An Albuquerque woman who started her own foster care animal rescue won $400 in KOB-TV’s Pay It 4ward program that recognizes people who make New Mexico better.

Allie Sikorski won the award for the week of Dec. 27 for starting the rescue “Pawsitive Life Rescue of NM,” founded in May 2020, KOB 4 said.

The weekly Pay It 4ward program began on Jan. 18, 2021, and will last through the final judging on or before Jan. 21, 2022, contest rules said. The program requires that people be nominated and that nominators of weekly winners give the prize money to the people they nominated. They must give the money within 60 minutes while a KOB 4 camera crew goes along.

“I nominated Allie because she runs a wonderful dog rescue, cats too, called Pawsitive Life, and this woman is so selfless,” Alexx Gallegos told the station. “She spent her Thanksgiving break driving all the way to Kansas to take a dog to its home. I mean, who gives up family time to make sure a doggie has a home? That is why I nominated her.”

Sikorski’s animal rescue work is 100% foster-based, so animals go to team members’ homes until permanent homes can be found for them.

Sikorski plans to use the $400 winnings for Pawsitive Life’s bills. Emergency veterinarian bills alone can be $6,000 a week, KOB 4 said.

“I’ve gotten several messages asking how to donate. We so appreciate that and your generosity,” Sikorski said on Facebook. “Every penny goes back into helping these babies in need…PayPal: itsapawsitivelife@gmail.com; Venmo: @pawsofnm.”