Finding one’s life passion is truly a gift. In the case of Kim, her passion for animal rescue has touched many lives over a period of 25+ years. As a teenager Kim began rescuing animals that were ill, lacking a home, or being abused, either nursing them back to health or improving their living conditions. Kim’s dedication to helping animals and their owners has only grown over the years.
Kim’s formal rescue experience began in 2000 when she co-founded Labs4Rescue, a foster-based rescue that focused on rescuing labs and lab mixes from kill shelters in the tri-state area surrounding Memphis, TN. The rescued dogs received medical treatment, training and most were ultimately transported to adoptive homes in the New England area.
During the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster, Kim worked with the military and SPCA organizations to set up an emergency clinic and housing for a variety of animals (domestic, livestock and exotic). After ensuring proper vaccination and medical care, the animals were housed and registered with agencies intent on reuniting pets with their families. Those who were not reunited were adopted or transferred to approved rescue organizations.
While living in the mid-South, Kim served as Volunteer/Treasurer for the Humane Society of Eastern Arkansas. She was appointed by the Mayor of West Memphis, Arkansas as Shelter Liaison charged with developing policies and procedures for the humane care of treatment of animals in the city’s animal shelter. This role included the hiring and training of shelter staff. Additionally, she worked with the ASPCA on the launch of their National Relocation Program Launch which helped relocate animals following floods in the Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi regions.
After relocating to Kentucky, Kim served as a Region 2 Manager for Tri-State Collie Rescue. From 2017-2021, she coordinated the adoption committee, as well as fostering and transporting animals.
Seeing the growing need for an all-breed rescue with specific goals of education, population control, senior specific needs, family support, and adoption, Kim co-founded Independent People for Animal Welfare (iPAW). iPAW was created to leverage and support the existing community-based canine organizations through upstream initiatives to reduce the number of canines coming into the rescue and foster care systems, while helping to stabilize pet ownership. iPAW is a canine welfare organization promoting the quality of pet care through various programs.
Robin is a key member and co-founder of the iPAW team, serving as a Director as well as an active foster. She administers iPAW adoptions in the Northeast as she lives in Maryland. Additionally, Robin fosters and has been instrumental in setting up the iPAW regulations and website. A dog lover for years, Robin volunteered in the Hero Dogs kennel, a non-profit organization in the greater Washington, DC area, that raises, trains, and places service dogs with U.S. military veterans and first responders with disabilities. In addition, Robin and her collie, Riley, volunteer as a therapy dog team for the National Capital Therapy Dog program in Maryland. Robin’s formal rescue work began in 2016 with Tri-State Collie Rescue (TSCR) which was a breed-specific rescue. She conducted adoption interviews and veterinarian checks of prospective adopters. The information Robin compiled was summarized and submitted to the adoption team coordinator for further consideration. Additionally, Robin transported collies on their way into or out of rescue. In August of 2019, she became a foster for a 10-year-old sable collie whose owner had passed away. Since having that first foster, her home has been somewhat of a revolving door of dogs needing homes while fosters and forever homes are found. It was during her time at TSCR that she and Kim met. She remains a member of her local collie clubs. Both Robin and Kim saw a need to establish an all-breed rescue and welfare group. The mission of iPAW became broader than a traditional rescue as iPAW focuses on assisting current owners to maintain their pets in their homes whenever possible. Since its inception in 2022, Robin has expanded her fostering horizons by playing host to a variety of breeds, including a Great Dane, Boston Terriers, and even a terrier mix. Robin serves as an adoption coordinator for iPaw, building upon her previous experience of conducting interviews, vet checks and arranging for and assisting with transports.
Cathy is an avid animal care giver. For 10 years she volunteered with Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, an organization that provides therapeutic care for children and adults. Quality of life improvements in emotional, cognitive, social, and physical needs can be realized through engaging horses in a therapeutic manner. Cathy’s work on the gala planning committee helped the organization realize their fundraising goals from 2006-2016. Her volunteer work with the Woodstock Spay and Neuter Clinic led her to become a foster home. She continued her fostering and volunteer activities with Tri State Collie Rescue (TSCR). Over the 4-year affiliation with TSCR, Cathy fostered 8 collies and provided multiple home visits and transportation activities facilitating placement in forever homes. As a board member of iPAW, Inc., Cathy provides administrative support including application processing and coordination of foster homes in the Central Kentucky area.
Dr. Gary C. Duncan DVM
Dr. Kyle Franks DVM
Diana Bogard
Peter Sidlauskas
Ruth Susan Cheryl Casey Suzanne Kimberly Teresa Jessie Glenn Marissa Lynn Jennifer Stephanie Kim
To impact the problem of over-population through spay/neuter programs including early education
To provide educational programming that can be utilized through community organizations
To align/partner with breed-specific rescue groups
To assist maintaining pets in their homes when difficult circumstances arise
To facilitate foster care placement only when all other homing options are exhausted