Since its inception, Zeus’ Place and Zeus’ Rescues, and their fearless leader Michelle Cheramie, have been dedicated to the dogs and cats of New Orleans. That dedication was put to the test earlier this year when Scrim, a mixed-breed “Houdini,” gave Cheramie and her team of rescuers a run for their money for months as he evaded them at every turn and took the Mid-City neighborhood as his playground. Though we talked to Cheramie about her work before she finally caught the escape artist — who inspired T-shirts, art and social media posts — Scrim, and animals just like him, were part of the conversation.
Q: What made you get into this work and start Zeus’ Place and Zeus’ Rescues?
I think I was born to do this. To tell you the truth, my parents could attest to the fact that I rescued everything from the moment I could walk — from dragonflies to spiders to puppies, whatever I found that I thought needed a better place to stay came to my house. Then after [Hurricane] Katrina, I was doing rescues with big national agencies, because they needed someone who knew the streets without street signs, and knew how to rescue and could drive a boat, and I ticked all those boxes. I started doing these rescue efforts and I realized this is what I need to do in my life. I left a really good job, with good benefits to open up a business on Freret Street. I was the first new business to open post-Katrina, I think all that was open was a Domino’s and Mr. Dennis’ Barbershop.
Q: What’s your goal or your hope with your organizations?
I would love for my job to be obsolete! The first and most important thing is spay and neutering. I can’t preach that enough, because without unwanted litters, our job would be so much easier. If we had easily accessible, no or low cost spay and neuter options on both sides of the river, including Jefferson Parish, I would have a much easier time. In fact, we sent many of our animals up north because they have more stringent spay laws and enforce them.
Q: How can we fix that problem?
There’s a couple of different ways to do it. Like Jefferson Parish funds their spay/neuter program via the rabies tag fees. They have mobile clinics, so they’ll take out vans and go to [for example] Grand Isle and do large spay/neuter clinics on the island because there aren’t vets on the island. I think getting into the communities that need it the most, but unfortunately can’t get to or afford a vet to do the surgery, for them it’s really important.
Q: What is the best part of your job and the work that you do?
That it’s my job. The best part is my job. I take in these hoarding animals, like the ones I just took in. These shutdown dogs that come to me who are shut down – even like Scrim, when Scrim came to me he was a completely shut down stray – and just to work with them every day and gain their trust, and when you can finally see the animal relax in your arms or in front of you and they realize, “Hey, I’m safe.” That, to me, keeps me going every single day, because it happens every day. We have cats that come in here that have been trapped, that are scared, and they finally will let us pet them or even open the kennel without trying to eat our face off. Little milestones that every day are just making a different for these creatures that don’t have a voice, that didn’t ask to be born or to be put in these situations, and to help them realize that humans are good again and give them the best life.
Q: Why was it so hard to catch Scrim?
There’s something called “Lost Dog Syndrome.” When he first came to us, he was a stray but was from a known home where they let him roam free and decided they didn’t want him anymore. So, we took him in and we brought him out of his shell, put him in a foster home where he lived with this wonderful foster mom and her dog, happy as can be. He’s completely adoptable. I put a post about him, somebody falls in love. We take him to this new environment and he got spooked in her backyard, popped his leash, and so now he’s resorted back to what we call “Lost Dog Syndrome.” That’s where they are just looking for safety, food, water, shelter, that’s it. Nothing will stop them from that when they’re in that zone. So, what you have to do is get him. We do and try so many things and, you know, you can talk to national organizations that do this for a living and they give suggestions. But once the syndrome is over, once they’re safe again, there’s a switch. We’ve seen it before. It’s like, “Oh, cool. I don’t have to run anymore? Ok.”
Writer’s Note: I got a chance to meet Scrim during his big photoshoot. He’s still a little apprehensive, he was injured in many ways and is still getting treatment, but his new mom is so dedicated and devoted to his rehabilitation. And for a dog that didn’t trust anyone or anything for a few months, he leaned into pets, sweet words and even a little hug from me. Scrim even made it to City Hall in early November. We’re just waiting for the second line parade in his honor.
Updated Writer’s Note: At the time of printing, Scrim was home and safe. He has since, famously, been spooked and jumped out of a second story window and is on the run again. I can’t imagine how Michelle is feeling every day having to track his locations again. But we wish them all the best, and wish Scrim a safe return back to the people that really do love him. The message and mission Michelle and her businesses have is so important to our community and our pets.
