Batman for pets: the man who rescues animals in disguise

Chris Van Dorn with his Batman costume saves dogs and cats from euthanization and brings them to new adoptive families

Chris Van Dorn, a young American, plays the role of a real-life hero to animals. Donning a Batman costume every day, he rescues dogs and cats from being euthanized in shelters. His love for animals and admiration for the iconic superhero led him to create Batman4Paws, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving pets in need.

How it all started

It wasn’t until he volunteered for a few animal rescue groups that the idea finally crystallized. Being Batman allowed him to keep his identity hidden but brought attention to the public of the need for pet adoptions. His disguise made his missions of rescue more visible and raised awareness about the critical situation faced by many shelter animals.

Since 2018, Batman4Paws has rescued thousands of dogs and cats, transporting them from shelters to their new adoptive families throughout Florida and beyond. Van Dorn does the transport himself in his modest Honda Accord, aka the “Batmobile,” but he hopes to upgrade to a bigger van so he can help even more animals.

Putting smiles on children’s faces in hospitals

But Chris Van Dorn’s mission does not end with the transporting of pets. Along with his dog, Mr. Boots-who he calls Robin-he visits sick children in hospitals and posts about adoption events and fundraising campaigns. Dressed as Batman and Robin, respectively, the two have become a flying iconic face of hope and compassion.

As a result of the commitment and good results from the actions, GoFundMe added Van Dorn to the honorary hero list, hence giving financial support to the work. With this, he has been able to finance various rescue missions so far, running about $32,000 while he hopes for expansion of operations.

A heroic mission of compassion

Chris Van Dorn has taken his passion for animals and love for Batman into a lifelong mission: saving many pets and inspiring others to do their part in helping animals in need.

Source: Batman4paws