What started as a small pet rehoming service in Dartmouth, N.S., has turned into a non-profit that helps pets and families nationwide.
Angela Rafuse started My Grandfather’s Cat on May 18, 2021, on her late grandfather’s birthday.
“It was inspired by my own experience adopting my grandfather’s cat, Mackenzie, when he passed away. She was 14 years old, grumpy, growly and needed a home,” says Angela Rafuse, My Grandfather’s Cat founder and CEO.
“You know shelters do amazing work, but there just wasn’t a service where we would keep her in our home and find her second forever home.”
It’s an online-based charity that offers a free, unique service for pets of all ages whose senior or terminally ill owner is no longer able to care for them.
“When a senior or terminally ill person needs to rehome their beloved pet, they will reach out to us via our website. Then they will work with one of our dedicated volunteers to write the adoptable profile, find some great pictures and then we will advertise the cat for them,” adds Rafuse.
The goal for Rafuse was just to get one cat adopted, but in the first year they were able to rehome 41. She says the response has been overwhelming from the community, and the charity continues to grow. They are now adopting about 41 every few months, and on March 1, the 500th pet was adopted.
“When you think about it, it’s 1,000 people, 500 people trusting us to rehome their beloved pet and 500 adopting them, and I think the 500 choosing to adopt through us means just as much to me,” says Rafuse.
Jordan Rogers is one of the 50 volunteers. He started with My Grandfather’s Cat about a year ago and is involved in planning events, as well as the adoptions.
“To hit 500 adoptions is incredible, especially from where the charity first started, and to witness it along the way and see it ramp up and be a little involved from a volunteer perspective is great,” says Rogers.
A 14-year-old cat named ‘Tiny’ was their 500th pet adoption.
“She is based just outside of Toronto now… but she had lived in Toronto with her senior owner, and they were the very best of friends,” says Rafuse.
When Tiny’s owner passed away, the team stepped in to help. They covered Tiny’s dental surgery and set her up for success in her new home.
“She’s a cute little cat and she’s black and white. She’s very sweet and she’s really warming up to her new humans,” says Rafuse.
When Rafuse hit 100 adoptions, her mother told her to close her eyes and just imagine 100 cats in a room and picture the difference she has made, now she does the same for 500 cats.
“In the moment when I was so overwhelmed, I closed my eyes and I pictured 500 cats in a room and I was in a very tiny room so it might have felt bigger than it was but truly imagining the impact is unimaginable,” says Rafuse.
She says this accomplishment would not be possible without the help of her team. Rafuse welcomes everyone to follow along through their social media pages — whether its sharing posts, donating or just joining their community. The more shares and awareness, the more pets they can rehome.
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