Community Helping Cat Rescue Bounce Back After Burglary
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - The Angels with Paws cat sanctuary is still working to recover a week after burglars broke into the thrift store. That store funds the whole operation.
"The whole front door was shattered. We were getting calls from people asking 'what happened?' It was a crazy morning," said Rachael Hogan about the morning of Christmas Eve. "They shattered the front door, took the cash register and donation bin which was about $500."
The Angels with Paws thrift store at 26th and Kipling in Wheat Ridge raises about $100 a day. That money funds the cat adoption center near 24th and Youngfield in Lakewood.
"They basically took money from the cats. Not a single penny of that goes anywhere expect to help these babies," Hogan said. "We sell all kinds of things there and all the money we make there goes here to help the cats. So medicine, spay and neuter."
The front door of the thrift store still hasn't been repaired, keeping the shop closed. The nonprofit has asked for people to help with expenses. Thousands have been raised, but it's still unknown when the thrift store will reopen.
"We couldn't ask for a better community," Hogan said. "Definitely hurting the shelter a bit, but the community has been fantastic."
The group says it started in 2003 and has helped nearly 11,000 cats and a few dogs find new homes. Angels with Paws specializes in finding homes for hard-to-adopt cats. Most have medical issues, but the organization still finds people wanting to help.
"Christmas is usually such a time for giving and love and to hear someone had stolen that much from a nonprofit," Hogan said.
