Growing up in the South Bronx, our latest New Yorker of the Week was brought up in a household that loved animals, and more than 60 years later, makes sure that mistreated city dogs get loving homes. NY1's Annika Pergament filed the following report.
Most people wouldn't want to get too close to a pit bull, but Emelinda Narvaez happily spends her time rescuing abandoned and abused pit bulls and other dogs in the South Bronx.
“I've seen a lot of mistreatment of animals there, especially the pit bulls, the Rottweilers, the dogs that they train to be vicious, to fight and many of them are hidden in basements, roofs, apartments,” said Narvaez.
Forty-five years ago, Narvaez started "Earth Angels," and dedicated herself to rescuing and finding homes for mistreated dogs. About 95 percent of them are pit bulls, and many are injured or scarred from fighting.
Narvaez has seven to 10 dogs in her home at any time -- those too sick or wounded to be immediately adopted.
Over the years, she says she has rescued and found homes for about 6,000 dogs.
“On an everyday level she does so much for the animals in New York, and for dogs especially,” said Earth Angels volunteer Christiana Olfert. “It would be sort of hard to imagine what would happen to any of these animals if she wasn't around.”
Every Wednesday through Sunday evening, Narvaez can be found with her dogs and volunteers outside the PETCO store in Manhattan’s Union Square.
Rachel Barrett got her pit bull Sessie from Narvaez almost a year ago. Like so many who adopt from Narvaez, Barrett was just walking by.
“I agreed to take her for two, three days but I was in, I was hooked,” said Barrett.
Animal Care and Control often turns to Narvaez when it has dogs that would otherwise be killed because they need expensive life-saving surgeries. Navraez gets vets to treat the dogs -- often for free.
A cancer survivor currently battling lupus, Narvaez says no matter how she is feeling she will never turn away a dog in need. Even after they're adopted or fostered, she makes home visits to make sure they're healthy and happy.
“She checks up on her dogs,” said Earth Angels volunteer Evelyn Liu. “She does home visits, surprise home visits, like the city does for foster children.”
At one point, Narvaez was working two jobs and running Earth Angels. Now retired, she says she could not wait for the day when she could dedicate all her time to rescuing dogs.
“I couldn't wait till I, I was asking the Lord, ‘Let me reach an age where I don't have to go to work that I can just give them all my attention.’ That's all I wanted,” said Narvaez.
So, for saving thousands of dogs, Emelinda Narvaez is our New Yorker of the Week.
For more information on Earth Angels, call (917) 648-7070 or visit earthangelsnyc.org
- Annika Pergament
If you'd like to nominate someone to be NY1's New Yorker of the Week, send an email describing their qualifications to: nyer@ny1.com or mail a letter to:
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New Yorker of the Week
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July 18, 2008
Bronx Woman Tirelessly Rescues City Dogs
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