Dawn Kubisz, a Pasadena resident, always dreamed of having her own animal shelter. Although in college she studied Early Childhood Development, Dawn’s passion was always taking care of animals. Dawn volunteered for five years at Pasadena Rescue Center to learn the business of running a shelter. Her duties included interviewing, screening prospective adoptive applicants, evaluating animals, socializing, and training “problem animals,” planning fundraisers and completing clerical work. She took her work very seriously in order to accomplish her dream of having her own shelter. In 2009, Dawn opened the doors to her shelter, A NEW DAWN ANIMAL RESCUE CENTER.

Her Mission is to help to give animals a “homey environment” and create a center for the animals to transition easy to their adopted homes. Dawn began small with 15 cats and 20 dogs, screening each animal on an individual basis. To date, she has placed over 1,100 dogs and cats into loving homes and has become a well known business in the Deer Park and Pasadena areas. She has also assisted other overcrowded shelter in taking some of their smaller cats and dogs and has placed them in loving homes. If this does not tell you enough about this fantastic woman and her accomplishments, the following will blow your mind. Dawn has cerebral palsy, which has affected her speech and walking capabilities. None of this has stood in the way of her achieving her dream. Dawn takes care of the shelter animals, drives her car, and she even designed the website for her business. Nothing gets her down when it comes to the shelter. Dawn is persistent, confident, courageous, and passionate about the Mission of the Center.

She interviews and hires her volunteers and makes sure they have the same passion for animals that she has. Students in veterinary studies or related fields come to Dawn for their internship program. Dawn is truly a person that deserves the terms “SUPER WOMAN” and “HERO”