10/16/2026
Rescue. Is. Hard. All of it. It's tiring, it's frustrating, it's draining. So you're probably wondering why we do it.
There is something very fulfilling about taking care of the cats. It's like no matter how hard it gets, I just don't want to give it up. Ever.
But in order to keep the rescue running at current capacity, we need people to come volunteer. Every organization like ours deals with burnout. We deal with losing people to other things.
Today I set my alarm for 4:40. AM. Because no one signed up for the morning shift. I work full time starting at 7AM. But it needed done. A few others ended up coming in as well, but initially there wasn't going to be anyone. As the founder, it's my duty to fill in when others don't or can't. Fast forward to the PM shift. ONE person was signed up. For her first shift. So after work, I went straight over to help. Because that's my responsibility.
I'll do anything for these cats. I have. I'm terrified of spiders, yet I've gone under decks and through weeds that I KNOW had creepy crawlies to get cats. I've gone to shady areas to get cats at 1am. I've driven hours to a spay and neuter clinic in Ohio with bald tires. And I'll keep doing things like this as long as I'm able. But I cannot sustain burning the candle at both ends.
One of the reasons this rescue is here is because of the volunteers that give so much of themselves. Our rescue is very flexible with volunteer days and times, so long as the cats get their needs met. We ask for each volunteer to come in once every two weeks for a shift. A shift could be anywhere from an hour to several hours, depending on your availability.
Summer was tough with all the vacations. Flu season is coming up. Then who knows what else will be a hurdle. But right now it's tough. Our shifts are barely being covered.
Rescue isn't temporary. Because this cat problem isn't going away. Until laws and legislation are in place to protect them, terrible people will continue to do terrible things. And we, rescues, will have to continue to clean up these messes and bring these cats to safety. I think some people think of volunteering as this temporary good deed they can do and then just be done. And yeah, sure, they can and they have. That's not wrong by any means because every single good deed and dedicated moment help the cats.
But ideally, we're looking for people who are in this for the long haul. So many people have signed up and stayed on. These volunteers are the glue that hold this rescue together. They are the reason we can continue to save lives.
I don't want to have to beg, but I am going to. I love doing this and I can only continue if I have the security in knowing that the cats will get everything they need without pause.
Unfortunately it's been a very rough year. Ringworm nearly took us all out mentally and physically. It created challenges we didn't know existed. There are shelters that euthanize cats for having ringworm and I'm not going to lie, I can see why. But we don't and wouldn't. So we had to endure so much more this year than before.
Our census has stayed somewhere between 2 and 300 cats over the last ??? months. It's not because we want to have all these cats. We want them to find homes.
So what I'm getting at is we need you. And I'll be honest. I think you need them. Come join our team. Yes it's disgusting sometimes, and it's hard and it's demanding without pay. But what we lack in dollars we make up for in love. Seeing a cat turn a corner for the first time, bumping it's little head into your hand. . . .there is just nothing that fills that space in your heart like that does.
I know you're busy, but you're not busier than me. . . So fill out this application. And don't bail after training because we're so so so TIRED of that happening.
Please don't fill out this application if you're going to be a one and done though. Because honestly, Abby works too hard doing training for this to keep happening to her. And I'd love for people to stick around long enough for me to learn your name (the average is around 3 months).
I could go on, but I'm running on fumes and tomorrow is another day at a job that I'm not happy going to. Also tomorrow is in 16 minutes. So I definitely need to wrap this up.
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