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Every Tuesday and Friday, Paul Heinz visits the Shawnee Animal Shelter with a camera in hand, hoping the pictures he takes of the dogs and cats inside will result in adoptions.
Heinz, president of Animal Rescue Center of Shawnee, volunteers about 20 hours each week to ARC.
When ARC began two years ago, the adoption rate from the Shawnee Animal Shelter was 8 percent. Today, the number of pets adopted by area residents or rescue groups is about 26 percent, he said. Factoring in numbers for the vicious or sick animals that can’t be adopted, Heinz estimated the adoption rate is well above 30 percent.
“We keep making progress,” he said. “We save as many as we can.”
Before his arrival on this day, animal control officers discovered someone left a box of five puppies outside the shelter.
As he makes his way through the shelter, all the cat cages are empty. As he enters the hallway of dog kennels, he first sees the five new puppies, sleeping soundly. In the next kennel is a quiet Jack Russell terrier, while down the way is a barking Husky, followed by two playful Lab mix puppies jumping for attention as well as an older, quiet Great Pyrenees who appeared somewhat nervous. On this day, the rest of the shelter kennels are empty.
As he takes their pictures, some pose for him, while others stare as if they are wondering what he’s doing. Either way, they seem to like the attention and Heinz enjoys interacting with the dogs.
Heinz takes his pictures and places them on the ARC Web site and passes them along to SPAR — Saving Pets At Risk. He also e-mails them to four or five different rescue groups around central Oklahoma in hopes some of them might want one of the dogs.
“I do a lot of advertising,” he said, adding he often uses Craig’s List, especially for special breed dogs. His efforts, combined with the work of area rescue groups, is making a difference in the number of adoptions, although the numbers of pets change seasonally.
“It fluctuates — people adopt more when they think they are going to be home more,” he said.
For Heinz, the volunteer work is well worth it. Despite his full-time job as a computer system contractor at Tinker Air Force Base, he said he finds the time to help animals.
“I love dogs and cats and all animals,” he said. “As a kid, we had numerous dogs in the country. I always took care of them.”
And if he can’t immediately place the dogs, Heinz, along with others, open their homes and serve as “foster parents” for dogs through SPAR. He currently has 21 foster dogs, along with four of his own dogs, at his country home north of McLoud, he said. But he’s had as many as 38 foster pets at one time.
Heinz said he used to be shocked at the number of unwanted animals, but he said he realized, “It’s not just a one-time thing — it’s all the time.”
“Many are picture-perfect dogs — whether they are lost or abandoned,” Heinz said, and many end up at the shelter, which is hard to comprehend.
“They’re supposed to be your life — your kids,” he said.
Heinz, and others, would like to see Shawnee become a no-kill community, which would mean no pets would ever have to face being euthanized if they’re not adopted.
Until then, the efforts of many rescues continue and are helping.
“You just help as many as you can. Do I save 100 percent, no. But I also know there is a lot more saved than there used to be,” he said. “It’s progress. Progress is not always fast.”
Last month, Heinz was awarded the Shawnee Police Department’s 2009 Civilian Service Award for his ongoing efforts.
Heinz, and his wife, Kay, initially became members of SPAR and saw a need for a centralized animal rights organization, so ARC was formed. Heinz became president and his wife serves as secretary, while other area animal rescuers and residents serve on the board.
Since it’s inception in 2007, ARC of Shawnee has developed a logo and held several spay and neuter clinics to sterilize at least 150 animals. In addition, local and city ordinances have been changed to promote adoption from the city’s animal shelter, where Heinz visits twice each week. The award also shows Heinz paid $750 out of his own pocket for almost a year so that ARC of Shawnee could obtain it’s non-profit status as a 501 (c) (3).
The award honored Heinz for devoting at least 20 hours each week to ARC, which directly impacts the services of the department’s animal shelter.
Heinz said he doesn’t have many hobbies, but he and his wife make time for their two grandsons, Josh, 10, and Cameron, 12, who enjoy their foster dogs as well.
“What boy wouldn’t like to have grandparents who have a choice of 21 dogs to play with,” he said.
Heinz said ARC and other groups work well with the shelter staff and its a cooperative effort to get as many animals adopted as possible. Area residents and families also can visit the shelter, located at U.S. 177 and Leo, to adopt a pet.
ARC, in conjunction with the Oklahoma City Humane Society, also works to provide routine low income spay/neuter services at least twice a month, which they hope will help control the pet population.
For more information about ARC, go to: http://www.arcshawnee.org.
Every Tuesday and Friday, Paul Heinz visits the Shawnee Animal Shelter with a camera in hand, hoping the pictures he takes of the dogs and cats inside will result in adoptions.
Heinz, president of Animal Rescue Center of Shawnee, volunteers about 20 hours each week to ARC.
When ARC began two years ago, the adoption rate from the Shawnee Animal Shelter was 8 percent. Today, the number of pets adopted by area residents or rescue groups is about 26 percent, he said. Factoring in numbers for the vicious or sick animals that can’t be adopted, Heinz estimated the adoption rate is well above 30 percent.
“We keep making progress,” he said. “We save as many as we can.”
Before his arrival on this day, animal control officers discovered someone left a box of five puppies outside the shelter.
As he makes his way through the shelter, all the cat cages are empty. As he enters the hallway of dog kennels, he first sees the five new puppies, sleeping soundly. In the next kennel is a quiet Jack Russell terrier, while down the way is a barking Husky, followed by two playful Lab mix puppies jumping for attention as well as an older, quiet Great Pyrenees who appeared somewhat nervous. On this day, the rest of the shelter kennels are empty.
As he takes their pictures, some pose for him, while others stare as if they are wondering what he’s doing. Either way, they seem to like the attention and Heinz enjoys interacting with the dogs.
Heinz takes his pictures and places them on the ARC Web site and passes them along to SPAR — Saving Pets At Risk. He also e-mails them to four or five different rescue groups around central Oklahoma in hopes some of them might want one of the dogs.
“I do a lot of advertising,” he said, adding he often uses Craig’s List, especially for special breed dogs. His efforts, combined with the work of area rescue groups, is making a difference in the number of adoptions, although the numbers of pets change seasonally.
“It fluctuates — people adopt more when they think they are going to be home more,” he said.
For Heinz, the volunteer work is well worth it. Despite his full-time job as a computer system contractor at Tinker Air Force Base, he said he finds the time to help animals.
“I love dogs and cats and all animals,” he said. “As a kid, we had numerous dogs in the country. I always took care of them.”
And if he can’t immediately place the dogs, Heinz, along with others, open their homes and serve as “foster parents” for dogs through SPAR. He currently has 21 foster dogs, along with four of his own dogs, at his country home north of McLoud, he said. But he’s had as many as 38 foster pets at one time.
Heinz said he used to be shocked at the number of unwanted animals, but he said he realized, “It’s not just a one-time thing — it’s all the time.”
“Many are picture-perfect dogs — whether they are lost or abandoned,” Heinz said, and many end up at the shelter, which is hard to comprehend.
“They’re supposed to be your life — your kids,” he said.
Heinz, and others, would like to see Shawnee become a no-kill community, which would mean no pets would ever have to face being euthanized if they’re not adopted.
Until then, the efforts of many rescues continue and are helping.
“You just help as many as you can. Do I save 100 percent, no. But I also know there is a lot more saved than there used to be,” he said. “It’s progress. Progress is not always fast.”
Last month, Heinz was awarded the Shawnee Police Department’s 2009 Civilian Service Award for his ongoing efforts.
Heinz, and his wife, Kay, initially became members of SPAR and saw a need for a centralized animal rights organization, so ARC was formed. Heinz became president and his wife serves as secretary, while other area animal rescuers and residents serve on the board.
Since it’s inception in 2007, ARC of Shawnee has developed a logo and held several spay and neuter clinics to sterilize at least 150 animals. In addition, local and city ordinances have been changed to promote adoption from the city’s animal shelter, where Heinz visits twice each week. The award also shows Heinz paid $750 out of his own pocket for almost a year so that ARC of Shawnee could obtain it’s non-profit status as a 501 (c) (3).
The award honored Heinz for devoting at least 20 hours each week to ARC, which directly impacts the services of the department’s animal shelter.
Heinz said he doesn’t have many hobbies, but he and his wife make time for their two grandsons, Josh, 10, and Cameron, 12, who enjoy their foster dogs as well.
“What boy wouldn’t like to have grandparents who have a choice of 21 dogs to play with,” he said.
Heinz said ARC and other groups work well with the shelter staff and its a cooperative effort to get as many animals adopted as possible. Area residents and families also can visit the shelter, located at U.S. 177 and Leo, to adopt a pet.
ARC, in conjunction with the Oklahoma City Humane Society, also works to provide routine low income spay/neuter services at least twice a month, which they hope will help control the pet population.
For more information about ARC, go to: http://www.arcshawnee.org.
