The Story Of Two Sisters – Adopt A Pet Shop
I have the pleasure to share the story of two sisters Shari and Stephanie who created a nonprofit company called S.O.S Rescue Relief Inc and The Adopt Pet Shop that is focus on felines .
It all started after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 29, 2005. For Shari and Stephanie, it wasn’t enough to give money, they felt the call to go there and help the animals. Both sisters are animal lovers, after the devastation in New Orleans they both decided to go. Without any formal training in animal disaster rescue they pack up and went to Taylor Town Mississippi located near New Orleans where an animal sanctuary called Best Friends Animal Society set up camp and brought back animals from the city and set up safe areas.
They stay at the basecamp and started to work with the team seen the horrible condition the animals that were left behind where in. It was a dire situation and time was the essence to rescue every single one of them. Volunteers from all around the country where working by their sides to help the animals. It was a life changing experience after their first trip to New Orleans they came back home but decided to go back to continue to help.
With the “hands on” experience they decided to take formal classes including FEMA and disaster rescue certifications for animals. They started to work with Best Friends Animal Society as part of their rapid response team getting additional training with them. They went to hoarding situations one of them where animals were airlifted out of Beirut, they went to the Sanctuary based in Utah and helps with the animals. Both sisters are specialized in feline relief rescue, they spend their time working with the cats that were scared and sick. It was the ugly part of the rescue process but also rewarding when they could help them overcome the horror they went through.
Both sisters were contacted by Best Friends Animal Society to help them in another horrifying situation out of Nevada where 800 cats where hoarding under the label “animal sanctuary” that sanctuary was in a desert on 2 acres fenced property. Best Friends Animal Society stay over there for 7 months onsite to rescue them. It was a terrible situation where animals were in a poor shape and needed to be move out of that property. They brought almost 30 cats back in Minnesota, 3 of them are still living with Shari.
Both sisters work at ground zero in those massive rescues reliefs the harder part was to go over the hump with those situations than what is next for the animals? Where are the animals going? Getting them rescued and healthy was the easier part but you need to find a forever home for them. What they idea was to get in partnership with other rescue groups to help find these animals a home.
What a better way to do that by becoming the outlet. Most rescues deal with dogs not many are specializing in felines. With their combined knowledge and understanding they were able to focus on helping cats. They set up the Adopt Pet Shop that provides a space for them but also cares for them, their mission is to match them with the right family. They need to be well vetted prior to their adoption, they deserved to be in an environment where they can be safe, good and not at risk because we are also a no kill group.
“We believe cats should be indoors, we understand some cats are outdoor cats but ours’ needs to stay indoors. We are that group and spare no expense to take care of them. We do not have a time limit on getting them adopted. We would love to have them moving sooner so we can help other cats that need a forever home.
We are working with other rescue groups to get their cats out of their foster homes and get them to a venue like Adopt Pet Shop, so they have a chance to be seen and adopted. For example, if you have 10 Persians located in different foster homes it would be cumbersome for someone to complete each application and to visit each one of them. Our thoughts are to provide that space so they can all be in the same location. We have a limited space, but we are actively working with other rescue groups. This is how it all started first be in the trenches working in animal disaster recovery. Going to New Orleans we learned a lot from the experts, it is eye opening to do rescue. You see things you would never imagine it also breaks your heart too. There were times after 16-hour days you would go behind a building and would cry. It is so emotionally draining like PTSD; you see not only devastation but people who are frantically searching for their pets. It is awful when natural disasters strike but also, we have the intentional man-made disasters like hoarding. The example of the 800 cats put in the situation of 2 acres fenced compound with the label sanctuary located in the middle of the desert, with an electrify fence around.”
“It seems there is a gap and lack at the level of the law to reinforce and make people accountable. There are a lot of us who are advocates in these regards. After Katrina they finally changed the law to make it more strict because they took away pets during the evacuation. Not allowing them to follow their owners otherwise they would not have been able to go on the bus. Those are heartbreaking situations and many people refused to leave for that reason and some did perish because they could not abandon their pets after the levees failed to contain the water. We could see dogs standing on the top of car roofs. Most people who evacuated thought they would be back in the couple of days, but it wasn’t the case. Now during an evacuation, they cannot take away the pets. It took this kind of disaster to change the law.
During the flooding they went from house to house to search for the animals and pull them out and bring them to safety. They would bring a big refrigerated truck at around 2:00 AM to bring people to the city so volunteers could continue to search. they would bring all kinds of pets, everything that was living they brought back. People were asking them to go and save their pets, they would go out with their headlights on trying to find them. Some of them where in bad shape. It was hard to see that.
At the camp there were other teams that would work on identifying pets’ owners. Shari and Stephanie were in the team that focused on the animal care. Best Friends Animal Society out of Utah is the largest sanctuary group in the US.
“It is an emotional business when you are going through rescue relief situations. With that in mind our priority is the animal welfare first. We are extremely meticulous when we are going through the process of having one of the cats adopted, we have seen so many bad things. They do not have a voice and we need to change the law here, to protect them.”
Currently the law in the U.S. considers pets as property, the law needs to change. In other countries animals are not considered properties anymore. There is a law called the Pet’s Act where disaster FEMA must make provision for animals to be evacuated with their owners.
“Because we have handled over thousands of felines, we have a deep knowledge on their behaviors from cats that would not use their litter boxes, or their behaviors are not manageable. We are helping owners to keep their feline at home but also provide them with valuable information. Like a human, animals should be taken to the vet for a yearly check up as they are aging, they need to be taken care of.”
After Katrina in 2005 both sisters worked with other rescue groups, taking seminars and classes. It took a couple of years from the beginning to end to register as non-profit business. When they finally open the door to The Adopt A Pet shop in 2012, it was the next step for them.
How do you fund this place? “We are welcoming donation; we also do fundraising. It is never enough if an animal requires some medical attention we will pay out of our own pocket if necessary. We cannot deny a cat in need of care.
We wanted to create an environment that would be less stressful for the animals. It is an adoption center not a shelter. If people want to help, why not become a foster home because the biggest problem is not finding a forever home it’s to foster them, we do not have the space for that here”.
“It takes a lot of dedication to do what we are doing since we have opened this place. We are all helping to save their lives.”
What is the message you would like to share, Shari? “Spay and neuter your pets. If everyone could do a little bit, adopt from shelters only, donate, sponsor, give time if you can. Be kinds to animals. Be aware we are not the only living species on earth.”
What is the most rewarding for you? “Happy endings, matching an animal to a home and getting emails and pictures how happy the owners and the animals are. Taking an animal from a horrifying situation to a forever home.
What would you change, if anything, from what you are doing? “You need an army to do that, it is getting people on-board and understanding the importance of what we do. More men that would help us, heavy lifting etc. but men help more toward the dogs than the cats. Also, keeping the focus on help animals not on things that are not relevant. Networking, advertising and the support to keep a business like us running. If you are having a place out of the city the rent will be cheaper but for people to access it would be harder. People assumed because we are a non-profit, we are getting things for free. We do not we are paying for the expenses”
“Pet adoptions fees are reasonable compared to what the cost to get them ready to be adopted is not commensurable. People need to realize that animals, like humans, cost money to be taken care of. Even with a health care insurance it requires funds. Adopting an animal is a commitment for life”
If you would like to donate here are the links.
The Adopt A Pet Shop Facebook: here
The Adopt A Pet Shop Instagram: here
The Adopt A Pet Shop Website: here
Video Documentary: left behind without a choice based on Katrina
Article link about The Adopt A Pet Shop: here
Best Friends Animal Society has a sanctuary in Utah, where there is dog town you can volunteer there. They are the expert on animals for information and educations. Informative information that could be useful for shelters and pet owners.
Thank you, Shari and Stephanie, to allow me to share your story and mission. Animal rights is becoming a greater issue around the world. Laws should be tougher on trade, torture, cruelty and violence. Animal sanctuary and breeders should not be overlooked instead inspection should be required on a yearly basis so man-made disasters like the hoarding situation in Nevada should not happen again. Animals like children do not have a voice, we are their voices.
Before you decide to adopt make sure it is for the right reasons.