A Couple Dedicates Their Lives to Saving Dogs in Need
By Nicole Pajer
Raising funds for corrective lenses for a blind dog abandoned in a trash pile, saving a canine hit-and-run victim, rescuing a dog left to fend for himself in the scorching desert—just another day on the job for Eldad and Audrey Spilker Hagar. These loving souls run Hope for Paws, a nonprofit that rescues dogs from the streets, rehabilitates them, and pairs them up with worthy owners.
After working with area rescue groups and personally fostering over 500 dogs, the Hagars launched Hope for Paws. Founded in June 2008, the Los Angeles-based rescue organization strives to educate people on the importance of companion animals and to stop the cycle of animal neglect and abuse. The couple handles all of the rescue efforts—from the initial discovery of the dog in need to picking up the frightened animal, taking it home, and physically/emotionally rehabilitating it.
Chase: Escaped Euthanization by Hours
Chase, a tiny terrier and Chihuahua mix, was abused by her owner for three years before being dumped off at a Los Angeles dog shelter, covered in fleas with a skin and respiratory infection. Chase was terrified that someone would hurt her again and became aggressive at the first sign of human contact. It wasn’t long before she was labeled a “problem dog” and her time was up. On the day of her scheduled euthanization, Eldad saved her life. In just three days, Chase underwent a miraculous transformation. She became a loving dog and bonded so closely with Audrey that the couple ended up keeping her. “So many people have gone to the shelter to see dogs that are just so terrified. Most people won't even consider adopting dogs who behave like Chase did, and so most of these dogs end up dead without ever getting a fair chance,” explains Eldad.
Fiona: Blind and Living in a Trash Pile
Fiona, a blind dog found sleeping in a pile of trash, is another recent Hope for Paws success story. “She was blind in both eyes and we took her home and cleaned her up and took her to the vet. We got her into surgery, had them implant a new lens in her eye, and she can see now. She went from completely blind with no reaction at all to being able to see!” Eldad exclaims. After Fiona recovered from her procedure, she was adopted by Chris and Michele Gentry who now consider her a part of the family. The couple is very gracious that Eldad and Audrey rescued and rehabilitated Fiona, as they couldn’t imagine their lives without her.
Nala: Abused Pit Bull Living in a Ditch
Eldad’s friend Sara Cozolino stumbled upon Nala who was living in a small ditch near downtown L.A.. “She was abused, abandoned and lived her life as a terrified pit bull,” explains Eldad who says that Nala was especially afraid of men as most abusers tend to be males. Sarah noticed that Nala would whimper and run away at the sound of a man’s voice and when Eldad set out to locate her, she was so terrified at the sight of him that she couldn’t even move. After spending some time with Eldad and Audrey, Nala came out of her shell and turned into a wonderful dog who loves everyone. She was rescued by Mark Wilkinson, and according to Eldad, Nala absolutely adores Mark.
Through their rescue efforts, Eldad and Audrey hope to educate the public on the realities of mistreated and abandoned animals and activate animal enthusiasts to help locate fostering homes for disadvantaged dogs. The Hope for Paws founders consider the most rewarding aspect of their work to be witnessing the evolution of the animals. “In our house, evolution is something that doesn’t take millions of years; it usually takes a few hours, and that’s always amazing to see. To take a dog that was scheduled to die or would have never been picked up from the street and seeing it becoming a happy animal who ends up in an amazing home gives you the best feeling in the world,” says Eldad.
Eldad and Audrey have three dogs of their own – Dolly, Heidi, and Chase. “They all fall under the category ‘foster failure,’ which means that we didn’t mean to keep them, but we just couldn’t let them go,” says Eldad who explains that the hardest part of fostering dogs is letting them go. “We get attached to each and every one of them. They become part of our family, they sleep in bed with us, play with our animals, and we’re always having a lot of fun. Of course we can’t keep all of them, so we make sure they all go to great homes.”
