petsBy: Martha Ingle, Case Manager at Mending Fences

Animals have been a constant in my life ever since I was a child. I loved rescuing them to the point that my parents thought I would become a veterinarian. Although that did not happen, animal support has continuously been a large part of my life. I rescue, fix, and attempt to rehome as many as I can. Our pets have helped me through numerous ups and downs in life. They have brightened my days when things looked bleak. My oldest cat helped me get through my divorce, but sadly we lost him last year. He was a unique one-of-a-kind kitty and the loss still affects us all.

I love animals because they give love unconditionally, expecting nothing in return (except food ☺). My son likes to remind me that I cannot save them all, while I like to think that any animal whose life we can help to better has the power to enrich our lives and improve the world around us. Animals have given me unconditional and unwavering love and support no matter what I was facing, and I am thankful for it.

The one pictured with me is Patches, who is an outside kitty we feed and love on. The three pictured together are our main kitties, aside from those we foster. Their names are Snickers, Zeus, and Cupid. Snickers, the calico kitty, was a rescue from my parents’ farm. She was a kitten my family was feeding but my son feared the wild animals on their property would get her, so she came to live with us. Snickers can be occasionally moody (typical calico kitty) and feisty at times, but she is also incredibly loving. She loves to talk to me and will respond when her name is called. Zeus and his mother were rescued from underneath a mobile home, and he was in pretty bad shape. I was able to find a home for his mother but not for Zeus, so he became a permanent part of our family. Zeus is more introverted and loving – he loves to snuggle and love on any other kitties I may have. Cupid was named for the distinct heart on her shoulder, and we call her Cupie most of the time. She is quite mischievous and likes to open doors. A vet friend of mine asked me to take her when she was a kitten, and she has been with us ever since. She is quite vocal and will walk around the house crying for my son whenever he is not home.

As you can see, they are all quite well fed and spoiled now!