06/05/2026
A Paws for Pets "Saving cats and kittens..." by LaMoine Roth
Burn out is always a problem when you live and breathe in the world of “rescue”. For those who have never been involved in rescue we may seem a little eccentric and a little obsessed. Speaking for myself I know that I am both. Thankfully I have been married to a man for 60 year who has been very understanding and supportive of my obsession.
No one “plans” to be an animal advocate, no one makes a decision that rescuing animals is going to be a way of life. For most, being a rescuer is not a conscious choice we make. You just don’t wake up one morning and say I think I will become an animal rescuer. It’s hard to explain but it is a drive that lives inside of us and not something we have consciously made the choice to do. To save the life of an innocent cat or kitten is just a natural reaction for those who rescue, and we do it without batting an eye. Way back then, when I agreed to house the stray cats and kittens that were brought to York Adopt a Pet, it started a journey. Now years later and literally thousands of stray and abandoned cats and kittens have made a great impact on my life. I recently read an article on a rescue site that said “rescuing animals is to live it, eat it, sleep it, breathe it and you take it everywhere you go. It’s a calling, a gut reaction, a determination to right the wrongs of others, and to save innocent lives as we speak out for those creatures that have no voice of their own.” This is why you say yes to the needs of a cat. This is why you respond to the late & early calls, the calls on injured cats, and the found litter of kittens with no mother in sight. The longer I am involved in rescuing stray or unwanted cats and kittens the more I realize that it is a fine line between success and failure. It is more apparent that there is always going to be a large number of stray cats. HUGE numbers of stray cats. It doesn’t take long for the numbers to jump when there are litters of orphaned kittens arriving. Adoptions are always good, but there are just more coming through the doors.
One of the reasons that makes you continue year after year is knowing that you do make a difference, these animals need you, and they wouldn’t survive without your efforts.
Recently 5 kittens were brought in by a 2rd party who had known of abuse in which one of the 6 kittens had perished. Beth Ann is one of five kittens that were rescued, she is a beauty and all 5 have been fully vetted and more than ready for their forever homes.
Johnny is one of 3 kittens who were relinquished from a hoarding situation. There are a number of cats that were relinquished with them including 5 kittens that were born after arriving at the shelter. Bailey came in with serious eye issues. She has recently undergone eye surgery, and is fully vetted. What a sweet loving little girl, through all of her pain and discomfort she has shown nothing but love and contentment. We are overflowing with new arrivals, but what is the alternative? We do what we always do, we make room for one more.
This is why I am putting my “burn out” on hold. Rescue is time consuming, it is hard work, it is tough decisions, and it is sometimes heartbreaking. But the positive side far outweighs the negative side.
A well-known quote says it all “To the world you are just one person; to a rescued animal you are their world.”
