Animal lovers hosting supply drive

If you’re a pet lover in eastern New Mexico, chances are good you’ve heard of Cindy’s Hope for Precious Paws and/or encountered the two women behind it, Cindy Clayton and Wendy Turner.

These two big-hearted ladies are the driving force behind a cause they’d both love to see come to an end: rescuing and rehoming the endless supply of abandoned cats, dogs, kittens, and puppies in our area.

Clayton and Turner are self-pronounced lifelong animal lovers. Their passion for pet rescue has enabled them to save more than 2,500 critters in our area in the past few years, not to mention helping countless other pet owners reunite with missing pets through an active presence on social media.

“My job as an animal rescuer is full-time, 24/7,” Clayton said, “and I never stop going. There is always an animal in need in our area.”

While both have been individually actively involved in pet rescue for many years, a couple of years ago they became partners in Cindy’s Hope for Precious Paws, a 501(c)3 nonprofit animal rescue.

They will be front and center — along with other volunteers — in a supply drive, fundraiser and bake sale from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Clovis Wal-Mart.

“Our greatest needs are always monetary donations that go towards the vetting and health certificates of the animals in our care,” Clayton said.

Turner added, “We are in the middle of puppy and kitten season. We need Purina puppy chow, Purina kitten chow, and lots of kitty litter.”

Paper towels, kennels, crates, collars, leashes, and harnesses of all sizes are also on the organization’s wish list.

Besides cash and supplies, Cindy’s Hope is in dire need of more fosters to care for rescued pets.

“Fosters usually have a two-three week commitment, in which we can provide food and kennel, to hold an animal or animals until we can transport them to other no kill rescues or we can find them an adoptive family,” Clayton said. “Our goal is to keep the animals in our area out of high kill shelters. The more fosters we have, the more animals we can help.”

The organization also regularly sponsors low-cost spay/neuter clinics via the Soul Dog Low Cost Clinic. The next local dates will be June 10-11 in Portales, and June 13-14 in Clovis.

If you are needing an animal spayed/neutered, email [email protected]

Provide your name, address and phone number as well as the age, sex and breed of the animals that you are needing fixed.

“We do have a waiting list and we will contact you if we are able to get you into this clinic or the other upcoming clinics that are in September and December,” Clayton said.

Clayton said from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day of those clinics, pet owners are also invited to bring their furry friends for walk-in low-cost shots and microchips.

Bottom line: These two women would love to see fewer strays and have more pets identified so they can be easily reunited with their owners.

“Please get your animals spayed or neutered, microchipped, and up to date on shots,” Turner said. “A $10 tag, and your pet is home so much quicker.”

Through a highly visited Facebook page, Cindy’s Hope for Precious Paws has led many pets and owners to happy endings.

“We do encourage people to let us know when we they are missing a pet or if they have found a pet,” Clayton said. “It’s a blessing to be able to get precious fur babies back to their homes safely.”

Betty Williamson tips her cat-hair covered hat to these amazing animal lovers. You may reach her at: [email protected]