Who We Are

Our Founder & Director

Maureen Cattieu is the Founder & Director of Cartagena Paws.

Maureen founded Cartagena Paws in 2015, when she was living and teaching abroad in Cartagena, Colombia. Maureen spent over 10 years in Colombia working to help save the animals on the streets while focusing her instruction in the classroom on teaching empathy and compassion for all animals and living things. She currently lives and teaches in Key West, Florida, but continues to run Cartagena Paws, Inc. to the fullest of her abilities and saves countless lives throughout the years. She is dedicated to continuing out her lifelong mission to create positive change and awareness in the community and construct the first ever Educational-Based Animal Rescue Center in Cartagena, Colombia.

Co-Director & Director of Communication/Social Media

Stephanie Hartman is Co-Director & Director of Communication/Social Media of Cartagena Paws.

Stephanie became involved in Cartagena Paws after seeing the atrocious mistreatment of animals and environment. She is combining her love of writing and education to promote awareness of loving, caring animal practices and creating change in the mindset of the communities in Cartagena. She has been in many roles since joining the team from Education Director to Social Media Director. Currently, Stephanie lives in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, but works continuously on projects for Cartagena Paws from afar.

Adoption Coordinator

Rose Kenney is the Adoption Coordinator

Rose became involved with Cartagena Paws after traveling to Cartagena and volunteering with us. She has over 15 years of experience working with animals, including dogs with behavioral issues. Her passion for working with street animals began when she spent six months volunteering with street animals in Thailand, which led her to adopted two street dogs of her own. Her experience has inspired her to work around-the-clock to ensure that the animals we rescue get the chance to live a life filled with love and happiness.

Education

Evelyn Aldana is the Director of the Educational Program for Cartagena Paws.

Evelyn Aldana is the Director of the Educational Program for Cartagena Paws. Evelyn is a native Cartagenera who wants to see a change in the way her community views animals. She is also a full time Social Worker in Cartagena. Evelyn works around the clock to unite with community members and leaders who will support our educational program. She helps organize all of the logistics involved for our educational events that are conducted at the same time our spay and release events. She seeks out opportunities to work with communities, and provides education on animal welfare, and the human impact on the environment.

Veterinarians

Dr. Jherson Hernandez is our veterinary partner in Medellin. He founded and runs
Tu Fiel Amigo veterinary clinic in Medellin with the purpose of helping the animals of Colombia. Dr. Jhenson and his partners organize Spay and Neuter Events around Colombia multiply times a year. He also flies in rescue from around the country to his medical practice.

Dr. Jherson and his team of veterinarians and assistants are united with Cartagena Paws and conducted multiple Spay and Release events throughout the communities of Cartagena. This year alone Dr. Jherson and his team have helped spay and neuter over 10,000 animals from 2021-2022. Likewise they have worked together with Cartagena Paws and helped educate thousands of children in both Cartagena and Medellin about animal rights and welfare, in addition to empathy and compassion.

Dr. Ximena Perez is one of our incredible vets who goes above and beyond to not only save these animals lives, but also to help socialize them and teach them to love and trust. Herself, and her amazing team at Dog Center work around the clock to make sure our animals not only receive the best vet care, but also love and compassion.

You will know from the minute that you walk into this clinic that it is nothing like the other clinics in town. Dr. Ximena has the names of all her past animals names on the wall who have been treated there before, stayed in kennel care, or is just one of her top favorites or beloved rescues.

Team Members

Sol is our Puppy Bowl XVI Ambassador! Sol was chosen to participate in the Puppy Bowl after showing some serious potential at a very young age. Her skills include: running, tackling, jumping, begging for french fries and stealing the covers.

Sol is now living the high life in Key West, Florida. Her new found fame has been keeping her busy, but she loves every minute of it! She is forever grateful to Animal Planet for making her dreams come true <3

David Schas is Our Medellin Manager and Cat Expert. David began volunteering with Cartagena Paws two years ago when he fostered two beautiful little Kittens for us, Thor & Besito, who we later ended up adopting.

David since then has taken an active role in fostering both cats and dogs for us before they fly to the United States. He is an expert when it comes to helping animals decompress and adjust to new homes, and some day hopes to return to vet school in the USA!

Gigi Jankowski is our Buffalo Hub Manager for Cartagena Paws. She has been actively involved in animal rescue since 1995, where she began working with retired racing greyhounds.

Gigi has fostered over 100 dogs and has adopted 17 rescue animals over the past 27 years. She works on making sure we find the best homes for our animals and is actively involved in the application process, home visits, and final adoption process.

Paula LaVango, the Director of Buffalo C.A.R.E.S. Animal Rescue. Buffalo Cares is a volunteer driven 501 (c) (3) non- profit organization is very helpful in receiving our animals and helping find them the most loving and dedicated.

Often times we have flight volunteers who can provide our animals with flights home to safety, but no adopter yet. Buffalo Cares, steps in and receives our animals and helps place them into foster care before they can be adopted out to their forever home through their rescue in New York State. They also provide animals with all the necessary veterinary care, training, socialization and support to develop a well balanced family companion.

Jennifer Berger is Our Denver Hub Manager. Jennifer visited Cartagena is 2018 and was instantly motivated to reach out to Cartagena Paws and help the innocent animals in the street of Cartagena. She came to meet the animals at our clinic, and quickly learned how lovable each one truly is. She helps run the Denver Hub with her best friend Kristen and they do amazing work together. They are able to fundraise, fosters, and help adopt many of our animals out in the Denver area.

Vilma Arroyave is our Foster Care Mangager based out of Medellin, Colombia. Vilma has been a foster for Cartagena Paws for over 6 years now and is dedicated to helping the animals recover and become healthy again within a loving home setting.

Vilma helps out with socializing the animals and helping them become socialized and acclimated to life in a home, after years of suffering on the streets.

Vilma also helps foster some of our hospice animals who have been rescued at a very old age and have suffered years of abuse and neglect. Although they are older and may have chronic illnesses, we often place them with Vilma so that they can enjoy their last few years here on Earth with full bellies, love and vet care.

Clementyne Chambers is Our Flight Volunteer Recruiter. Her affinity to dogs grew exponentially when she moved to Cartagena in 2015, and witnessed extreme animal suffering and abuse.
Clem began collaborating with Cartagena Paws and has actively participated in fundraising activities along with serving as a flight volunteer on several occasions. She has been inspired to take action against the animal indifference in Colombia - and make many more four-legged friends in the process.

Kaori and John are Our NYC Fosters
Kaori & John became involved with Cartagena Paws when they were visiting Cartagena in 2018 and wanted to help rescue one of the stray dogs in Centro. They were extremely compassionate and concerned for the animals they met along the trip. Since then, they have helped foster many animals, and have even adopted Molly from Cartagena Paws!

Ramona is Our Salsa Instructor
Ramona is our first ever Cartagena Paws, Inc. rescue and the daughter of our Director Maureen Cattieu. Ramona enjoys teaching all the new foster pups how to play, eat, sleep, and dance salsa

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Carolina & Nico are Our Recycling & Fundraising Experts. Carolina and her son Nico have been volunteering with Cartagena Paws for a number of years now. They have started their own recycling program in their local communities in the USA in order to help fundraise funds for our new rescues and animals in need of flights home. Both have also served as flight volunteers and fosters for many of our animals. They never stop working for our animals and only have love to give.

Angelica Torres
Angelica became involved with Cartagena Paws when she began fostering several of our animals in HW treatment. Angelica has helped rescue animals for a number of years now and is dedicated to helping both our Rescue, Rehabilitation, Adoption committee, along with our Educational Programs.

Clauda Florez became involved with Cartagena Paws years ago when she lived and worked in Cartagena. She has been involved in animal rescue for over 10 years now and is dedicated to saving the lives of innocent animals around the world. Claudia has a courageous heart and goes out of her way to help with fundraising events, fostering, and flight volunteer activities for our animals.

Barbara Smalley is Our Pack for a Purpose Manager. Barbara is our super organized and friendly volunteer who helps out greatly with organizing our Pack for a Purpose list. This list allows for volunteers or tourists visiting Cartagena prepare ahead of time on donations that they can bring down with them to be donated to our organization. Likewise, Barbara is very helpful in helping foster and serve as a flight volunteer for many of our pups and kittens trying to get to home to their forever homes.