“Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted” – Sigmund Freud
The sentiment behind this popular quote has become a way of life for one Beaufort family. Cassie Dunn and her two sons 16-year-old Hayden and 12-year-old Elias first started volunteering for cat rescues when both boys were in elementary school. They loved volunteering so much, they have kept it up through the years, across several states and two continents!
“We adopted our two cats when we lived in Japan,” says Cassie. “They are sisters who were born blind.”
Before the family was able to adopt, volunteering allowed them the joy of being around cats.
“When we couldn’t have a family cat, we always “had” the shelter cats,” explains Hayden.
The Dunns have been volunteering at Palmetto Animal League since February, and they have not only bonded with the cats at our adoption center, but with our staff as well.
“The Dunns have become a part of the PAL family,” says Animal Care Technician Ryan Sheaffer. “They’re always helpful, smiling, and busy keeping the cats entertained and socialized.”
Cassie and her boys help homeless cats everywhere they go, including at hotels while on vacation and at gas stations.
“We are very much a cat family,” says Cassie. “Both of the boys and my husband are all dubbed cat daddies!”
Hayden and Elias have always had a special place in their hearts for cats and their compassion is on full display at PAL every time they gravitate toward the cats most in need of a helping hand.
“We had a special connection with a cat named Burke,” says Elias. “He was badly injured when he came to PAL and our visits helped his recovery.”
While the family takes great joy in helping homeless cats, they have found that time spent with cats has also blessed them.
“It’s something really important for me to do,” says Elias. “Being with cats helps me to not be anxious, and it gives me a chance to be part of a group of people who love cats as much as I do.”
Cassie enjoys watching Hayden and Elias laugh and play with the cats at PAL each week, and she knows that giving her kids a solid spirit of volunteerism at a young age will have a lasting impact on their lives.
“Be an example for your kids,” urges Cassie. “You can make a real difference in the lives of these animals. Most of them just want to be loved.”
Become a part of something meaningful in the new year. Learn more about volunteering with Palmetto Animal League at PalmettoAnimalLeague.org/volunteer.
Lindsay Perry, Palmetto Animal League Marketing Coordinator
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Thank you to our Partners in Rescue, The Bluffton Sun and The Hilton Head Sun for being beacons of compassion and hope for homeless pets in our community. Please show your support for these local animal loving businesses!
