No Paws Left Behind, a nonprofit dedicated to finding homes for pets abandoned during foreclosure, said Monday it has rescued its 1,000th animal. The organization was started by Cheryl Lang, president and CEO of Integrated Mortgage Solutions, an REO property management company based in Houston. It rescues pets from dogs and cats to llamas and pot-bellied pigs and places them in “no kill” shelters, where care is given until a family can adopt them. “Sadly, the current housing crisis has severely affected countless homeowners creating a trickle down negative effect on helpless animals,” Lang said. “During routine housing inspections, we frequently discover animals left behind in deplorable conditions with no food and at times inadequate shelter.” Many homeowners lack the finances to care for a pet once they are evicted, and many are left behind locked in basements, garages or in the backyard. NPLB provides food, shelter and vaccinations to the pets, and also provides families money to make pet deposits for their next move. “We receive over 20 calls a week regarding an abandoned pet being left behind,” said Lang. “It’s just heartbreaking. Our goal is to be the voice of these silent victims and bring greater awareness and solutions to the growing phenomena of foreclosure pets.” Write to Jon Prior. Follow him on Twitter: @JonAPrior