PAWS to the Rescue in Streator is on a mission to save stray dogs' lives.

The nonprofit organization works with Streator animal control to foster and eventually adopt out dogs the city has detained.

Lynn Cutler of Streator founded PAWS in July 2008 and says the group has helped 120 to 125 dogs since then by placing them in foster care. She operates the organization out of her home.

A state foster license permits up to four dogs. Streator ordinance allows residents to have up to four dogs. Foster families are allowed four foster dogs and up to four of their own dogs.

"Just because we're allowed to let someone have four doesn't mean we would," Cutler told The Times. "When they go out into foster, you start networking to adopt them out."

There are six foster families right now, which would allow 24 dogs to be fostered at a time.

Potential foster families must complete an application, undergo a background check and a home inspection. If the results are adequate, PAWS sends the application to the Department of Agriculture. Cutler says it takes about a week from application to approval.

Foster families are asked to make the dog adoptable by working on its manners and behavior and assisting with house training if needed.

Foster families pay for food, while PAWS pays for any needed medical care. Cutler said if a treatment will cost less than $100, the foster family can get the needed care without prior PAWS approval.

"If a dog has a (urinary tract infection), we don't need to approve that. It's obvious the dog needs treatment," Cutler said, and added PAWS has worked with certain veterinarians for a long time and those doctors know to call PAWS for pre-approval when needed.

In addition to providing foster care, PAWS goes to the city dog barns and takes pictures and distributes 25 flyers throughout Streator businesses to try to find original owners.

Suki is a PAWS success story. Because she was part rottweiler, laws prevent her from going into foster care. She had an eye condition called Entropion when she was picked up by animal control.

"She was so miserable when she was at animal control," Cutler said. "We called City Hall and said we're gonna sign her out. If we have to board her, we have to board her."

Suki stayed at Countryside Animal Clinic for a week, where she was given antibiotics and eye drops. Her eyelids rolled inward and were scratching her corneas, which eventually would have caused her to go blind. Three PAWS board members met and decided, because of the dog's temperament and age, they would fund surgery, which Dr. Bob Harms performed at Countryside.

"If there's a condition like that, when we take a dog in, if it has health issues, we'll take care of the dog," Cutler said.

Suki since has found a permanent, loving home.

Chris Kitner of Streator has been fostering dogs since January 2009 and says she does it out of a love for dogs. She has three dogs of her own and recently adopted out a dog she'd been fostering.

"There's a passion there," she said. "It's been an adventure and it's fun."

Kitner's family, which includes her husband and four kids ages 20, 17, 13 and 11, has fostered six to seven dogs and she says she has a system for introducing new dogs to the household.

"The whole family joins in and helps. We take it a step at a time," she said. "I put the new one in the crate. And then I take my three dogs and crate them and then introduce them to each other. If a dog has issues, I work with the issues. There's a lot of work that goes into training for the dogs."

Kitner is a stay-at-home mom and uses that time to work with the dogs.

"If they need to be potty trained, I let them out. They follow my dogs," she said. "It takes a lot of patience, repetition and patience. I like to walk around with a bag of Iams dog food, and when they do something good I give them kibble."

Kitner has gone with Cutler on rescues and says many times the dogs demonstrate relief when they are rescued.

"Dogs will come up whining and I'll get down to their level and they'll come up and put their paws on our shoulders, hugging us," she said.

She relayed another time she went along on a rescue.

"The dog was in a 4-by-4-(foot) chain link fence. She couldn't walk or scratch. She was infested with fleas and had a very bad bladder infection," Kitner said. "I put my hands down to her and she just laid her snout in my hand and cried. Lynn got clippers and shaved her down. We took her to Countryside and got meds and within two months she was adoptable."

Kitner's dog Daisy is a 2-year-old shorkie — a shih-tzu/Yorkshire terrier mix. The family adopted her after she was found in an ice storm when she was nine months old.

"They literally had to thaw her out. They thought she was pregnant (but she wasn't). After she was vetted, they brought her to me on a Saturday. By Monday as the kids were leaving for school, she cried as they left," she said.

Kitner said while it is hard to let foster dogs go when they've been adopted, she feels they are going to people who are loving them.

"When I come around again, yeah, they're happy to see me, but they're happy where they're at, which is a very good sign. That's what we're here for."

David Fussell, Streator's animal control officer, said last year the city collected 164 dogs and 71 cats. All but 20 of those dogs went home or were fostered by someone through PAWS. With PAWS helping out, the euthanization rate is low — usually only coming into play with dogs that are too aggressive and unadoptable.

There are currently no dogs in city detention.

When an animal is picked up, it stays in city detention for five days — hopefully to be claimed by the original owner — before PAWS can start fostering.

"PAWS has been very helpful in seeing to it that these animals find a home," Fussell said. "They've helped to not only find fosters but permanent homes."

"My door's ready for the next one that needs a home," Kitner said. "Hopefully they don't need us, but if they do, I'm ready to make it work. We really do have a lot of fun with the dogs that come in. They try to make you happy. Their personalities are like people — they're all so different and you just gotta love it, love them for who they are."


Facts on PAWS



PAWS to the Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All funds raised are used to support the organization. All staff work on a volunteer basis and are not compensated.

Adoption contract fees are as follows:

• $250 for dogs under six months old
• $200 for dogs six months to 8 years
• $100 for dogs over 8 years

These costs include spay/neuter, booster shots, bordatella-kennel vaccination, microchip, rabies vaccination and a heartworm check.

The cost to PAWS is over $200 to give each dog all the preventive work.

Fundraisers include their annual dinner and charity auction, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, usually held in July.

To apply to become a foster for PAWS, complete an application at www.pawsttr.org or request an application by calling 815-672-9799 or 815-673-3684.

To make a donation, go to www.pawsttr.org, mail to PAWS to the Rescue at P.O. Box 345, Streator, IL 61364 or donate directly to Countryside Animal Clinic by having the money placed directly in PAWS to the Rescue's account as a credit to be used for future rescues. All donations are tax deductible within the definition of the Internal Revenue Code.