Tara Harper, CoFounder of Paws in the City

On a Mission to Save Dogs and Cats from Being Euthanized in the City of Dallas!

Tamra Monahan reports
Photo by Kristina Bowman Photography

As the cofounder of Paws In The City, a Dallas- based dog and cat rescue organization, Tara Harper has saved many dogs, but Max will always remain in her heart as her favorite rescue. Shortly after being found, Max collapsed and was rushed to a local vet, who told Tara the dog would never walk and should be put down. She lay down next to Max and looked into his large brown eyes full of hope and love.

He then gave Tara a huge kiss, and she was hooked. Instead of putting him down, Tara took Max home, had a special wheelchair made for him, and gave him a new life. Within months, Max resumed walking and remained with Tara for four wonderful years. Max, and all the dogs and cats just like him, is the reason she never gives up on animals who need help.

"I get a call or email every week about the dogs and cats that are going to be put down at Dallas Animal Services. Their faces are all the motivation I need," Tara says.

Through Paws In The City, Tara and her cofounder, Becky Haisma, rescue dogs and cats that are scheduled to be euthanized, finding them new homes with loving families. Over the years, they have saved hundreds of animals and work endlessly to promote foster care as a way to help animals who have been abused and neglected.

"Fosters are one of the most valuable assets of Paws In The City," Tara says. "We are only limited by the number of foster homes we have. Fostering a dog or cat provides a loving home environment for a needy animal, and it's such a simple and inexpensive way to save dogs and cats. By fostering, the foster parent is literally saving a life. I am a huge advocate for foster homes and only wish we had even more."

Tara is the perfect role model for foster care. Currently, she has eight dogs, all of which are rescues. Six of these are her own dogs, and she is fostering the other two. Though six dogs may be plenty for most people, Tara always finds room for more while they wait for a good homes and people who will love them unconditionally.

Tara's love of animals began at a very early age. Her first rescue was a beautiful Vizsla that she saved when she was only three years old. After church one Sunday morning, Tara saw the dog standing in the parking lot. She ran to it and would not leave until the owners came back. When no one arrived to claim the dog, Tara's family took the Vizsla home, and from that moment, Tara's desire to rescue abandoned animals was born. When she moved to Dallas from New York City, she volunteered with various animal welfare organizations but had a strong desire to start one of her own. The result is Paws In The City, a beacon of hope for unwanted dogs and cats.

For more information or to make a donation: Visit www.pawsinthecity.org