Dixie: 00:00:02

Welcome to Animal Posse, the podcast dedicated to the

2

: 00:00:05

people and rescues making a

difference in the lives of animals.

3

: 00:00:08

Welcome back.

4

: 00:00:09

Today I am thrilled to

be talking with Beverly

5

: 00:00:12

Paladinettit

6

: 00:00:13

She's been a staple at Purfect Peaches Cat

Rescue in Georgia for a long time, helping

7

: 00:00:18

out as a board member and a grant writer.

8

: 00:00:21

And today we are gonna

be talking about cats.

9

: 00:00:26

Hi Beverly, thank you so

much for coming on the show.

10

: 00:00:28

I appreciate it.

11

: 00:00:31

Beverly: No, this is great.

12

: 00:00:32

It'd be great to talk about cats.

13

: 00:00:34

My favorite thing,

14

: 00:00:35

Dixie: yes.

15

: 00:00:36

My favorite subject as well.

16

: 00:00:38

So I am interested to hear

about all the stuff that you do.

17

: 00:00:42

I understand that you are a veteran in

the kitty cat world and you are also

18

: 00:00:48

involved with Perfect Peaches cat rescue.

19

: 00:00:52

To start, tell us a

little bit about yourself.

20

: 00:00:54

How is it that you became to

get involved in cat rescue?

21

: 00:00:58

Beverly: As with some of our other

volunteers I had my kitties for a very

22

: 00:01:03

long time and after they passed I wanted

to donate the cat towers and other things.

23

: 00:01:09

And I knew that there was a rescue at our

local PetSmart that held adoption events.

24

: 00:01:15

So I connected with them and I dropped

off those items to the rescue and.

25

: 00:01:22

Just always stopped by and petted

the cats, I wasn't really ready

26

: 00:01:26

to get another kitty at that time.

27

: 00:01:28

But then they talked me into coming over

to the rescue and sitting in a free room.

28

: 00:01:36

So after I sat in the middle of the

room and had kitties all around,

29

: 00:01:41

I was sold from that point on.

30

: 00:01:44

I've had cats all my life, and

now I have three foster fails.

31

: 00:01:47

So yes, I'm a very happy,

crazy cat lady, if you will.

32

: 00:01:53

Dixie: It's funny because I

got started a similar way.

33

: 00:01:57

Being a cat lover, I would

always make cat t-shirts.

34

: 00:02:00

So I had a volunteer from one of the

local cat rescues come in by me, and

35

: 00:02:06

she came to get some cat T-shirts made.

36

: 00:02:09

And she was talking to me,

she heard that I loved cats.

37

: 00:02:13

She's oh, come check out PetSmart.

38

: 00:02:15

Of course, I went and checked them

out over there and she's oh, I

39

: 00:02:17

got these three little kittens.

40

: 00:02:20

They're just weaning right

now if you wanna foster 'em.

41

: 00:02:23

And so that's how they hooked me.

42

: 00:02:24

I think it's like a ploy.

43

: 00:02:26

I think there's something with that.

44

: 00:02:27

Beverly: Yeah.

45

: 00:02:27

When I started doing my fostering

of mine, the director called and

46

: 00:02:32

said she had a cat that had been

at the vet for several weeks.

47

: 00:02:37

And that she was ready to.

48

: 00:02:40

Go home, but she needed to be tube fed So

I have a background in healthcare, being

49

: 00:02:47

in healthcare for 30 years, nonclinical,

but yet in healthcare for 30 years.

50

: 00:02:51

And so I took her, that's Maggie.

51

: 00:02:54

And I tube fed Maggie until Maggie

started to eat her baby food.

52

: 00:03:00

And so when the tube came out, Maggie

kept eating and that was great.

53

: 00:03:06

Maggie had to be tube fed because she

had such a severe upper respiratory

54

: 00:03:11

infection that she would not eat.

55

: 00:03:14

Now she unfortunately when she

breathes, she's wheezing only because

56

: 00:03:19

of all the infection and probably

her sinuses that never develop.

57

: 00:03:23

Properly.

58

: 00:03:25

And so then I have Oreo.

59

: 00:03:28

Oreo was one that I actually

trapped and took over to the

60

: 00:03:32

rescue and never got adopted.

61

: 00:03:34

They said he didn't do well at PetSmart

and so I just had to bring him back home.

62

: 00:03:41

I didn't like him being, in

a cage over actually there's

63

: 00:03:43

some free room over there.

64

: 00:03:45

Then Milo, my most recent

one he is FIV positive.

65

: 00:03:51

He had to have a total full mouth

extraction because of Stomatitis.

66

: 00:03:57

I took him from Atlanta up to Woodstock

to a cat only community clinic.

67

: 00:04:04

Went to the girls were great there

and, they took very good care of him.

68

: 00:04:09

They loved him.

69

: 00:04:11

I said, I don't know how he's

gonna be in a cage 'cause he's

70

: 00:04:13

not used to being in a cage.

71

: 00:04:14

And when I came to pick him up, they had

to tell me stories, how they've never

72

: 00:04:19

had a cat happier after having surgery.

73

: 00:04:22

And oh, I took him in the exam

room and ate lunch with him.

74

: 00:04:25

And it was just so heartwarming.

75

: 00:04:28

You know what they did?

76

: 00:04:29

Now I have Milo.

77

: 00:04:31

They called me and said,

congratulations, you've adopted Milo.

78

: 00:04:36

So Milo is the third in my career.

79

: 00:04:38

They're all tuxedos and hopefully,

won't be fostering anymore.

80

: 00:04:44

But, I love all the babies.

81

: 00:04:46

We have over a hundred now.

82

: 00:04:47

We do have.

83

: 00:04:49

Coming in now to be bottle fed

and we have brooders thanks to a

84

: 00:04:54

grant that we got from someone.

85

: 00:04:56

And we just have made our way over the

10 years that, that we've been open.

86

: 00:05:02

Dixie: Yeah.

87

: 00:05:03

I do the bottle feeding too.

88

: 00:05:05

And I just got some of the brooders

'cause I was fortunate enough to

89

: 00:05:08

get the grant from Mission Meow.

90

: 00:05:11

We

91

: 00:05:12

Beverly: did too.

92

: 00:05:12

Yes.

93

: 00:05:13

I love Mission Meow.

94

: 00:05:15

Dixie: I love Sally.

95

: 00:05:16

Yeah, mission Meow is awesome.

96

: 00:05:17

And these brooders, like I

finally got to use the Brooders.

97

: 00:05:21

I had some three week olds that I put

inside the brooder, and so they were

98

: 00:05:25

just on the verge of weaning they

weren't gonna need it for very long.

99

: 00:05:29

But I will say.

100

: 00:05:31

The brooder is an absolute game

changer because before what I was

101

: 00:05:36

doing is I'd keep 'em in a carrier.

102

: 00:05:37

I'd have the heating discs

that I would warm up.

103

: 00:05:40

So it kept 'em warm.

104

: 00:05:42

It did the job, but I would find that

they would get restless in the carrier

105

: 00:05:48

and I'd be trying to get work done

and they're crying, wanting to come

106

: 00:05:51

out, wanting attention, and I find the

brooder just, they get in that brooder.

107

: 00:05:56

They're in there, it's nice and warm.

108

: 00:05:58

They sleep, and if they wake up,

they're just playing with each other.

109

: 00:06:01

It's a total game changer.

110

: 00:06:03

I'm so grateful to have received these.

111

: 00:06:07

Beverly: And we added the the oxygen

concentrator to ours so that we had

112

: 00:06:12

oxygen and heat, which is great.

113

: 00:06:16

The little babies, how

their body temperatures.

114

: 00:06:20

Have to be and can drop,

at any moment's notice.

115

: 00:06:23

But yeah, we've had some we get

them from our local animal shelter.

116

: 00:06:27

Somebody brings them there, of course,

without Mama, and they automatically

117

: 00:06:32

give us a call to come pick them

up because, they don't have the

118

: 00:06:36

staff that you know is needed to

take care of such small babies and.

119

: 00:06:42

They would euthanize otherwise,

but they know now and they always

120

: 00:06:46

call us with, neonate babies.

121

: 00:06:49

And we use all of our

brooders that we have.

122

: 00:06:51

And you're right,

they're wonderful things.

123

: 00:06:53

They probably saved several of

our cats last year because we did,

124

: 00:06:59

kinda like you did, we got little

carriers, basically their nebulizer

125

: 00:07:03

boxes that we bought from Amazon.

126

: 00:07:06

Those have ly and can keep 'em

warm, but there's not a lot of

127

: 00:07:10

room in there to move around.

128

: 00:07:12

So we were so happy when Mission.

129

: 00:07:14

Meow chose us and we were

able to buy our brooders.

130

: 00:07:19

Dixie: Yeah, they are wonderful.

131

: 00:07:20

It definitely is making life a little bit

easier for me with dealing with the baby.

132

: 00:07:25

So I can't wait to get

feedback from a foster as well.

133

: 00:07:29

But in my area it's hard for us

to actually find bottle feeders.

134

: 00:07:34

That is like where we struggle the most.

135

: 00:07:36

, We're in the New Orleans area and

there is Uhhuh, a handful of us.

136

: 00:07:41

I could just, almost name everybody

that I know that does bottle

137

: 00:07:44

feeding and it's a short list.

138

: 00:07:46

I wish, that's one thing that we

definitely need is more bottle feed.

139

: 00:07:52

Beverly: Yeah, people are afraid,

you know how tiny they are,

140

: 00:07:55

you know how fragile they are.

141

: 00:07:57

And yeah, it's always what if, or what

if I did this, or what if I did that?

142

: 00:08:01

You do the best you can.

143

: 00:08:03

You're taught well.

144

: 00:08:04

They're just not giving to you

and saying, happy, go have a

145

: 00:08:07

good time until they get bigger.

146

: 00:08:09

We don't do that.

147

: 00:08:10

Yeah, there some people,

it's just a scare factor.

148

: 00:08:14

Dixie: Yeah I agree.

149

: 00:08:15

I've been trying to do some bottle feeding

classes to get people over that too.

150

: 00:08:20

'cause I think it is overwhelming.

151

: 00:08:21

A lot of the times when you look

at the information that's online on

152

: 00:08:25

bottle feeding, 'cause it's so strict

oh, you've gotta do this, you've

153

: 00:08:28

gotta have this amount of formula.

154

: 00:08:31

I do think that it's stressful for

people because if you're going by

155

: 00:08:34

those guidelines and you notice that

your kitten is short on eating the

156

: 00:08:39

amount, you freak out sometimes,

like something's gonna happen.

157

: 00:08:43

So it's trying to help

people get over that fear.

158

: 00:08:47

Beverly: And some kittens will eat

and fall asleep and you can't keep

159

: 00:08:51

them awake long enough to eat.

160

: 00:08:52

You know what they should and that's

okay as long as you're putting on weight

161

: 00:08:57

and they're growing and they'll be fine.

162

: 00:09:00

I couldn't do it.

163

: 00:09:01

I know what to do and I've bathed them

when they've come in from the shelter.

164

: 00:09:05

We had a set of four

without mothers last year.

165

: 00:09:09

And me and another volunteer

bathed 'em and wrapped 'em up

166

: 00:09:13

in their little burritos and

got 'em nice and warm and stuff.

167

: 00:09:17

But I don't know if I could bottle

feed even though,, I've potentially

168

: 00:09:21

done that before, but not, long term.

169

: 00:09:24

The thing is the tube feeding I

did on Maggie is not the same you

170

: 00:09:28

would do on your neonate kittens

171

: 00:09:30

Dixie: uhhuh.

172

: 00:09:30

Beverly: And the reason is they push her

tube in right below where she swallows

173

: 00:09:35

Dixie: uhhuh.

174

: 00:09:36

Beverly: And didn't put like a tube down

her nose the bottle babies have to have,

175

: 00:09:42

but yet it had, there was a tube big

enough on the end to put like a syringe

176

: 00:09:47

without a needle on it, with the, gooey

mushy cat food to like, press in, but

177

: 00:09:53

it was just below where she swallowed.

178

: 00:09:56

So it's not the it's tube feeding,

but it's not what we think of

179

: 00:10:00

when we do neonate kittens.

180

: 00:10:02

Dixie: I love the name of the

cat rescue that you're with.

181

: 00:10:05

It's Purrfect Peaches cat rescue.

182

: 00:10:08

Where are you located and what

duties do you do outside of foster

183

: 00:10:15

failing for the organization?

184

: 00:10:18

Beverly: Yeah.

185

: 00:10:18

Aren't we always foster failing?

186

: 00:10:20

I must tell you, the purrfect

peaches started as death row dogs.

187

: 00:10:25

And then they decided, no, we

really wanna take care of cats too.

188

: 00:10:29

So they did a DBA and started

Georgia Humane Society.

189

: 00:10:35

That went on for a couple years.

190

: 00:10:37

What I started with was

Georgia Humane Society.

191

: 00:10:40

When the director fell ill and had

to resign, a board was formed myself

192

: 00:10:46

and some other long-term volunteers.

193

: 00:10:49

And we started saying, we really need

to rebrand because people think that we

194

: 00:10:54

get government funding, which, we don't.

195

: 00:10:56

And we had names tossed out there,

see what people thought we should,

196

: 00:11:01

rename ourselves came up with four

or five we thought might be good.

197

: 00:11:05

And then everybody voted

and Purrfect Peaches won.

198

: 00:11:09

So we came up with a new

logo, the new branding and.

199

: 00:11:13

All that stuff, which

has been well receptive.

200

: 00:11:16

Everybody loves the name.

201

: 00:11:17

We're located in Douglasville, Georgia,

just west of Atlanta, not too far.

202

: 00:11:23

And we hold our weekend adoptions

at petsmart in Douglasville.

203

: 00:11:30

We are on Petfinder and Adopt a pet.

204

: 00:11:34

So any cat that is adoptable in

our organization is listed there.

205

: 00:11:38

And because of that we do a lot of

weekday by appointment adoptions as well.

206

: 00:11:44

It's really increased our

adoption rate, being online.

207

: 00:11:48

The farthest adopter has

come from New York actually.

208

: 00:11:53

She FaceTimed with the cat because

she couldn't be here for a meet and

209

: 00:11:57

greet, and our adoption coordinator

is a Delta flight attendant.

210

: 00:12:03

So she managed to say you're

coming into Hartsfield.

211

: 00:12:07

I can meet you at the airport.

212

: 00:12:09

I can have the documentation.

213

: 00:12:11

I know you need.

214

: 00:12:12

And then you can take your cat home,

back home with you to New York.

215

: 00:12:16

And she did that.

216

: 00:12:17

And then the adopter sent us

pictures of him like looking out

217

: 00:12:21

the window on all the buildings

in New York living his best life.

218

: 00:12:25

So that was pretty great.

219

: 00:12:28

Dixie: Yeah, that's a great story.

220

: 00:12:30

That's great when you get to get

those updates too from adopters,

221

: 00:12:34

that's what makes it worth it.

222

: 00:12:36

Beverly: Yeah we're really good.

223

: 00:12:38

We use shelter manager.

224

: 00:12:40

We have programmed it to send a, I think

it's three weeks out after adoption,

225

: 00:12:45

a post-adoption follow-up email.

226

: 00:12:48

To ask the adopter, how's it going?

227

: 00:12:51

Please send us pictures.

228

: 00:12:52

Those kind of things.

229

: 00:12:54

And a lot of our adopters will send

pictures and updates on how the

230

: 00:12:58

cat's doing, which is really great.

231

: 00:13:00

And we use that for social media.

232

: 00:13:03

Dixie: Yeah, that's pretty cool.

233

: 00:13:04

I didn't know that they had the

software that would do that.

234

: 00:13:07

Beverly: Yeah, luckily one of our

board members who's not on the board

235

: 00:13:11

any longer, but he was an IT guy and

he set up shelter manager for us.

236

: 00:13:17

And then there's, programs within

Shelter Manager and one of them was,

237

: 00:13:21

you could tell it to send, a email

out, three weeks out after adoption.

238

: 00:13:28

And so we came up with, just a

general thing and it fills in the

239

: 00:13:32

name of the cat and, and how's he

or she doing and that kind of thing.

240

: 00:13:37

And we get a lot of great stories

back and a lot of 'em that just,

241

: 00:13:41

they say and felt right at home

date one that they got there.

242

: 00:13:46

But we do also give them information on

how to contact us right after adoption.

243

: 00:13:51

Should have.

244

: 00:13:52

Questions or something come

up or those kind of things.

245

: 00:13:56

We don't just throw the lifeline out

there and say, oh sorry, wait three weeks.

246

: 00:14:00

We get them information on how to

reach us right away if they need to.

247

: 00:14:06

Dixie: How much time do you spend a

week volunteering with Purrfect Peaches?

248

: 00:14:12

Beverly: Believe it or not, I am

at the rescue every Wednesday in

249

: 00:14:17

the isolation room, taking care

of the sick cats that we have.

250

: 00:14:21

So just in isolation, I probably

spend three to four hours cleaning.

251

: 00:14:27

I check on all the cats,

make sure they're all.

252

: 00:14:31

Medicated and happy and eating

and those kind of things.

253

: 00:14:35

I've been doing that for many years.

254

: 00:14:37

I'm also the grant writer, so I'm

doing things not at the rescue, but

255

: 00:14:42

at home, sitting with my laptop.

256

: 00:14:44

So depending if I have to fill

in for someone, vacation time

257

: 00:14:49

or whatever I'm there eight.

258

: 00:14:51

Hours, maybe 10 a week.

259

: 00:14:54

I'm retired now, so I have plenty of time.

260

: 00:14:57

And of course, I'm on the internet

looking for, grants for spaying

261

: 00:15:02

neutering other things all the time.

262

: 00:15:06

Because we are all volunteer and we

don't have any large corporate grants,

263

: 00:15:11

unfortunately no government grants

yet because I'm the only grant writer

264

: 00:15:16

self-taught too, only grant writer.

265

: 00:15:19

But somehow the system, provides for us,

when the guy that came in, the second

266

: 00:15:25

part of our mission meow grant, was to

be able to install a fire alarm system.

267

: 00:15:30

And when the guy came in to

install it, he goes you're

268

: 00:15:32

taking care of God's creatures.

269

: 00:15:34

And I said God certainly takes care

of us because every time we think,

270

: 00:15:38

what are we gonna do, someone donates,

some grant comes up, something that

271

: 00:15:44

always gets us, keeps us along.

272

: 00:15:49

Dixie: Since you're self-taught

with being a grant writer, I

273

: 00:15:52

know that's where a lot of rescue

struggle is doing the grant writing.

274

: 00:15:56

Do you have any advice?

275

: 00:15:59

Beverly: The adoption of AI is great

because I am a terrible writer.

276

: 00:16:04

I don't mind admitting that,

but AI has really helped me.

277

: 00:16:08

It can't give the heart that

you feel, that I put in it.

278

: 00:16:12

I think.

279

: 00:16:13

As far as other things to be more

concise and things like that, it is

280

: 00:16:19

a very good tool to use as long as

it's reviewed and maybe rewritten.

281

: 00:16:25

So that's great.

282

: 00:16:26

I also find a lot of good tools online.

283

: 00:16:29

Just Maddie's fund it has their

whole resource library of things.

284

: 00:16:35

I would recommend them.

285

: 00:16:36

And just, people online on chats.

286

: 00:16:40

There's plenty of grant social

media groups and those kind

287

: 00:16:43

of things you can learn from.

288

: 00:16:45

Unfortunately, being an animal

welfare, there's not many of

289

: 00:16:49

us to talk to one another.

290

: 00:16:51

And being small like we are a lot

of the, ones that have more money

291

: 00:16:56

coming in, big corporations and

stuff, they don't have the same

292

: 00:16:59

kind of problems we do, obviously.

293

: 00:17:02

So it, it's learn as you go.

294

: 00:17:04

It's not that hard.

295

: 00:17:06

Just because I'm passionate about what

we do to get that passion in there.

296

: 00:17:11

Unfortunately, our financials and things

just don't prove sometimes, for some of

297

: 00:17:16

these, but live and learn, now that we're

in, a good year or two because we changed

298

: 00:17:22

names in 2023, so now we're our year two

of grants, we have started getting return.

299

: 00:17:29

Granting, people granting us

this year, which is great.

300

: 00:17:33

I've gotta get a shout out, but I'm

not gonna tell you who the name of

301

: 00:17:36

the place is, but I just got, for the

very first time, the largest grant

302

: 00:17:41

I've ever gotten, grant writing at

$27,000 oh, congratulations on that.

303

: 00:17:48

That's wonderful.

304

: 00:17:50

Yeah, it is.

305

: 00:17:51

I was like, wow.

306

: 00:17:53

The thing is I really didn't know

I had someone contact me and was

307

: 00:17:57

interested you are, what do you do?

308

: 00:17:59

And can you send me, let's talk about it.

309

: 00:18:02

And I said if you find any grants or think

of, hear anything on animal grants, which

310

: 00:18:07

are few and far between, unfortunately.

311

: 00:18:10

Here in the South.

312

: 00:18:12

I said, please let me know.

313

: 00:18:13

And so it was like a month or so

later, she sends me an email and says,

314

: 00:18:17

can you just send me an email again,

general on, on what you do and what

315

: 00:18:21

you provide and that kind of thing.

316

: 00:18:23

So I sent her a general email.

317

: 00:18:26

A couple of weeks later, I get a an email

that says, congratulations, you've been

318

: 00:18:32

awarded $27,000 from, this grant, which

I'd never even heard the person before,

319

: 00:18:39

but I guess maybe she knew someone that

was out there looking and kept me in mind.

320

: 00:18:44

So it never hurts to network.

321

: 00:18:47

It really doesn't because you

never know who may help you.

322

: 00:18:52

Dixie: I definitely agree on that.

323

: 00:18:54

And that's one thing I have

to say too with mission meow,

324

: 00:18:57

they do have the support group

325

: 00:18:58

everybody can help each other out.

326

: 00:19:00

My philosophy of course is if we're

gonna help animals, we have to

327

: 00:19:04

all help each other out to, that's

how you get animals in homes.

328

: 00:19:09

Beverly: When I first started doing it, I

was disheartened with the fact that nobody

329

: 00:19:13

wanted to share grant names with me.

330

: 00:19:15

I was agreeing at doing it.

331

: 00:19:18

I needed help and everybody wanted

to like offer, general help, but

332

: 00:19:22

nobody wanted to give me grant names.

333

: 00:19:25

So that was kinda my big thing I did

learn how to research on my own and

334

: 00:19:29

stuff, but, it would've made it better

if somebody could have said, oh, you

335

: 00:19:33

might wanna try this one or that one.

336

: 00:19:35

And I understand we are all

going after the same money.

337

: 00:19:38

We all need our money.

338

: 00:19:40

But it would've been helpful

if I'd had at least a few.

339

: 00:19:45

To get along with, now

I'll pass 'em along.

340

: 00:19:48

, People are out there that used to get

government grants and stuff that are

341

: 00:19:51

going after the same grants I am, and

that's okay because of the situation.

342

: 00:19:58

I've learned now that there's other

places to research and that kind of thing.

343

: 00:20:01

I use the grant portal.

344

: 00:20:03

I've used grant station, I

had grant watch for a while.

345

: 00:20:07

I've Googled, done a lot of different

things and I thought this year I'm gonna

346

: 00:20:13

start networking and just see where that

leads me and make some more contacts and.

347

: 00:20:21

Maybe people that don't themselves or

their business doesn't have grants,

348

: 00:20:26

but that, can keep me in mind should

a conversation come up or those

349

: 00:20:31

kind of things because we're small

and every dollar counts with us.

350

: 00:20:37

And we try to get that, and we do,

now we do community outreach too.

351

: 00:20:41

People will talk to me about their pet,

we'll talk to them about animal cruelty.

352

: 00:20:46

We'll tell them about the pet food pantry.

353

: 00:20:49

Those kind of things.

354

: 00:20:51

But, you just have to keep at.

355

: 00:20:55

Dixie: Yeah.

356

: 00:20:55

That's wonderful.

357

: 00:20:56

On your grant.

358

: 00:20:57

Again, congratulations.

359

: 00:20:59

I know I already said it, but

that is absolutely wonderful.

360

: 00:21:03

You said you're a small rescue.

361

: 00:21:05

Do you have a building?

362

: 00:21:07

'cause since you did say you have an

isolation room or , is that like a

363

: 00:21:10

Beverly: foster house?

364

: 00:21:11

Yes or yes.

365

: 00:21:12

Yeah.

366

: 00:21:12

We have a 1970s ranch on a basement.

367

: 00:21:16

House that is owned by

one of our volunteers.

368

: 00:21:21

And so we have different rooms for things.

369

: 00:21:25

We have our intake room where animals

first stay when they first get there.

370

: 00:21:30

They stay there for two weeks.

371

: 00:21:31

We just quarantine them there.

372

: 00:21:35

Then we have nursery that they get

moved into, and that's when it's,

373

: 00:21:39

when they're taken to be spay or

neutered and they come back and we

374

: 00:21:44

vaccinate them and we microchip them.

375

: 00:21:48

Then we have two free ro rooms

for older kittens and older cats.

376

: 00:21:53

The older cats are in one room

getting outta the kitten stage is

377

: 00:21:57

like in another room and we have

an isolation room and it's not.

378

: 00:22:02

They truly isolation,

but we have bigger cages.

379

: 00:22:06

That's where we put all the ones with

a respiratory if they've had surgery.

380

: 00:22:11

That's one thing we do, I should

mention, is that we take cats from

381

: 00:22:16

shelters that need eye removals.

382

: 00:22:19

Or they need leg amputations.

383

: 00:22:23

And we take those, we get the surgeries.

384

: 00:22:26

Of course, they stay with us

a little bit longer that way.

385

: 00:22:29

But we have a bunch of adopters here

that we just love because they love

386

: 00:22:34

our three-legged, one-eyed cats.

387

: 00:22:36

They do, we have no problems

having them adopted.

388

: 00:22:40

So you know that's good for us

because I don't think anybody

389

: 00:22:43

else in our area does that.

390

: 00:22:47

Dixie: Yeah, that is great to hear.

391

: 00:22:49

I actually have a cat at home.

392

: 00:22:51

She was born without eyes and

blind cats are absolutely amazing.

393

: 00:22:57

And then we just got another one.

394

: 00:22:59

He was a abandoned, and the

lady brought him to me thinking

395

: 00:23:03

he had an eye infection.

396

: 00:23:04

She's oh, he, I think he's got

a pretty bad eye infection.

397

: 00:23:07

And I'm like, you know what?

398

: 00:23:08

That's okay.

399

: 00:23:09

Just go ahead and you bring him to me.

400

: 00:23:11

So she sends me a photo.

401

: 00:23:13

And I could see the one eye had the

third eyelid up, and then the other

402

: 00:23:17

eye, I am looking at it and I'm like.

403

: 00:23:19

I don't think there's an eye there.

404

: 00:23:21

So sure enough, I asked her,

I'm like, is he missing an eye?

405

: 00:23:25

And she couldn't tell.

406

: 00:23:26

And honestly, like the way it

was is you really almost couldn't

407

: 00:23:29

tell that there was no eye.

408

: 00:23:30

But yeah.

409

: 00:23:31

He was missing one eye

and then the other eye.

410

: 00:23:35

The third eyelid, protruded

over it to protect it.

411

: 00:23:38

It's one of those syndromes that they have

when they're born with those small eyes.

412

: 00:23:42

But yeah.

413

: 00:23:42

They're amazing cats.

414

: 00:23:44

The blind cats, the way that

they get along and people always

415

: 00:23:48

feel sorry for 'em with these eye

removals and I'm like, they're fine.

416

: 00:23:53

Beverly: Yeah they learn we've got one

cat that we, that one of the fosters

417

: 00:23:57

have, has failed on this one, but he knows

his way up and down the stairs around

418

: 00:24:03

her house, all that, we've got blind

and deaf cats that, people will adopt.

419

: 00:24:09

We've got cats that only have

the front part of their eye and

420

: 00:24:14

the other part isn't filled in.

421

: 00:24:16

I don't know exactly what that's

called, but we've had a couple of

422

: 00:24:19

those where we've had to do the it's

not really in a nucleation, they just

423

: 00:24:23

go in and clean up the ice socket

and then show the sew the eye shut.

424

: 00:24:28

Yeah, we've seen some incredible things

that, normal people just don't see.

425

: 00:24:35

And how many cats do you help a year?

426

: 00:24:39

Last year we adopted out 787 cats.

427

: 00:24:44

We pulled over 800 cats, so that

was our largest year ever last year.

428

: 00:24:52

I don't know how we did it but we did.

429

: 00:24:55

It was horrendous Kitten season

and, a lot of our volunteers have

430

: 00:25:01

been with us for a long time, and

I think that really helps us too.

431

: 00:25:06

And the fact that even though we're

small, we've disseminated jobs out and

432

: 00:25:10

out to where everybody has their part that

they do, which makes it so much easier.

433

: 00:25:15

And I think that's part of it as well.

434

: 00:25:18

If you get talking to any of our

Fosters or any of our volunteers.

435

: 00:25:22

They love what they do.

436

: 00:25:24

They love taking care of the kitties.

437

: 00:25:26

They all have foster fails or

have adopted, that kind of thing.

438

: 00:25:30

And then, I think that helps a lot too,

to be able to like accomplish things that

439

: 00:25:36

otherwise would've not been possible.

440

: 00:25:39

Dixie: What is your secret with

getting so many great volunteers?

441

: 00:25:43

'cause I know in my area

we struggle with that too.

442

: 00:25:45

It's hard to find volunteers.

443

: 00:25:47

Beverly: They get in there, we have people

of all ages, and from all different,

444

: 00:25:53

sometimes different places of the world.

445

: 00:25:56

They come in and, we.

446

: 00:25:59

We have a chat group for the

different groups that we have.

447

: 00:26:03

Like the adoption group has a chat group.

448

: 00:26:05

The volunteers in general

have a main chat group.

449

: 00:26:09

The board has a chat group.

450

: 00:26:11

Just those kind of things,

so that way you stay updated.

451

: 00:26:15

You stayed involved.

452

: 00:26:17

Everybody loves to text now.

453

: 00:26:19

That's what that is.

454

: 00:26:20

It's just a chat group.

455

: 00:26:22

And so I think that helps.

456

: 00:26:23

We also do a lot of volunteer

appreciation things.

457

: 00:26:27

This weekend we're having a volunteer

appreciation out at one of our board

458

: 00:26:32

or actually our director's home.

459

: 00:26:34

She's gonna bring in, dinner and we

have outdoor games and we're gonna

460

: 00:26:41

have a bonfire and just hang out

because we all don't get to see one

461

: 00:26:45

another because we all are there at

different days and different times.

462

: 00:26:49

So we try to, make it feel like,

we're all involved, we know each other

463

: 00:26:53

there, we appreciate what you do.

464

: 00:26:56

And I think, . That helps too.

465

: 00:26:58

Last year we had no time to

breathe to even do any of that.

466

: 00:27:02

But as rescue isn't for everyone.

467

: 00:27:05

We're patient with those as well.

468

: 00:27:08

We tell people, like when I go

out to festivals and I'm out there

469

: 00:27:11

and I'm telling people what we do.

470

: 00:27:13

I said, know there's a lot of

things you can do to help us.

471

: 00:27:16

I start naming off the things when I get

to cleaning the rescue house, I go, okay,

472

: 00:27:21

this isn't for everyone, but if you have

a cat, you're used to cleaning litter

473

: 00:27:25

boxes, you would be great at doing this.

474

: 00:27:29

Just clean litter boxes isn't for

everyone, as crazy cat people.

475

: 00:27:37

Dixie: If you have people, then they

don't wanna clean litter boxes, but

476

: 00:27:40

they wanna do something else that

say an adoption event, will you just

477

: 00:27:44

find something else for them to do?

478

: 00:27:47

Beverly: Yes, anyone can also

go to the adoption event.

479

: 00:27:50

And a lot of people, that's their niche.

480

: 00:27:53

They love talking to people and

finding those animals, new homes,

481

: 00:27:57

they just have to find their niche.

482

: 00:27:58

Some just like doing the vet runs and.

483

: 00:28:02

Everybody asked me what can I do?

484

: 00:28:04

And I said I start naming off

all the things they can do.

485

: 00:28:07

You can do emergency vet run, you can

do the normal spay neuter, vet run.

486

: 00:28:12

You can come help me at festivals,

you can do adoption events, you can,

487

: 00:28:16

come help us clean and the rescue.

488

: 00:28:18

I said there's, things that pop up

all the time, that we need help with.

489

: 00:28:23

I said, so whatever you

think you would like to do.

490

: 00:28:27

And we're flexible.

491

: 00:28:28

I say, look, you tell 'em

you're coming on a Thursday.

492

: 00:28:31

I don't care what time you

come on Thursday, but come on

493

: 00:28:35

Thursday, and clean the room.

494

: 00:28:37

Or if you're gonna come on Saturday for

the adoption event, they start at one

495

: 00:28:41

o'clock, you've gotta be there at one.

496

: 00:28:43

I said, but otherwise,

we are real flexible.

497

: 00:28:46

And I think people like that too,

that you have the flexibility of

498

: 00:28:48

saying, okay, I told 'em I'd be there

on Tuesday, but I'm not gonna get

499

: 00:28:52

there until two or three o'clock.

500

: 00:28:54

That's okay.

501

: 00:28:56

In a lot of things.

502

: 00:28:57

So I think, with every busy

schedule and things, I think the

503

: 00:29:01

flexibility is a big part too.

504

: 00:29:04

So do your

505

: 00:29:05

Dixie: volunteer appreciation parties

help with things like burnout?

506

: 00:29:10

Beverly: After kitten season,

it's always good to have one.

507

: 00:29:13

'cause if, we don't save every neonate

kitten, that even though we wish we could.

508

: 00:29:18

There's just things that happen,

and then sometimes it's a lot, you

509

: 00:29:22

have a rash of hand panleukopenia.

510

: 00:29:25

You have.

511

: 00:29:26

Something going on and it just gets crazy.

512

: 00:29:30

I think it helps, like after things

calm down, after kitten season, just

513

: 00:29:34

stop and have a moment with everyone

because everyone feels the same.

514

: 00:29:40

And for us that have been there

a long time, we handle it better

515

: 00:29:43

than others, the new ones.

516

: 00:29:45

If somebody's really upset over

a cat because it's sick or it's

517

: 00:29:48

gotta have surgery or whatever, if

I see it, I'll take them aside and

518

: 00:29:52

say, this is part of what we do.

519

: 00:29:55

We're gonna save this cat's life.

520

: 00:29:58

You'll see it and it'll come back.

521

: 00:30:00

It will be, there until it gets well,

and then it's gonna go to adoptions,

522

: 00:30:05

and you'll see where somebody will

quickly adopt that cat because three

523

: 00:30:10

legged Cats, people don't care.

524

: 00:30:13

We've had three-legged one eyed cats

which people, nobody's gonna adopt that.

525

: 00:30:18

As I go wait and see, there are people out

there that will, I said, those people know

526

: 00:30:24

what they're getting into because, we.

527

: 00:30:26

Counsel everybody before you know

they're able to take the animal home

528

: 00:30:31

and we go through, these are the things

that you know, you might wanna lick

529

: 00:30:35

out for or whatever, because this

isn't a four-legged, two eye cat.

530

: 00:30:40

But they'll adjust fine to your

household and if you have any

531

: 00:30:45

problems or questions, give us a call.

532

: 00:30:47

But they take a little bit more counseling

because we wanna make sure that those

533

: 00:30:51

are a right fit with their new adopter.

534

: 00:30:56

Dixie: Before we end the call, what

would you say to somebody who is

535

: 00:31:00

maybe interested in getting into

rescue but hasn't jumped in it yet?

536

: 00:31:07

Beverly: If you haven't jumped

in, you are missing out on a

537

: 00:31:11

lot of joy, a lot of laughter.

538

: 00:31:14

Cats will surprise you.

539

: 00:31:17

They are very loving.

540

: 00:31:19

I call it my cat therapy.

541

: 00:31:22

I go in there, I need, to feel

better or something's horrible

542

: 00:31:25

has happened or whatever.

543

: 00:31:27

I'm just not, feeling great that day.

544

: 00:31:29

Cat therapy.

545

: 00:31:31

Is better than anything else.

546

: 00:31:33

Like I, said when we got into

this conversation when they sat

547

: 00:31:36

me down on that floor in free

roam and I had cats all over me.

548

: 00:31:41

That was the best cat therapy ever.

549

: 00:31:44

So it's not for the faint of heart.

550

: 00:31:48

It isn't, it's hard work

sometimes, but it's very rewarding.

551

: 00:31:53

So if you wanna be a crazy cat lady or

a crazy dog person, get into rescue.

552

: 00:32:01

Dixie: Yep.

553

: 00:32:01

I totally agree.

554

: 00:32:02

It is very rewarding.

555

: 00:32:04

Even fostering kittens, the kittens can

be dirty, they can be messy, but they are

556

: 00:32:10

a whole lot of fun and they will brighten

up your day if you just look at 'em.

557

: 00:32:16

Beverly: Yes.

558

: 00:32:16

I took two kittens to the

festival with me last weekend.

559

: 00:32:20

They had a ball playing with one another.

560

: 00:32:23

People are watching 'em.

561

: 00:32:24

The kids would laugh, then they would

take a nap and then they'd be up

562

: 00:32:28

and, playing with each other again.

563

: 00:32:31

So it's great.

564

: 00:32:32

It really is.

565

: 00:32:33

And it really helps your

heart and helps your spirit.

566

: 00:32:37

You know that you have to take care of

these animals and you'll do whatever

567

: 00:32:41

it takes to take care of them.

568

: 00:32:43

And that, the end goal is that we find

them new homes, which, that's what some of

569

: 00:32:48

the new volunteers ask how do you do this?

570

: 00:32:51

I always tell them our end

goal is to find them new homes.

571

: 00:32:56

I said, and we do that.

572

: 00:32:58

And we do it effectively.

573

: 00:33:00

Dixie: That's one thing that I

always tell people who say something

574

: 00:33:03

about, oh, they don't wanna foster.

575

: 00:33:04

'cause they couldn't give them up.

576

: 00:33:05

And it's no.

577

: 00:33:06

When you see the home that

they're going to and you know that

578

: 00:33:10

they're going to a really good

home, it makes it all worth it.

579

: 00:33:15

Beverly: Yeah.

580

: 00:33:16

And one of the great things, another

reason I really stay with the

581

: 00:33:19

rescue, this is what 10 years ago

now, is they will take a cat back

582

: 00:33:24

regardless of how long you've had it.

583

: 00:33:27

Life changes, stuff happens,

we'll take a cat back at any

584

: 00:33:32

time during their lifetime.

585

: 00:33:34

That way they're not thrown out in

the street putting colonies where they

586

: 00:33:38

aren't gonna survive and they'll suffer.

587

: 00:33:40

We always take them back.

588

: 00:33:44

Dixie: Thank you so much for coming

on the show today with me, Beverly.

589

: 00:33:48

Beverly: No, thank you for having me.

590

: 00:33:50

I love to talk about cats.

591

: 00:33:52

People, they know me now.

592

: 00:33:53

It's oh, and I'll ask them how their

kitties are and that kind of thing.

593

: 00:33:57

But it's a great conversation.

594

: 00:33:59

I love what I do.

595

: 00:34:01

And again, I'm very passionate

about it, sometimes too passionate,

596

: 00:34:06

probably, but very passionate about

what we do, what the rescue does what

597

: 00:34:11

it's done for the West Georgia area

and how we've built relationships

598

: 00:34:16

and partnerships with other rescues,

other shelters and things like that.

599

: 00:34:21

Again.

600

: 00:34:23

Enjoy it.

601

: 00:34:24

, You just have to do it.

602

: 00:34:25

If you have never done it, give a day,

see what you think and see if you go back.

603

: 00:34:32

If you have a cat then you know

what it is to take care of them and

604

: 00:34:36

it is just again, very rewarding.

605

: 00:34:40

Dixie: And here's to hoping y'all

have another 700 cats adopted.

606

: 00:34:43

'cause that's amazing.

607

: 00:34:45

Beverly: Yes.

608

: 00:34:46

It about killed us if

that's what it takes us.

609

: 00:34:50

We all say that.

610

: 00:34:51

We're not shy about that.

611

: 00:34:53

But if we all had, to do it

again this year and it's been

612

: 00:34:56

quite so far, but we'll do it.

613

: 00:34:59

We'll find a way to do it somehow.

614

: 00:35:01

That's it for today's

episode of Animal Posse.

615

: 00:35:03

If you love what we're doing,

please consider becoming a member.

616

: 00:35:06

Your support directly helps us continue

highlighting the people and stories

617

: 00:35:11

that save lives across the country.

618

: 00:35:13

Just a quick reminder, the views

and opinions expressed by our

619

: 00:35:16

guests are theirs alone and are

provided for entertainment purposes.

620

: 00:35:20

They don't necessarily.

621

: 00:35:21

reflect the official position of the show,

and this information should never replace

622

: 00:35:26

the advice of your own veterinarian.

623

: 00:35:29

Thanks for listening, and

we'll see you next time.