Staff Spotlight: Dania

I made my way around non-profits when I was 11! Freshly out of elementary school, I joined an organization that focused on immigration rights, where I stayed for about 10 years. From there, I dabbled between administrative roles in different medical settings and other non-profits that focused on human rights across the board—police violence, LGBTQ rights, senior housing rights, immigration, and everything in between and beyond.

What about this position and organization attracted you? Why are you excited to be on the PAWS NY staff?

Being born and raised for half of my childhood in rural Colombia, I’ve always had a strong affinity for animals. Horses, donkeys, chickens, ducks, pigs… I think things took a strong turn when I became a furry mom to Tony, and when a dear friend of mine got a service dog, Arrebol, who was also my roommate three years later.  At the start of 2021, when people were being asked to return to the office, I began taking care of other people’s dogs, many of which were rescued. The combination of Tony, Arrebol, and the sweet dogs I was caring for made me think of all the pets that, without certain economic resources, would be separated from their owners. I saw firsthand how strong the bond between humans and their pets can be, including my own. So, when I heard about this position, I thought it was beautiful and that it completely resonated with my values. (I was literally looking for positions that would light up my soul and found PAWS!!)

Tell us about your pets, past & present.

There are a lot! Many of the animals I grew up with, I thought of as pets—until they ended up as food back home (mostly the chickens). Here are some of the actual pets:

Rocky: We never knew his breed, but he lived a long, happy life. He was the first dog in my life. He loved coming with my uncle and me to pick flowers because my uncle would indulge him with yummy treats and bread. He also had a habit of killing some neighbors’ chickens when he got bored. But when he wasn’t chasing chickens, he was top-tier!

Kamacho: A Chihuahua mix who LOVED pooping right when the light turned green in the middle of the street. He was a traffic stopper, who also knew exactly when to hop onto the bed without moving as much so my mom wouldn’t scream at us. Unfortunately, my mom grew allergic to him, so we had to give him back to his prior owner, who was also a friend and able to keep him. I also grew up with many bunnies, chickens, and ducks.

Tony: My baby boy, who came from Colombia about six years ago. He became a little Instagram-famous after he got lost in Flushing Meadows Park. He ended up chilling on the bed of the people who found him like nothing happened! I retrieved him the next day, and he hasn’t gotten lost since. Tony is the best pup you could ever meet and we love being lazy and going out together. Here’s a pic of Tony, his cousin Elo, and Arrebol again… because they are too cute!