In the scorching summer heat, Deborah Hoffman can be found patrolling a section of Houston, Texas, that she’s dubbed “The Corridor of Cruelty.”

Imagine being a dog that has been starved and abused or used for fighting. Then, when your owner realizes just how sick or injured you are, you’re dumped in Houston’s infamous Corridor of Cruelty and left to die a slow and certain death.

“It’s basically a dumping ground for live and dead animals,” said Hoffman.

“My journey began with a simple, yet desperate email, my “Call To Action”, on August 26th, 2008. I could no longer tolerate what was happening. Every day unwanted animals are literally being thrown away in what I dubbed the “Corridor of Cruelty and Neglect”. What could these animals have done to deserve such a fate? We all know the answer: NOTHING! I had to do something to help them.

No, this is not happening in some slum in a 3rd world country, but right here in Houston, TX. This must stop. I need your awareness of this tragedy – I need your help. 

If I did not send out this email, I just couldn’t live with myself. I have to try and get them help. Please forward this message.

There is an area of town just east of I-59 off Little York. Its about a quarter mile strip of road that I call the Corridor of Cruelty and Neglect…..you can veer off to the left or right at any point and find much of the same EVERYWHERE – pain and suffering . It is overwhelming and hard to leave the area without tears in one’s eyes . I’m writing this email in hopes that a few or alot, or even one person will go to this area and rescue a stray dog. There are many and they are always there. You will find mixes and purebreeds of all kinds: boxers, labs, shepherds, pitbulls, bull dogs, rottweilers, dalmatians – mostly larger dogs. But you’ll also find small ones and plenty of puppies too. Some have mange, some have broken bones, and some are pregnant. Some are emaciated and ALL ARE HUNGRY. Some will come right up to you and some will run the other way. They live in wooded areas and travel through the ditches and across busy intersections. They get hit by cars and keep on going…..they scrounge in the few parking lots there are for food scraps. They don’t want to live like this. They are scared and lonely. They want to be saved and have a home.

If you drive down Little York east from I-59, you’ll come to a railroad track. Hang around there for an hour and you will find someone to rescue . If not (for some unusual reason), proceed further east on Little York and stick around the Auto Zone for an hour or so. Or start off on Langley – the street that runs beside the Home Depot just off the I-59 feeder and south of Little York. The undeveloped streets off of Langley are a favorite dumping ground for the people in this area. Here they throw away trash and animals on a regular basis . If you are the least bit patient, you won’t drive away empty-handed.

I’m BEGGING for help for these animals. Apparently the dividing line for the county and city Animal Controls is Little York and I wonder if that means that sometimes these poor lost souls don’t even have the chance to be euthanized and put out of their misery . I live across town. I don’t want to go out there but I do. I have rescued 7 dogs over the past one and a half years from this area. I know that’s not many but if another person, and another, and another can just go in and get one more out and safe …..its one less in that area adding to the ever growing desperate and suffering population there .

So if you are a rescue group that can “squeeze just one more in”, or if you are that co-worker that’s been wanting to help a homeless dog, or if you are the independent rescuer that just had a few successful adoptions and can take on another, or if you are that pet owner whose loved one just passed on and you need a new friend, or if you are a Good Samaritan that needs a good deed to do, or if you are a person with influence that can figure out a way this city can solve this HORRIBLE problem ……please go by and see my friends….your friends that need you……

I’ve attached photos of 4 dogs that have gotten “ out of this hell ” in the past week. Let’s make that number 40 or 400 – it can be done. I wouldn’t be sending this out if I didn’t believe that. I know more has to be done and that rescuing these animals is just applying a bandaid on the problem. I know that the answer lies in the passage of spay/neuter and other laws . I know our Mayor and city officials have to get involved if places like this will ever get cleaned up. If you drive through this neighborhood….everywhere you turn are sad and neglected dogs in backyards chained to posts, to trees, to sheds, to fences. It is the most HEARTBREAKING THING I know of right now……….While I was out there this past Saturday and Sunday looking to rescue a momma-to-be and others…..my 12 year old daughter was beside me. She summed it up well when she turned to me with pain and tears in her eyes and said ….”Momma, the SPCA needs to be called on this whole neighborhood……… ” Yes dear, yes it does………

 
Visit Corridor Rescue for more information on volunteering and adoption and please make a generous donation to this incredible non profit organization.