Paws and Purrs Pajama Party

Ever since I was a little girl, I always loved animals—whether it was going outside and catching snakes or going to PetSmart and holding all the cats like most kids do. But as I got older, things didn’t change much; my love for animals grew stronger. I thought that was the case for everyone until I realized it was so embedded in me that it would be a waste not to make that my career. By the time I was 16, I had my heart set on vet tech school because that was the most common job you hear about with animals. That was until I saw with my own eyes how many helpless animals are running the streets, being dumped, and bred left and right. So one day, I decided to jump right in and start helping them as much as I could. When I first started rescuing animals, I had no idea what I was doing. I did it all by myself and spent hours and hours searching for kittens in garages, trees, sheds, bushes—any spot a cat can squeeze into. It started getting around to friends of friends that I was the one to contact if an animal was found because I would take it in. It got so overwhelming without a team behind me, and I was unsure of what to do. But once I had them, I knew they were finally safe being away from the big outside world. When I didn’t know what steps to take next, St. Clair County Animal Services always helped me the second I asked. I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of a team that is willing to help when situations get difficult. When I was in the mix of rescuing animals, I had only rescued one dog—she was very aggressive and scared, and I refused to give up on her because the things humans put animals through are unbelievable and heartbreaking. Although I had been more familiar with cats, it didn’t take a lesson or training course to understand her; it took my heart and determination. That’s the way I see it with any animal: you can train and go to school for years, but unless you have it deep in your heart, it will never be the right fit. So when I started here, I was so excited to get the opportunity to learn more about dogs and even more about cats. I used to say cats are way better than dogs, and now if you asked me, I can’t choose because they both are such amazing animals with the best traits. If you have the heart for animals, I ask you to take the time to look into our fundraiser and help support each paw in need. 🐾