Cast Aside To Survive Inc

07/30/2026

Yup…. Evil lurks everywhere…

URGENT WARNING TO RESCUES AND ANYONE REHOMING CATS OR KITTENS

Thomas Martel, the Wicker Park man who pleaded guilty to torturing and killing multiple kittens, has been released from custody and is now under mandatory supervised release. According to FOX 32 Chicago, he is prohibited from owning or having contact with animals, but vigilance is absolutely essential.

Please familiarize yourself with his name and photograph, share this information with rescue groups and community networks, and thoroughly screen every person seeking an animal. Never give away cats or kittens online without verifying identification, address, veterinary references, household information, and living arrangements. Use an adoption contract, charge a reasonable fee, microchip every animal, and follow up after placement. People with harmful intentions often know exactly what to say to appear trustworthy.

This is not a call for confrontation or harassment. It is a call to protect vulnerable animals. If this individual, or anyone raising serious concerns, attempts to obtain an animal, document the interaction and report it to the appropriate authorities. The kittens who suffered cannot be brought back, but greater awareness may prevent another animal from falling into dangerous hands.

Please read and share the full report: https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-kitten-killer-wicker-park-man-who-tortured-kittens-released-from-custody

07/21/2026

We could not agree more….

07/09/2026

13 getting neutered tomorrow!

07/06/2026

Out trapping until 10pm last night in the rain… back this morning at 5:00 before sunrise so I can get set up…

I see a cat in the window that’s definitely nursing.

Caught her! Now to find those babies!

Our rule is mom first! Then babies.

Just removing babies is a Band-Aid. It doesn’t solve the problem.

Mom will just have more!

Most of the time we find the babies. Sometimes we don’t.

That is just a risk we have to take to prevent mom from having more.

The plan would be to keep an eye out in that location over the next several weeks. If we find the babies too late to bring them into the adoption program, then they will be TNVR’d

07/03/2026

THIS RIGHT HERE!

I completely feel everything you just said!

I, too, I am exhausted, distraught and stressed out.

I have already started the decline to closing my rescue.

I anticipate I should be closed within the next couple years.

Sad. I’d love what I do. But the people make it incredibly difficult.

No one wants to help with the problem. They just want to dump it in your lap and expect you to take care of a situation that you did not create. 

07/02/2026

AGREED!

I did not go school for customer service. I have never held a customer service job in my life. I am not good with people (can you tell 😀). I have been self employed since I was 20 years old. I have always worked for myself.

The thing is. When you go into animal rescue, all of a sudden you have to wear MANY hats. You end up being: the adoption manager, the foster coordinator, the volunteer coordinator, the transporter, the event planner, the kennel attendant, the networker, the social media manager, the behavioral specialist

Poop-scooper-extraordinaire x10 😀

Hardest part of all of those Hats, for me, is customer service... People will write to surrender cats/kittens day-in-day-out. I say, "I am sorry. The rescue is full" - But for some people, it is like a light switch flips in their head - They go from being pleasant to FULL BLOWN ANGER. Generally, I try to educate angry people (although, it is exhausting to keep explaining that their cat is 1 of 100 just for that one single day).

But sometimes, these people are just SO mean.

They say things like, "I will just have to toss these cats back outside to die" or "If you do not help, I will leave them to suffer" "If you do not help, I will stop feeding them and they will starve to death" "I will drown them"

What I want to do ..... is curse!! 😀 And scream in CAPITAL LETTERS!!!!

But, while wearing your customer service hat as a rescuer. You have to reach inside yourself .... to match anger with kindness and understanding. Even though, you really just want to kick rocks at people because people can be so awful

*Deep breath* 😀 "I am a kind person. I am understanding. I am compassionate. I am a kind person. I am understanding. I am compassionate"

Stop being rude to rescuers. This work is already so hard. There is no reason to get angry with the few people who are willing to do this unpaid, volunteer community service

07/01/2026

Dear valued donors, supporting community members and scum of the earth thieves & litter bugs:

The last of our MANY donation barrels have been REMOVED due to so many people just helping themselves to our donations on a regular basis and those that felt privileged to use the barrels as their personal dump!

We are a small but mighty 501(c)3 animal rescue organization.

Every donation that doesn’t make it to us hurts another animal that we can’t afford to rescue. Without the adequate resources to carry out our mission, we can quickly fold under. Then who will assist?

For each time that we have to clean up after someone that dumped clothing, furniture, trash and various other items, that not only dibs into precious time away from our mission but often means we have to use funding to properly dispose of the items left behind.

We are seeking individuals or businesses that would like to host a collection site for dropping off NYS deposits, ink-jet cartridges (not toners) and sneakers (only)

Please feel free to contact us at www.CastAsideToSurvive.org

06/27/2026

***PLEASE NOTE!!
If you Ghost us.. you are placed on the Do Not Assist List!

We do NOT have time nor the interest to babysit....
If you start paperwork with us.... ANSWER our texts/emails (you receive a pop-up window when you click "submit, that says to add us as a contact so our reply does not go to SPAM)

We email you our ENTIRE Process....

We text you that we emailed you... to READ the process

Once you are approved, you receive another text message to see your email...

Once you are contacted to schedule services and you don't answer, not only do we go to the next person but we remove you from any other lists.

We are a small but mighty rescue. We take the task of ending the overpopulation of street cats and finding reputable homes for our rescued babies VERY SERIOUSLY.

ANSWER or be removed from our services....