Cats may have nine lives, but for dogs without a second lifeline, there’s Robyn Urman.
Urman is the founder of the Tenafly-based Pet ResQ Inc., a non-profit organization composed of a handful of volunteers who provide foster care to small dogs and cats until the animals find permanent homes. All donations assist the 9-year-old organization in providing the necessary vet care for the animals, many of which were abused or handicapped.
"Animals don’t judge the way humans do," said Urman, who works full time at the Purple Rain hair salon in Tenafly. "They don’t steal. They don’t hold grudges, or care if you get fat as long as they get fed."
A quick walkthrough of her new Bergenfield home exposes dog food bowls in each room with the occasional chew toys cast to the side. In seconds, a small herd of four dogs pad their way across the kitchen, extending their paws and tummies for attention.
Urman picks up a shaggy-haired shitz-tsu named Bentley, who is currently up for adoption. Bentley is blind, she said, because a pair of 14-year-old boys in Harlem threw battery acid on the dog’s face.
"Everyone passes over the older ones, the ugly and the smelly ones," she continues while gently rubbing Bentley. "And you know what? That was me growing up."
The salon manager first started rescuing animals 25 years ago, beginning with phone volunteer work, shelter volunteer work and finally animal foster care. When Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans, Urman raced to Louisiana to search and rescue animals cast away by their owners.
"If you knew it was going to flood, you don’t tie your dog up. Instinctively, dogs know to go to high ground."
The photographs showed ASPCA markings on hurricane-crippled houses indicating "dead dog inside." And in others, images of rescued puppies and perhaps the first litter of puppies to be delivered in the city after the hurricane.
"She let me deliver those babies," said Urman, pointing to the chocolate-coated dog. "But, she didn’t have much of a choice."
Pet ResQ volunteer Kandy Cohn, of North Bergen, said that she has never met an "outspoken saint" like Urman. "She [Urman] can live under any kinds of conditions just to provide for those dogs," said Cohn.
"She also takes special needs dogs and who would do that?" asked Cohn, who helps Urman by answering phones and volunteering at events.
For now, Urman spends most of her time working 75 hours at the salon, finding homes for the animals and receiving foster care pick-up calls. Urman, who cares for a young bichon frise named Lulu with "water on the brain," said that a lot of people don’t realize the responsibility of dog ownership.
"I become a clear conscience," she added. "At least people can say that they didn’t dump them. I found this really nice lady and she’ll love them."
Urman said that already she pays an average of $30,000 in medical bills in caring for the animals. Each animal is spayed or neutered upon adoption, to control the dog over-population.
Friend Kirsten Ferrara, of Old Tappan, said that she is "taken aback" by the level of Urman’s dedication to the animals. "Giving money to a charity is one thing, but when you give to someone that gives everything of themselves – that’s charity personified," she said.
Fortunately, word-of-mouth has helped Urman in finding homes for many of the dogs and cats. Urman estimates that she has placed up to 200 animals in good Tenafly homes alone.
Tenafly Mayor Peter Rustin said he would not be surprised. He said that two out of his three dogs, named Samantha and Clark, came from Urman.
The mayor, who also confessed he likes to drive with his dogs in the backseat of his convertible car, said that the dogs are wonderful. He does not even regret, he joked, that Samantha is probably only half golden retriever instead of a full breed.
Back at Urman’s home, the small "fur babies" lie curled up in their doggie beds on the kitchen floor – a well-deserved, mid-afternoon siesta. Urman prepares a cup of coffee on her only self-splurge this year, a new cappuccino maker.
Selecting a coffee flavor she said, "I can’t have a dog on my lap and not say no. I can’t just walk away."
For more information about Pet ResQ, contact Urman by e-mail at petresqinc@aol.com or visit petresqinc.petfinder.com.
