WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — About seven years ago, Stephanie Badillo started Crossed Paws Pet Rescue in Winter Haven.
The goal was to help fill a gap she said exists in Polk County where people don’t have a resource to fall back on if they cannot care for a dog financially.
The dogs she takes in are in rough shape. Most of them have been abandoned and sadly left to die. Crossed Paws relies solely on donations to keep the operation going to help these dogs.
“We don’t euthanize people because they’re sick, we don’t kill them because they have a broken leg, we take care of them, so that’s what we do. If they can’t make it, we do the right thing, but if they have quality of life, they’re going to get that. Whatever time they have left, they are going to get it,” said Badillo.
One of the biggest fundraisers for crossed paws is the Going to the Dogs Thrift Shop, operated by Badillo’s friend Mariann Motola. All the proceeds from the thrift shop go directly to Crossed Paws.
You can learn more about Crossed Paws and donate here.
