Sometime a hero needs a helping hand. Kristina Zieba, the director of Dog4u Inc, located in South Carolina has been the victim of a disaster in her home. The disaster has not only displaced her but also many of the animals in her care.
Kristina has been a hero for animals since starting the rescue in 2003. Her mission and the mission of the rescue is to save as many animals as possible with a no kill policy. Dog4u Inc. also provides shelter and sanctuary for unwanted animals, promotes humane treatment of animals and aids in the prevention of cruelty to animals.
Dog4U Inc. takes in dogs from local shelters which helps alleviate overpopulation in these shelters and save the dogs and oftentimes puppies from euthanasia. In addition to dogs, they also take in cats when space allows and several horses and cows that came to them severely neglected. They work to place the dogs pulled from the southern shelters to No-Kill Shelters in the New England area that are not as overcrowded. This is done through a transport program that takes the dogs on the 1100-mile journey to New England. There is a high demand for animals in that area and waiting lists for puppies.
Dog4U’s most recent project was gathering funding to enlarge their quarantine area and to add training facilities and more indoor housing. Many of the dogs and puppies that arrive need months of isolation, medical treatment and training before they can go north to be adopted. Unfortunately, all of this was compromised this winter due to the freezing temperatures that gripped most of the nation. The frigid temperatures in South Carolina caused the pipes to burst in Kristina Zieba’s home.
Kristina and many of the dogs, including seniors who lived in the house, had to be urgently evacuated. The dogs had to go to boarding in kennels far from the Dog4U facility. Also, some of the dogs housed in outdoor kennels had to be taken to other facilities to be boarded temporarily because of no running water. Due to the destruction caused by the ruptured pipe, Kristina and the dogs and cats are going to be displaced for three to four months.
The continued cost of boarding is going to drain all the Dog4U’s reserve funds. To make matters worse, four of the senior dogs, who lived permanently at the sanctuary, have passed away in the past three weeks due to the events. The poor dogs have been traumatized by the unexpected change of events. Here they were living comfortably and peacefully in a home with someone who cared for them day in and day out, and now they are in a strange environment without that one person they truly depended on.
It’s a very difficult adjustment for senior dogs to make. Because of this, Kristina is trying to find a temporary living space where she can stay with her animals. A mobile home has been found that can be bought, moved to the sanctuary and set up for the price of $7,500.00. This will include taxes, permits, set up fees for electricity, water and sewer. This would be an ideal arrangement as all the dogs could return from boarding. It would also be beneficial for Kristina to be able to live back on the property while her house is being repaired to feed and medicate the other animals remaining there.
All of this will only be possible if donations are made to meet the $7,500.00 goal.
A YouCaring site has been set up for donations.
Donations can also be made on the Dog4U website, through Paypal at [email protected], or by sending checks directly to:
Dog4U Inc.
P.O. Box 1514
Camden, South Carolina 29021
Please notate on all donations “for rescue disaster.”
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No offense,but, most times pipes burst when you don’t have oil going through those pipes…not paying for heat? Dogs being kept outdoors? Really what kind of kind of a rescue is this?