Published 15:52 IST, July 16th 2019
Batman for furballs: Caped crusader Chris Von Dom is on a mission to save animals from Euthanasia
Batman, the caped crusader, has stood the test of time as a superhero, even weathering the storm of the recent Marvel Cinematic Universe and its lot, but still, for a man to dress up as the Dark Knight to rescue animals is more than noteworthy.
Batman, the caped crusader, has stood the test of time as a superhero, even weathering the storm of the recent Marvel Cinematic Universe and its lot, but still, for a man to dress up as the Dark Knight to rescue animals is more than noteworthy.
Chris Van Dom is like any other animal rescuer, except that he does it with his own style, dressed as the most popular superhero from the DC comic universe. Chris is on a mission to save shelter dogs and cats from euthanasia. The 35-year old animal conservationist and rescuer wears a Batman mask and transports these furballs to new homes where they can sleep peacefully, hence maintaining and encouraging 'adopt, don't shop'
Chris' journey began back in 2014 when his father adopted a rescue dog. Ever since, he was inspired and decided to help other animals who are in immediate need for better care and living conditions. Chris has an impressive history of rescuing hundreds of shelter dogs and cats. In addition, another big deal about Chris and his kind deeds is that he transports rescued pets from numerous shelters to new locations in his airplanes, as he is a passionate and a skilled pilot. Hence, combining his passion for flying and rescuing, Chris is dedicated to contributing his part to the animals.
The reason for Chris dressing up as a Batman completely stems from his love for the DC's masked crusader ever since he was a child. Along with rescue missions, Chris is also taking constant efforts to gather funds for his non-profit organization (NGO) Batman4Paws. The NGO's agenda is to build and construct foster homes for rescued cats and dogs across the state of Florida. So far Chris'efforts have bagged around $33,000. Even so, the kind rescuer wants to reach the $35,000 mark on his GoFundMe campaign in the coming weeks.
Here's what Chris wrote on his fundraising page:
"It took me some major thinking while in the shower but it finally hit me and I came up with a way of taking my passion for flying and combining it with my love of animals. As a child I looked up to the values that superheroes such as Batman reflected and thought that would be the perfect vessel to embody the spirit of goodwill.”
"Thus the crazy idea of Batman4Paws was born. I would help rescue animals in need anyway I can, all while dressed as the Dark Knight himself and become a symbol for helping those in need," he added.
Chris also has a Facebook page 'Batman4Paws' and his Twitter handle where he shares pictures and updates of all the animals he rescues. Here are some of the pictures:
Netizens have lauded Chris and the efforts he takes to ensure the wellbeing of animals:
Updated 22:57 IST, July 16th 2019