Keeping Pets With Families
Recently, we had the privilege of boarding a young cat named Luis. Luis’ family, a mother and her two children, was evicted from their home. The mother does not speak English, so she was having trouble finding an organization that could help her. A BARCS foster and volunteer who works with House of Ruth learned about the situation and contacted BARCS to help—and BARCS didn’t hesitate to say yes.
Luis was a playful, cuddly and silly cat who loves people. He was very social and even took trips to the park and store. In his temporary foster home, he would run around the house and fetch toys. He also enjoyed jumping on laps and “working” with his foster family.
Throughout the nearly three months we took care of Luis, his family checked in very often; they were always excited to hear updates about their sweet kitty. The kids in particular asked about him all the time and couldn’t wait to get him back. Our Spanish-speaking team member, Tawnie, was the family’s direct contact to updates about Luis; her bilingual talent is a lifesaving asset to our organization.
On the day they were reunited, the family was so, so grateful. The eldest daughter fell to her knees and started crying when she saw her beloved pet. The mother thanked BARCS for being so patient and helping her keep her head up when everything else was so heavy. Tawnie called it one of the most special experiences of her life.
Pets with families who love them should not find themselves homeless when resources and solutions exist to help them—and that includes our new temporary boarding program for families in crisis, Keeping Pets With Families. Our vision for the future is to continue to grow and support programs that get lost pets home quickly, help pet owners who are struggling to meet their pets’ needs, and preserve families, leaving the kennels in our shelter reserved for only those pets who truly need to be here.
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