Honestly, what can’t Janelle do? High school student by day, cat whisperer by night, our October foster of the month Janelle Arends is a secret weapon of SAFe Rescue’s foster program.
Janelle started fostering with her mom Diana in 2017 and since then, the Arends’ have cared for 43 cats and kittens. Over her three years of fostering, Janelle has built up a variety of skills that she puts to use for all kinds of cats in need. She’s taken care of shy cats who needed socialization, cats with upper respiratory infections, cats with surgery complications, and most recently, a litter of seven kittens!
But the most rewarding foster cases, she says, are the cats receiving ringworm treatment. “It usually takes a month or so of treating them, but the moment I’m told they are ready for adoption, I am always super excited because it means that they can now find their permanent homes.” (Learn more about ringworm.)
Janelle’s reliability is a huge asset for the day-to-day function of the foster team. When we put out the foster bat signal, she answers the call right away, carrier in hand. She replies to emails with lightning speed and works to get all her fosters in for appointments on schedule. These behind-the-scenes skills may not seem the most glamorous, but this attention to detail keeps everything running smoothly and allows us to help even more cats.
It’s no secret that lately the world has had quite a bit on its plate, but Janelle’s optimism has remained indomitable through it all. “Fostering kittens has definitely kept me more calm because I’ve been focused on something positive. It’s given me motivation to get up and do something because I know the cats are relying on me. The positivity that you get from these cats is something I think we all need right now, and it’s a great way to spend your free time when there’s seemingly nothing else to do,” she says.
When a cat heads out to Janelle’s, we know they’re in great hands. Thanks so much for all your hard work! You do so much for cats in need.
