Donation Drive

Last year, four year old Andrew Hofer raised over $1,300 for A Pathway to Hope when he participated in the Junior Spartan race.  Andrew is racing again this year and will be collecting donations, both monetary and animal supplies, at the Wyckoff Dairy Queen on Friday, May 30th from 6PM to 9PM.  Joining Andrew this Friday will be Katie, the inspiration to his project and other senior rescue dogs.  Andrew will be giving out homemade dog biscuits and Pathway bracelets to all that donate.

One June 1st of this year, Andrew will be completing the Junior Spartan Race in an effort to raise money for Katie's Hope, a special project to support senior rescue dogs.  Katie's Hope is inspired by Katie, an elderly Alaskan Malamute who has beaten mammary cancer and heartworm disease and defied all odds in living well beyond her life expectancy.  Katie came to the Hofer home as a foster almost two years ago.  Upon arrival, Andrew immediately embraced Katie as "my puppy."  It was an immediate connection, and Andrew was right by Katie's side through intensive surgery and recovery, patiently accompanying his mother to countless vet appointments.  Twenty-two months later, this dying senior dog has put her horrible past behind her and proven the beauty of second chances, even for the most unadoptable of dogs.  A Pathway to Hope is a dog and cat rescue operating from North Haledon / Hawthorne, NJ.  At the heart of Pathway is the rescue of dogs with special needs, medical concerns or behavioral needs, particularly those overlooked as seemingly less adoptable. Most of our senior dogs are in permanent foster homes, meaning that they are up for adoption, but the foster families are realistic in knowing that they likely will be providing the dogs with a long-term, possibly forever, home.  Two of our board members have senior fosters, so this is something that is truly integral to the heart of Pathway.  The struggle has been funding, as our senior dogs do need more intensive, long term care and most of our senior dogs visit our traditional veterinarian, as well as a holistic veterinarian, to ensure quality of life for as long as possible.  Katie’s Hope will allow Pathway to continue to rescue senior dogs as well as enlarge the number of seniors that we are able to rescue.  Our most recent seniors are:  Belle, residing with her loving fosters, the Cangelosi's, a quirky twelve plus year old husky who has never had a place to belong until now; Apple, recently adopted, an eight year old blind pug that was living in a car with a lacerated, untreated eye before rescue; and Fletcher, also living with an amazing foster family, the Smizaski's, a senior beagle who was dying of unnoticed puncture wounds when pulled from a kill shelter by Pathway. This project is dear to Andrew's heart because he loves Pathway's senior crew.  Both Belle and Apple passed through Andrew's home before heading to their long term foster homes, and Katie has made her permanent residence with him.  Andrew and his twenty one month old brother, Aaron, enjoy their mellowed "puppies" who gently offer and receive affection, and it seems that these sweet seniors are so pleased for any sort of affection that they gladly accept the love of these young boys.  It is a very special bond that has inspired Katie's Hope. Please consider supporting Andrew, as he completes his second Junior Spartan race on June 1st in Bear Mountain, NY in an effort to initiate Katie's Hope and welcome more seniors into Pathway's rescue program.  Pathway senior dogs may have led long lives, but they have not led good lives.  With your help, we will be able to change the lives of many more senior dogs.  When a senior dog shows the will to live, Katie's Hope will offer them that chance.  Donations can be made online at: http://www.crowdrise.com/andrewjrspartan or mailed to A Pathway to Hope, PO Box 165, Hawthorne, NJ 07507.

A Pathway to Hope is a foster based rescue dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of abandoned dogs and cats, with a focus on special needs cases, south to north rescue of northern breed dogs, local rescue of stray cats and all breeds of dogs and community outreach to further the cause of rescue.