Red Door’s mission is to “Promote respect for all animals through education, shelter, rehabilitation and adoption.”

Red Door Animal Shelter

by Rachael Scobey

A few Loyola students were sitting in their apartment trying to keep warm during one of the year’s heaviest snow storms, when they heard a loud screeching outside. Curious to find the source of the noise, they bundled up and decided to investigate. Surprised, they found a tiny kitten curled up, fighting to stay alive.

The girls took the furry feline in overnight, naming it “Baxter.” Unfortunately, they had to find a different home for the kitten because two of the students were extremely allergic. The most suitable home they found was Chicago’s very own Red Door Animal Shelter.

Red Door, a branch of Chicago’s Community Humane Center, was founded in 1998. Red Door is one of the few no-kill shelters in the greater Chicago area. The shelter houses an array of different animals until they are found homes through a successful adoption process.

“Red Door was the best place for Baxter (the kitten) to go,” Susie Newman, one of the girls who found the kitten, said. “They keep the animals until they can find them homes. Red Door stood out from many shelters, because they don’t keep their animals caged.”

In the past five years, two different Red Door facilities have been opened with the help of private donations. In 2000, a North Side adoption facility, located at 2410 W. Lunt St., was opened to house cats and rabbits. This is the shelter where the Loyola students gave the stray cat they found.

The “Red Door,” a symbol of safe haven since the middle ages, was chosen as the name and logo to represent the shelter. It has also been said that the red door brings luck to all those who live behind it. (www.reddoorshelter.org) Red Door’s mission is to “Promote respect for all animals through education, shelter, rehabilitation and adoption.”

Red Door is successful in finding homes for its animals. On its Web site, there is a link to fill out an adoption form for any animal. People can also stop in to any of their locations to meet the animals and learn about possible adoption.

When asked what Baxter’s chance was in being adopted, one of the Red Door volunteers was hopeful.

“He’s the youngest cat we’ll have, so he has a better chance than many,” the volunteer said.

For more information about Red Door animal shelter or to adopt, visit www.reddoorshelter.org.