter out of my house and worked behind the scenes (rescuing dogs throughout Arizona, three cities in California and Mexico, marketing; talking to vets on the phone; taking dogs to the vets; paying bills; answering e-mails, texts and calls; data entries and shopping for dog food and other needed items) Many times I had more dogs at my house than were at the shelter. Bottom line adoption fees support the rescue and ever since we moved to the shelter adoptions have been dramatically down. I know I made a mistake signing a lease for a shelter in Scottsdale when I had my heart set on Chandler but the damage is already done.

As many of you already know I took early retirement in 2009 when City of Mesa laid off 80% of us professionals. I never planned to be a rescue, but it must have been God’s will because he paved every step of the way for me. For the last 7 years I do contract work for the City of Phoenix (same profession for 33 ½ years). I use to work less than a day a week, but now I am working every day so I can pay all of
PAWS debts. I am taking 100% of PAWS debts.

I never authorized a publicized interview to “save the shelter”, my directive was to contact the news stations to “close PAWS Rescue and PAW Shelter”. After two weeks of requesting this I decided to contact the news stations myself and simultaneously Adama did an interview to save the shelter. PLEASE NOTE THE PAWS DOGS & CATS WERE NEVER IN JEOPORADY OF GOING TO A-KILL SHELTER OR BEING EUTHANIZED, if anyone told you that it was definitely a lie. I would have never allowed that to happen, I would have contacted other rescues for help and if needed, I would have brought every single one of them to my house, I have lots of room (years ago I had 36 dogs and pups in my house) and a great setup with 5 doggy doors. I haven’t worked around the clock saving these animals to not go the distance and find them homes. Many of our dogs came from Mexico and let me tell you no one has ever fought harder than me in getting these dogs across the border. Many times I have traveled alone clear across the country with 16 – 26 dogs to get these dogs to the USA.

Adama Pfaff, is currently running the shelter under PAWS Rescue until her new rescue, Desert Tails is official. Adama worked for Petco as a general manager for over 12 years and is very knowledgeable She knows all about dogs, cats and many other animals including reptiles. She also knows a lot about nutrition and her retail experience gives her great customer service. Adama is smart and a very hard worker. So please continue to support her new rescue. Volunteers and fosters are always greatly appreciated. I am still working behind the scenes advertising and taking calls, texts and e-mails because all I want is for all the PAWS dogs to get a forever loving home.

Please note that Desert Tails is a NEW and separate rescue, and IS NOT A REBRANDING OF PAWS. This has been indicated on the Desert Tails website and Facebook page, and it is not accurate.

I decided to continue with P.A.W.S. (Pound Animals Worth Saving) Fur the Cause rescue but for right now I will be doing it on a smaller scale and will be running it from my house. By having a small amount of fosters right now it will allow me to paint and organize my house. PAWS Facebook and website will remain and Jo, PAWS web administrator (Jo is great and has been with PAWS for like 7 years) and I are thinking of doing more informational items and maybe posting some lost and found animals, you can also send me ideas you may have at karmikus@cox.net. Soon I will be rescuing more dogs and plan on taking in some with medical issues since I lived just down the street from our vet who is the best orthopedic surgeon around.

Thank you so much for all the monetary donations this is what those donations paid for:

5 dogs mange medicine (one pill $50 each & shipping) = $275, 2 major dental surgeries with one having 16 extractions, elbow surgery, 6 dental cleanings, we also have a hip surgery scheduled for this coming Thursday, dog food, 2 spay surgeries and 3 vet appointments.

The following is still needed: Another elbow surgery with 2 hernias, a major dental, 7 more dental cleanings, 2 large female spay surgeries and we still owe 15 dogs microchips. Other debts: back rent, AZ Spay & Neuter, Tempe Vet Hospital, loans and need to reimburse 5 customers.

To Donate: www.poundanimalsworthsaving.org

Click on Donate (PayPal or enter debit or credit card manually OR

www.gofundme.com/manage/pawsmedicalsurgeryneeds

All donations are tax deductible E.I.N. # 46-1189949

Although we don’t post a lot of things we do, we do a lot of thing behind the scenes, we take dogs off chains, off the streets and lots of owner surrenders to prevent these dogs from going to the pound. While you may be going out to a nice dinner on a Saturday night, we might be pulling 200 ticks off a dog that was on the streets for a long time, but that’s rescue. Many asked what is the best part of rescue, is it finding a dog it’s forever loving home and I reply well that is certainly very rewarding but not the best part of rescue. Example, my ex-assistant Antoinette who moved back to Michigan and I would go to California monthly and rescue around 15 dogs from a very high kill shelter (one of the worst I ever saw), we would bring all 15 dogs back to the hotel with us (only claiming we had 2) and then we would bath them, brush them, clean their ears, pull off ticks, treat them for flea and ticks and then feed them quality food. Hours before these dogs were hungry, dirty, cold or hot depending on the time of the year and close to being euthanized, but now they are clean, full and sleeping on a bed (at the shelter they had a concrete floor or wooden bed with no blankets, the entire front of the kennel is exposed to the outside and they only get food in the early morning) with a nice thick comforter, now safe, now content like a baby, that’s the best part of rescue for me.

Yes you have to be a little crazy to do rescue as my favorite artist Seal says “but we’re never gonna survive, unless we get a little crazy”.

Sorry for the long text but I am very detailed oriented person, I guess after reviewing construction documents for 33 ½ years it’s all I know.

Thank you.

Karen Mikus, Director of P.A.W.S. (Pound Animals Worth Saving) Fur the Cause