Anonymous Donor Pays Off $34,000 Vet Bill for Auburndale Dog Rescue
An anonymous donor paid off a nearly $34,000 veterinary bill for Crossed Paws Pet Rescue, an Auburndale-based nonprofit that has been pulling sick, injured, and unwanted dogs off Polk County streets since 2018.
Stefanie Badillo, who founded the 501(c)(3) organization, said the debt had carried over from the previous year and was weighing heavily on the rescue’s ability to move forward. The gift arrived without warning and covered the balance in full.
“We had somebody, an anonymous donor, come in and pay the whole bill,” Badillo said Friday at the Auburndale Downtown Saturday Market. “We have 34 more dogs that need to be vetted, so we’ll be able to get them vetted and not be worried about having that bill sitting there.”
Badillo said the organization has placed 187 dogs into homes so far in 2026. Since its founding, she estimates Crossed Paws has facilitated somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 adoptions.
Crossed Paws takes in dogs that are abandoned, injured, or in need of medical care. Once in the rescue’s care, dogs are examined by a veterinarian, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped before being placed for adoption. The organization can house up to 50 dogs at a time at its Auburndale rehabilitation center.
Badillo emphasized that adoptions are not first-come, first-served. When multiple applications come in for the same dog, her team reviews all of them and selects the placement they believe is the best fit for the animal.
Volunteers are welcome, particularly at community events. Badillo said teenagers looking for community service hours can participate at events, though the facility itself is not currently open to youth volunteers. Volunteer tasks include bathing and walking dogs and helping at outreach events.
Polk County residents who want to help can visit crossedpawspetrescue.org to browse available dogs, submit an adoption application, sign up to volunteer, or make a donation. Badillo encourages potential adopters to complete the online application before attending any events. The rescue posts upcoming appearances and events at crossedpawspetrescue.org/events, and dogs available for adoption can be viewed at crossedpawspetrescue.org/current-dogs-available.
Stefanie Badillo, founder, Crossed Paws Pet Rescue, interview at Auburndale Downtown Saturday Market, July 4, 2026
Crossed Paws Pet Rescue, Inc., crossedpawspetrescue.org
