PURRS -- Here, There and Everywhere!

Over the past six months, a wonderful cat rescue in Illinois – PURRS Naperville – has provided a loving sanctuary for over 50 NNHS shelter cats. Rachael Resk, PURRS’ founder, is a nationally known animal communicator and feline and canine behaviorist.

Our relationship with PURRS began in August 2008 when 15 shelter cats (Hector, Nessie, Wendy, Gypsy, Turquoise, Mitzie, Lucia, Archie, Duncan, White Fang and his brother Ozzie, Brittany, Harmony, Koy, and Mitzie) really had something to PURR about. Rachael agreed to get them OUT of shelter cages and find good permanent homes for them all.

Shelter dogs headed to rescue often enjoy settling down on a blanket in the back of a vehicle with a rawhide bone and taking in the scenario as they travel. They don’t mind getting out every 1½ to 2 hours to stretch their legs, relieve themselves, have a drink of water, and then (in most cases) are ready to jump into a different vehicle for the next “leg” of a transport. Not so with cats!

For most cats, riding in vehicles is somewhat traumatic. Switching them from cage-to-cage on a leg-by-leg transport isn’t recommended. Even the most gentle of cats is usually frightened. Since the shelter cannot afford to send cat cages forward (never getting them back again for the next time they're needed), we always try to find one or two drivers who are willing to transport the cats non-stop to rescue. In August, Barb, a shelter employee, quickly volunteered to make the long trip to Naperville with our 15 shelter kids.

Even though Rachael had found homes for all the Missouri cats transported to her in August, by October 2008 the shelter was caring for close to 90 cats – far beyond the facility’s capacity. PURRS came to our rescue again when Rachael agreed to take 16 of our much-loved cats under her wing. For Tippy, Buster, Poki, Patsy, Star, Sephie, Leona, Lana, Cali, Tiger, Bruno, Fiesta, Winter, Chani, Charise, and Patches it meant EVERYTHING – no more living in a cage and the opportunity to be adopted into a carefully-screened home for the rest of their lives.

This is just the first part of the story. It doesn’t include the lucky cats that have traveled to PURRS in 2009 and the rescue heroes who made it possible.

More about Rachael’s loving heart and the lives she has touched coming soon!