If you’ve ever walked past Emelinda’s mobile miracle on wheels in the heart of New York’s Union Square — it’s hard not to get teary eyed as you see the happy, somber and nervous faces and wagging tails of the dogs in cages, anxiously waiting for loving homes.
Emelinda Narvaez, believes dogs are “Angels of This Earth.” But to the more than 10,000 dogs she’s rescued in York — she is the Angel. She does her miracle work through her non-profit, “Earth Angels,” a no-kill canine rescue and adoption organization established to rescue homeless and abandoned dogs.
For the past 41 years, every single day, rain, shine, or sleet, Emelinda has been saving pets on the streets and picking up dogs from overcrowded shelters (that otherwise would’ve been euthanized). She then nurses them back to health and finds happy, healthy homes for her four legged friends.
On average she gets about 8-10 rescue calls a day. Her van is just crammed full of cages, rags and dog toys. She’s really a one-woman show — many times, driving into the most dangerous parts of the boroughs to rescue these dogs.
Emelinda‘s passion to save dogs is deep rooted. As a little girl, she recalls witnessing animals in her community being abused. She would rescue dogs, cats, and other animals by placing them in homes around her local community. This inspired her to start her own organization when she got older.
Go Inspire Go’s New York volunteer, Stephanie Lin was inspired to produce a video on Emelinda’s amazing efforts and shares the amazing story of selfless heroism:
This miracle worker relies on donations and pays for the bulk of her operation: microchipping, shots and treatment for the dogs out of her savings and social security.
“Even if it’s one I can save a day, it’s one that is out of problems,” She says in a matter of fact tone of voice.
With a deep rooted love for her dogs, Emelinda puts the dog’s problems before her own.
Emelinda is a cancer survivor. She tells us she still suffers from numerous health problems. But instead of using the money to care for her own personal health, she spends her money to care for the dogs.
After the economy took a downturn, donations have fallen by 25 percent — she now desperately needs your help. To make matters worse, in May, the New York housing authority banned large dogs from the public housing projects. This led to a spike in the number of large dogs being abandoned, and many were being turned in to Animal Control. This has increased pressure on Emelinda — she now has less funding and more dogs to save.
Meanwhile, Emelinda says she strongly believes that “If you want to raise your children to be good citizens, you should teach them to be kind to animals.” If you ever witness her compassion in action, you will see her explaining to children the importance of loving and respecting animals.
Please check out her website, share the video and make a donation: http://earthangelsnyc.com