Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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Staci Columbo Alonso and her son, Noah, outside the animal shelter that bears his name. PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY CAMERON continued on page 70 A t a whopping t wo pounds, a teacup - sized Ch ihua hua na med Gizmo isn't your t y pica l g ua rd dog. But when he saw the man of the house abusing his owner, the m ight y lit t le pooch leapt into act ion. T he dog got between a woman and a punch headed her way, taking the blow himself. "The abuser threw this poor little dog against the wall, injuring his back, and then stuck the dog in a freezer," says Staci Columbo Alonso. "It was horrific." A ma zingly, t he stor y ha s a happy ending. The woman and the dog f led to Noah's Animal House, a division of The Shade Tree, a shelter for women and children. While many shelters don't accept pet s, Noa h's A nima l House —A lonso's bra inch ild—fosters t hem wh ile t heir ow ners seek The Shade Tree's help. "Most women won't leave the abusive situation because they know if the pets are left behind, they'll be abused or killed," says Alonso. She is happy to report that Gizmo and his human mom, who both received much-needed care at the adjacent shelters, are doing well today. A 25-year veteran of the gaming industry and a Ph iladelph ia nat ive who moved to Vega s in the early '90s, Alonso is the chief marketing offi- cer of St at ion Casinos. But t he stor y of Noa h's Animal House is more personal for her than you might expect. "I g rew up when domest ic v io - lence was a behind-the-door conversation," she Throwing More Shade KNOWING THAT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFTEN WON'T LEAVE THEIR PETS BEHIND, STACI COLUMBO ALONSO CREATED A PLACE FOR ANIMALS AND THEIR OWNERS TO HEAL TOGETHER. BY CINDY GABER 68 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY 068-070_V_SP_SofG_Spring14.indd 68 2/10/14 5:13 PM