Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Cindy Clayton befriends a German Shepherd mix housed in the Clovis animal shelter.
Cindy Clayton is an unwanted dog or cat's best friend.
Since 2011, she has been the driving force behind Cindy's Hope for Precious Paws, an adoption agency for dogs and cats in need of foster or "forever" homes.
She said she does not know how many dogs and cats have passed through the home-finding service she leads, but she thinks it's "in the thousands."
As of Thursday, the Facebook page Cindy's Hope had recorded 9,200 likes.
Last year, she said Cindy's Hope found homes for 420 dogs and already this year, she said, it's been about 220.
Her adult life, she said, has been consumed with "being a mom" and being a beacon for pets deprived of homes.
The News caught up with Cindy at the Clovis Animal Shelter on Thursday.
Here are her answers to our queries.
Q: How did you get started with animal rescue.
A: I started picking up strays when I found them, and then I started finding homes for them, if I couldn't keep them.
Q: Where do the animals that go through Cindy's Hope come from now?
A: A lot of people dump dogs and cats in the country, and other people pick them up. A lot of them come from the community, we find out about a lot of them through our Facebook page.
Q: How does Cindy's Hope work?
A: It takes a village. I couldn't do it without the family of donors and volunteers who help us every day, like Wendy Turner, who heads our operation in Portales. The volunteers bring pets to us, foster pets for us and help us recruit families for adoption. Some even come from out of state.
Q: Are donations to Cindy's Hope tax-free?
A: We've been a 501 {c}(3) operation since 2014.
Q: And your human family?
A: They are all helpful and supportive, My husband James Clayton helps carry kennels and dog food when I need an extra set of arms. He's very supportive of our work. My children have been helpful, too. I have two sons who have gone off to college, and my daughter, Michelle (who was present at the interview). When I started this, I was holding Michelle in my arms. Michelle is 11 years old.
Q: How long have you been an animal lover?
A: All my life. I grew up with two dogs and a cat and animals have been a big part of my life all through adulthood. My parents loved animals, and so do my children.
Q: And your work continues today?
A: Yes. In the Animal Shelter office, someone just brought in a box of kittens.
