Pet Advocacy Group Looks To Expand

Foreclosures are a life-altering event for every member of a family, including the four-legged ones, who many times get left by families that simply can no longer take care of them, or don't know where to turn for help.
Houston, Texas-based "No Paws Left Behind":http://www.nopawsleftbehind.org, a non-profit group started last year, is hoping to reverse that trend, and provide resources and support for families facing foreclosure.
The group helps foreclosure victims find shelter for their pets as an alternative to abandonment. The group's Web site has a database of no kill, foster, and general shelters that can be searched by ZIP code.
Since its startup in June 2008, the group said it has saved more than 200 pets from abandonment and raised $20,000 in donations. It received a 2008 Humanitarian Award at the "Five Star Default Servicing Conference and Expo":http://www.fivestarconference.com. The conference and institute are owned by the parent company of "DSNews.com":http://www.dsnews.com.
The group was founded by Cheryl Lang, who in her professional career, is president of the Houston-based "Integrated Mortgage Solutions":http://www.imstoday.com/ (IMS), a collateral protection and asset management company.
"In my work at IMS, the increasing number of abandoned animals we’ve seen has impacted me tremendously," she said. "The outpouring of support that we have received from the industry demonstrates a strong need for our services and that we, along with our peers, are dedicated to doing everything possible to ease this market’s impact on the often forgotten victims."
This year, the group hopes to raise $40,000 through individual and corporate donations, and increase industry and consumer awareness of its services. Funds are used to donate to shelters and to help homeowners with pet deposits.
In addition to its Web presence, the group spreads its message at foreclosure prevention workshops hosted by the "HOPE NOW Alliance":http://www.hopenow.com, and through "NeighborWorks America":http://www.nw.org/.
Another issue the group is addressing is legislation that prevents the removal of pets from abandoned properties prior to the eviction process. Since current laws categorize pets as personal property, they cannot be removed until an eviction notice is served, even when the property has already been abandoned. The site has a online petition to encourage lawmakers to reevaluate these laws.