My father was the fire chief in our small, northern town, so I’ve always been a little extra cautious about things like fire safety plans. For example, my dogs, Malone and Norris, sleep in my bedroom with me so that if there was a fire in the night I could get them out the window with me. I know my heartbreak would be unbearable if I had to leave them behind simply because I couldn’t find them in the smoke filled apartment.

Prior to September 11th I had never thought about what would happen to them if they were at home without me when disaster struck. What if I couldn’t get back to the apartment? What would become of them during the confusion and chaos of disaster situations? I think about this now. I think about it because I was in New York a week after the tragedy, helping with disaster relief and talking to the women and men who risked their own safety to go into evacuated buildings to rescue the animals who had been left behind. Those animals were in good hands, as I hope Malone and Norris would be. I’m proud that PAWS was able help with contributions for the rescued animals. I believe we helped reunite people with the animals they so loved.

I’ve always said I work at PAWS because of Malone and Norris. There are tens of thousands of animals in Washington state who are just like them; loving, sensitive little dogs who need people—and yet, unlike Malone and Norris have no one to love and care for them. I can’t take them all into my life and my home, but I can do what I can through PAWS and work to give every single one a happy life.

When I returned from New York, I remembered that all the animals in Washington State who needed us before September 11th still need us now. A horrible tragedy happened to this whole country and when the wreckage has been cleared, and our hearts have begun to heal the thing that will prove to us how great America is will be the fact that we carried on. I guess you could say that at PAWS our American dream is to create a more compassionate world for all animals. I ask that you help us honor the victims of September 11th by helping us fulfill that dream.