Alexis Quevedo is saving the lives of helpless stray animals and giving them a loving forever home.
CSI Student Alexis Quevedo spent a couple of minutes post-class admiring the diverse wildlife on campus last week. The peaceful activity gave her a much-needed break to rewind before her next class and busy work schedule.
By M Kazmi
Thinking back to her love for animals, it all comes down to that day nine years ago. Alexis Quevedo and her mother went to the movie theater and on their way out spotted something moving towards the corner of the parking lot. Out of curiosity, Quevedo investigated and found a litter of helpless kittens snuggling against each other in a cardboard box. The next day Quevedo brought them kitten food and got them into a carrier. That’s when her journey of being an animal rescuer began.
“I feel like my whole family were known for being the crazy animal people,” Quevedo said. “We would always be the ones people would call up when an animal was in need of rescue and care.”
Quevedo and her family did not run an animal rescue facility but rather worked with other rescue organizations to foster animals until they found their forever home. Up until now, Quevedo has rescued and fostered 20 animals and counting.
Since her first semester at CSI, Alexis Quevedo admired the college’s mascot: Danny the Dolphin for its cute visuals. She found the statue of Danny the Dolphin located outside 1C cool and even photographed it.
Rescuing and fostering these animals completely changed Quevedo’s thoughts on shelter animals. “A lot of people dismiss adoption shelters in the blink of an eye,” said Quevedo. “They think these animals are here for a reason when most of them have just been abandoned and because of this, only the very lucky few are able to feel that love and affection again.”
Quevedo agrees that people should adopt rescue animals rather than purchasing young animals from breeders. According to ASPCA, the adoption rate of older dogs is approximately 25% while for younger dogs it’s more than double that, about 60%. Through her work, Quevedo has seen these numbers speak for themselves, as younger animals get adopted more frequently than older ones.
Quevedo’s rescue and adoption initiatives prompted collaboration with others. Quevedo would find the animal in need of rescue and get in touch with her contacts from the animal shelter. Quevedo would then take the rescued animal to the shelter.
Last week, outside 3N, Alexis Quevedo spotted a small nest that had fallen apart due to the wind. Luckily, as she took a closer look at the nest, it became clear that the nest was already abandoned.
The animals were sure to have a health check-up, clean-up, and checked for a microchip. Afterward, Quevedo would foster the animal. The adoption news of the animals Quevedo fostered would spread by word of mouth, eventually leading Quevedo to find a home for them.
A few times, however, the animal would be so convincing that she would take them in and make them a part of her family. Of the many cats Quevedo currently has, five of them are ones she has found and rescued off the streets.
One of these cats was Oscar. Unfortunately, at one point, Oscar fell sick and Quevedo had to choose between putting Oscar down or following through with a $7,000 surgery to help his situation. Despite the hefty price of the surgery, the love Quevedo had for Oscar outweighed any monetary value and Quevedo and her family decided to follow through with the surgery. Five years later, Oscar is still alive and well, proving the surgery was a success.
This past Wednesday, Alexis Quevedo spotted and photographed the wildlife running around outside of the CSI student Cafeteria. She spotted a small gopher nibbling on some bark and a baby squirrel running up a tree.
Growing up caring for and nurturing animals back to health and then seeing Oscar’s surgery miraculously heal him inspired Quevedo’s future plans. After completing her bachelor’s as an English major at CSI she is interested in going to grad school to become a veterinarian. Quevedo’s goal was to take care of these animals as best as she could. It was hard for her to say no to them. At one point, her ambition to help the helpless even led her to care of 27 hamsters.
“We take turns caring for them, we just do what we can for them,” said Quevedo. “It’s almost as if they run the house, not us.”
