Despite the turmoil that continues to rage around the world, I remain convinced that small acts of everyday kindness, sprinkles of joy, and quiet reflections in gratitude ultimately define us better than anything else. We are closing out 2023 with a very special celebration - a tribute to the deep relationship and enhanced human experience we share when we choose to live our lives with animals.

That experience, that profound and personal connection, is one of the reasons why I continue to do this work every day. Last year around this time, my 16-year-old cat Meadow died. After a short but brutal neurological decline, her passing was traumatic and nearly clouded over the beautiful memories we had with her for over a decade and a half. I told myself there would be no other cats for a while (we had two others still). But my heart desperately disagreed with me.

For weeks, well through the entire holiday season, I obsessed over nearly every cat I met at the Shelter. On the one hand, I wanted so very much to adopt a new cat and offer this space in my home to one who so desperately needed it. On the other, I tried to reason with myself about the two cats I already had, the grief over Meadow, and the myriad other reasons I could find to talk myself out of my longing. I am certain that during this time, I drove my co-workers crazy with my constant indecision.

Fast forward past New Year’s and I awoke on my birthday in the middle of January and decided, with absolute certainty, to listen to my heart. After so many weeks of trying to reason with myself, it became clear that there was something missing at home. I came into the Shelter that morning, found one cat who met my very basic criteria and adopted him on the spot.

This perfect black cat, who through a series of further indecision and a failure of familial compromise came to be known as Moss Libris Bjorn, has since become an extraordinary joy in all of our lives. Not for a second have we regretted the decision to add him to our home, and he has bonded beautifully with the other pets as well. On days when I am overwhelmed with sadness and defeat in the face of so many homeless, neglected, and seemingly forgotten animals, I come home to find grounding and connection with Moss. He reminds me that all it takes for each one animal is one caring person to make all of the difference. And on those difficult days, I can always muster the belief that one good person will arrive the next day and put the world to rights again.

Sometimes the good a person does for these animals is adopt, yes. But most times, it’s a small act of kindness. Sharing in words of encouragement, acts of service, and gifts of money and resources helps to ensure that the Shelter can continue its work each and every day, as it has for over 50 years, in service to the people, pets, and community who need it. Moss is proof of that generosity in action and every day I am so thankful for him, and for all of you who made it so that when the time was right, the perfect cat found his way into our lives forever. Thank you.

- Britney Tennant, CEO

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