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MONTROSE, N.Y. Charity auctions can mean prohibitive admission fees or stuffy dress codes, but in a taboo-testing eBay auction, bidders will compete for eight hours of ink-on-skin artistry to benefit Recycled Paws of Montrose.
Universal among dog lovers is the comfort taken in a wet nose and weepy eyes. Sean Heverin, owner of Cult Status Tattoo in Montrose, was already raising money for endangered gorillas when he dropped into Recycled Paws, the unconventional no-kill dog rescue shelter half a mile from his shop.
After going down and seeing Recycled Paws, I said, Why should I donate to Africa if I have something in my backyard? said Heverin. Only because of us, those dogs are there.
The winner of the Cult Status Tattoo auction will receive eight hours of tattoo work by one of the three artists at the shop, a retail value of about $1,000. The proceeds will automatically be donated to Recycled Paws.
Heverin, a Vietnam veteran and owner of four dogs, often brings his pets to the Montrose VA to sit with the veterans living on campus. He said animals bring out the best in people, or simply deliver comfort. He described kids of Lincoln Hall, a home for recently adjudicated boys between 12 and 16-years-old, volunteering at Recycled Paws, gently dealing with these puppies, you see them in a totally different light.
The small Recycled Paws shop is a former veterinarians office and before that a florists shop. The mish-mash of different crates and cages contain purebreds and mutts, puppies and mothers, and canines that are scared, scarred and loving. Some are hyper, some are relaxed and gentle, some are loud and some are reserved.
Recycled Paws is a charity surviving solely on donations. Many of the dogs come from shutdown puppy mills in the south, high-kill shelters and abusive situations, said those who work there. The majority are puppies and all have shots and vet checkups prior to being adopted. The non-profit can have nearly $7,000 in operating costs each month, officials said.
The non-profit has been criticized by some for being overcrowded and smelling, but by definition, rescuing unwanted dogs means not saying no very often.
Walk in our shoes one day and you understand why we do it, said Lisa Marie Birdsall, manager of Recycled Paws. The shop operates on a thin budget, she said, often making ends meet on donated dog food and spreading contributions over rent, electric and vet bills.
Every once in a while we have to look at each other and say, Why do we do this? And then we look at a puppy and we say, Oh yeah, thats why we do this, said Birdsall. The rescue organization is looking for a larger space, with more room for dogs to run.
The non-profit is run by all volunteers. Many of the volunteers are veterans from the VA Hospital in Montrose, who do community service as part of treatment programs.
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