Creating Lucky Cats

Holly Jane has always been known to bring home stray animals and fostered cats for years. Homeless, abandoned, ill, orphaned – they all found a home with Holly, at least temporarily. Although it can be hard work, Holly found fulfillment in the nurturing of these kitties. Over time, she realized that she derived benefits from caring for them that she hadn’t anticipated: a sense of her own well-being and purpose.

Forging relationships with local animal care and rescue groups provided Holly with the contacts and knowledge to formalize her goal. If the cats who so desperately needed her care were in turn helping her mental and emotional health, it’s likely that others would benefit in the same way. Matching cats who need people with people who need cats became the cornerstone of Lucky Cats Rescue.

The mission is simple: 

Lucky Cats Rescue partners with select rescues and shelters to provide specialty support and care of hard-to-place kittens and cats. LCR strives to pair those cats and kittens with the humans that need them. We believe that the strength of the bond between pets and their people can bring joy and comfort in difficult times.

There are at least dozens – and probably hundreds – of studies, articles, and anecdotes about the benefits of owning a pet (the “pet effect”). It’s well-established that pets fill a void for people who are lonely. Pets reduce your stress level, making for a healthier heart.1 And, coincidentally, the same can be said about volunteerism. People who volunteer at animal sanctuaries have a more positive outlook, and arguably improved mental health.2 Recruiting volunteers to work with us at Lucky Cats Rescue is as important as the fostering and adoption of the cats themselves. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow our social media to learn more about the benefits of our community work. We’ll be featuring real stories about real people.

For the immediate future, we are working with our first volunteers and utilizing our craft skills to make cat toys to spoil your cats and, ultimately, help save other cats, too! All the featured cat toys are handmade by the Lucky Cats volunteers - you can purchase them and make donation submissions via our website at LuckyCatsRescue.org and LuckyCatsRescueShop.org. As we begin operations, our focus is on raising funds to ultimately establish a brick-and-mortar headquarters and sanctuary.

The reasons that individuals get attached to causes will vary. But the influence of friends and colleagues who are passionate about a particular issue will undoubtedly rub off on their inner circle. Holly’s zeal for the founding of Lucky Cats Rescue led to the formation of the Lucky Cats board of directors: founder Holly Jane, veterinarian Dr. Dawn Binder, entrepreneur Elaine MIlardo, and creative professional Christine Monaco. Together, we are striving to not only create Lucky Cats, but to create lucky cats – and lucky people who’ll love them. We hope you’ll join us on this journey.

SOURCES:

1 Paul Rodney Turner, October 2019; Catharine Paddock, PhD, 2008

2 Ibid, Turner