Imagine that you fled your home to escape Hurricane Harvey with just a few clothes and your four cats hoping that you would be returning in a few days. Then, imagine getting the heartbreaking news that your home was under water , and that it, along with all of your belongings, were in ruin.

That’s exactly what happened to Shirley and Jesse. The older couple lived outside of Houston, Texas in a much smaller community than the larger metropolitan areas that were also flooded. With government resources strained, and more populous areas being addressed first, they have no idea when or if they will be able to return home.

Shirley and Jesse came to Mississippi (MS) to stay with family and put their beloved cats in boarding with a vet. When they had to move to another location, they needed to get their cats out of boarding. With both of them retired and having just lost everything, they needed a safe place for their cats, but they had no idea where to start looking for help.

Shirley made a call to our friend and fellow rescue worked Vickie Currie, Director of Webster Animal Shelter in Madison. She referred them to rescue group Jackson Friends in Jackson. That group in turn reached out to Chris McLaughlin, Director of Animal Rescue Front of Groton, Massachusetts. Chris called our Hope Animal Sanctuary and asked if we could take these 4 cats and our answer was an immediate yes!

Shirley and Jesse met us with their little family and we took them into our care. There were lots of tears but they were tears of relief that their cats they had had for so long and whom they loved so much were going to Hope Animal Sanctuary. We promised they would be safe and loved with us until we could find the perfect guardians for each of them.

This is only possible because of your donations. Please, help us provide a safe haven for more animals just like these by donating to In Defense of Animals.

Pictured from left to right are Hope Animal Sanctuary employees Felicia Dunn with Baby Girl, Jeannie Grammer with E.T. and Candi Daves with Trigger. Cat brother Thomas was looking on as this picture was taken.