27-Year-Old Dresses as Batman While Rescuing Shelter Animals from Euthanasia
Some superheroes aren’t confined to comic book pages. Heroes are all around us, working hard to make the world a better place.
In fact, Batman himself is real — he’s relocated from Gotham City to Orlando, Florida, and he’s opened his bat cave to animals in need.
The hero’s true name (or secret identity, if you prefer), is Chris Van Dorn. He’s a 27-year-old with a big heart for comic book heroes and rescuing dogs from euthanasia.
“It kind of just came as a way to embody all the good I wanted to do in the world,” Van Dorn told The Dodo, “and make it easy for people to talk to me right off the bat.”
In 2018, Van Dorn began donning his Batman uniform to visit animal shelters. “Batman4Paws” has rescued dogs from all over the country and delivered each of them to adoptive families.
Like a true hero, Van Dorn is humble about his good deeds.
“I would say I’m just the middleman,” Van Dorn said. “The real heroes are the people giving these dogs a good, loving home.”
In classic superhero style, Van Dorn initially chose to remain anonymous. If you were to ask for his signature, you’d receive an autograph from “Bruce Wayne.” Although Van Dorn has now released his identity to the public, the idea behind the Batman4Paws nonprofit remains the same.
“My catchphrase is, ‘It’s not who I am underneath but what I do that defines me’ and I still hold that true today,” Van Dorn said.
He hopes his Batman persona will persuade others to fasten their own capes and open their homes to animals in need. His costume also earns attention on social media, attracting more families likely to adopt.
“I dress up as Batman and take pictures with shelter dogs that are high up on the kill list to get them more attention,” Van Dorn told GoFundMe. “The idea is that these dogs are more likely to get seen and adopted if Batman is in the photo.”
Van Dorn is often accompanied by his sidekick, Mr. Boots. Appropriately, the therapy dog often sports a Robin costume to attend adoption events. A rescue dog, Mr. Boots inspired Van Dorn to become a superhero in the first place.
“Batmans mission was born out of having his own rescue dog Mr.Boots (A.K.A. Robin) transported to him via plane by an awesome nonprofit called PilotsnPaws,” Batman4Paws.org reads. “Mr.Boots touched Batmans life in such a way that he felt compelled to want to give other people the chance to have their own lives changed by a special pet.”
Although Van Dorn’s mission has already proved successful, the hero is just getting started. With money crowdfunded on GoFundMe, he hopes to continue transporting animals to new homes around the country. A licensed pilot, he also aims to travel by air in his own plane.
“I also really want to get cats on board. Cats are euthanized at a 70% higher rate than dogs because everyone wants to adopt dogs and not cats,” Van Dorn told GoFundMe. “I’d like to add a Cat Woman or some other superheroes to my rescue team.”
“Actions speak louder than words and I’m just doing my best to empty the cages,” Van Dorn told The Dodo.
However, he wants the world to know that you don’t need a mask to be a hero.
When asked what others can do to help, Van Dorn told Liftable, a section of The Western Journal, that helping comes in many forms, and there’s something for everyone no matter what your situation.
“I would just add to adopt a shelter pet if they can!” he said. “And if not foster a pet from their local shelter, and if they can’t do that then volunteer, or donate.”
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