Hundreds of Stray Cats Find Furever Families

By: Janelle Drumwright

In sunny Southern California, kitten season never really ends, which means Brianne Youngberg and her team of volunteers at Saving One Life - San Diego are busy rescuing, fostering, and finding good homes for stray cats and kittens in need year-round.

Youngberg first discovered Saving One Life, which is headquartered in Arizona, while living in Yuma. The 501 c3 non-profit organization’s commitment to being never-kill was important to her—for a year, she had been working at a high-kill shelter, where she had the heartbreaking task of making the euthanasia list, which still brings her to tears just thinking about it. In addition, Saving One Life was one of the only Arizona groups rescuing cats from euthanasia lists. Cats were especially high risk, with euthanasia rates around 75% compared to 7% for dogs.

“I still see all their faces,” said Youngberg, her voice breaking. “Once you’ve seen it and experienced that side, it’s very hard to walk away. We can’t save them all, but dang it, if I can, I’m going to try.”

When Youngberg and her husband relocated to San Diego, Saving One Life director Carrie Neidorf partnered with Brianne for the opportunity to start a San Diego chapter. Since Saving One Life - San Diego was founded in 2018, the chapter has grown from 5 volunteers to more than 31 and has saved nearly 500 stray cats and kittens from across Southern California, including 189 adoptions in 2020. Altogether, Saving One Life facilitated over 1,500 intakes and over 1,400 adoptions last year.

Today, Saving One Life - San Diego provides a number of cat services including adoption, fostering, assisting the Feral Cat Coalition with trap, neuter, and release (TNR) work in San Diego County, and supporting feral cat colonies by providing food and other support. When TNR volunteers find friendly cats as part of their work, Saving One Life - San Diego partners with them to help find the cats good homes. Teamwork, both among the many Saving One Life volunteers and with other animal organizations throughout the area, has played a critical role in making a difference in the lives of cats in the community.

One of Saving One Life - San Diego’s best adoption stories began with Youngberg receiving a message about a litter of kittens in Watts that had been found tied up in a plastic shopping bag in an alley, crying in the middle of the summer heat. Not only did Saving One Life - San Diego spring into action, but with the help of two other rescue organizations, they were also able to track down the mother cat, her sister, and two other kittens that had been dropped off at the pound, and reunite the family.

“They were just a joy to see growing up, thriving, and all going to good homes,” said Youngberg. “It just reminds me this is why we do what we do. And we couldn’t have done it without our partners and our volunteers. I meet so many amazing people doing this work. It renews my faith in humanity and helps me keep going.”

Heather Forsythe, who started volunteering with Saving One Life - San Diego when it first started, was the foster for the Watts kittens, who were named Love, Spirit, Hope, Destiny, Miracle, Faith (mother cat), and Grace (aunt cat).

“They had such a rough start,” said Forsythe, who began fostering a couple years ago after she retired. “We wanted to make sure they knew love and that not all people are bad. It was just a fabulous story of how all these people came together to get them saved. Everybody has a really good heart, and that’s a bonus to me because we’re all here for the same reason.”

Forsythe is now fostering older kitties, working on socializing strays and semi-feral cats so they can hopefully go to good homes. “The best part is when I see them suddenly purr or play for the first time or crawl onto the bed to sleep near me,” she said. “They’re really fun, and they’re getting a second chance.”

In addition to fostering, adoption, and TNR work, Saving One Life - San Diego is focused on educating the public about resources and how to be a responsible pet parent. But one of the most common questions Forsythe gets is whether it’s difficult to be a foster because you eventually have to say goodbye.

“When I was a little girl, we adopted a kitty, and I had her forever,” said Forsythe. “I know that when I foster, I’m helping a kitty find a home so they can make lifelong memories with another family, and that’s what allows me to say goodbye. Plus, then I get to help even more cats once they find a good home.”

As COVID restrictions begin to ease, Saving One Life has some exciting new developments coming up:

• Saving One Life - San Diego will be the rescue partner for Whiskers & Wine, the first cat lounge in the U.S. that will offer food, local craft beer, wine, and specialty cocktails. Located in North Park, visitors will be able to enjoy a Kittytini or Meownhattan while nibbling on Queso Kitten Tots and playing with adoptable cats six months and older who are looking for their forever homes. The wine bar is expected to open later this summer.
• In Arizona, Marsha Ham, a Saving One Life adopter and supporter, will be opening the Kitty Pause Kitty Cafe in Mesa in a few months, filled with adoptable Saving One Life kitties.
• Saving One Life will also be revealing a new logo, mission statement and website soon… stayed tuned!

Because Saving One Life is 100% volunteer run, they depend on community support and donations to keep going. Here’s how you can help:

• Apply to be a volunteer to cuddle kitties at one of their adoption centers
• Apply to be a foster for felines waiting for their furever families
• Make a donation
• Purchase much needed supplies via the organization’s wish lists at Chewy or Walmart
• Shop with Amazon Smile
• Visit or volunteer at Whiskers & Wine in San Diego or Kitty Pause Kitty Cafe in Mesa once open

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About Saving One Life

Saving One Life (https://www.savingonelife.org/) is a nonprofit, IRS recognized 501c3 (#29-1173539) dedicated to saving the lives of homeless animals. Our goal is to help end the euthanasia of homeless animals by promoting spay/neuter within Arizona and Southern California. We bring sick and healthy animals into our homes from the shelter and off the streets, provide love and veterinary care for them, and once they are healthy both mentally and physically, interview potential adopters to place them in the best possible homes for their individual personalities. Our foster animals are our pets, our family, and are allowed to live in a cage-free environment while their forever home is found.