Meet Heather!
Occupation: Clinical Pharmacist - Hospice and Palliative Care
Years with Purrfect Match: 1.5
My personal pets:
Dot and Maggie (Sisters, Gray Domestic Long Hair, 12.5 years old) – One of the pharmacists that I used to work with at a previous job knew that I had just lost my “first child” of 18 years and thought it would be a good idea to show me a basket full of kittens that had been found along with their mother in a field in rural Mississippi. She knew I was a cat person and knew that if I didn’t want them that maybe I knew someone that did. Well, one look at those faces looking back at me from that laundry basket and their fate was sealed. My husband and I had agreed that when my sweet Shelby passed and we were ready to open our hearts again that we would rescue 2. We had already picked out names – we would name them after our grandmothers who meant the absolute world to us. Dorothy (Dot) was my grandmother and Margaret (Maggie) was his grandmother. Little did we know that Dot would choose him and Maggie, begrudgingly, would choose me. I believe in my heart that each of them would have preferred to have been an only child. They could not be more different from each other which really is no surprise to those that meet them. Their personalities keep us entertained on a daily basis and we honestly could not imagine life without them.
Louise Jellybeans (Tuxedo, 4.5 years old) – On a trip to IKEA one Saturday morning in October, we were traveling on Germantown Parkway and right in front of The Best Buy my husband says, “What is that in the road?” To which of course I responded, “Where?” He points to what looks like a baby bunny hopping down the gutter by The Best Buy. She was so small that I literally had no idea what it was. He asked if he should stop to which I said “YES!” Whatever it was, I could not bear the thought of it getting squished. I jumped out of the car and started running towards this animal. It’s a miracle I was not run over. Still unsure of what it was, it quickly darted across 5 lanes of traffic and straight under a bush. Another kind man had stopped to help me. Truly without thinking, I reached under the bush and pulled her out. This teeny, tiny black and white kitten. She could not have even been 8 weeks old. And in that moment, despite knowing I was not permitted to have any more kitties (LOL!), I knew she would be mine. After a check at the vet and clean bill of health and some half hearted trying to find her a good home, Louise Jellybeans came home with us just before Halloween 2019. Unsure of how Dot and Maggie would respond, we did a slow introduction. But for a kitten her size she was not about to let anyone (or any cat) tell her she did (or didn’t) belong. She made herself right at home and basically told them they were gonna have to deal with her being here. As I am still working from home, Louise is my co-worker and comes to “the office” with me every day. She has completed our little family in a way that we could not have imagined we needed.
My favorite part about volunteering with PM: Well, that’s easy – THE KITTIES! Since it would be frowned upon for me to bring more kitties into MY home, I get the opportunity to go to the MeowHouse every week to spend time with all of our amazing rescues. My (paying) job is hard. It takes a toll mentally and emotionally. Getting to volunteer at the MeowHouse each week is therapy. Truly. It is a privilege to come up here and spend time with our residents. I get to see them when they are first rescued. When they have been done SO wrong by humans that you can’t fault them for not wanting to be touched. Then seeing them soften and relax and slowly begin to realize that there really are good humans still out there. When one of them allows you to touch them for the first time – it seems like such a small thing to someone on the outside but you know in your heart what a milestone you have just witnessed. Having the opportunity to watch their personalities evolve; watching them interact with the other kitties; watching them pick out their favorite volunteer (we ALL know it’s true!); seeing them crave attention and conversation. It is so bittersweet to see them get chosen for transport to our adoption partners. As a volunteer, you grow very attached and yes, though we don’t like to admit it, we do have our favorites. It is hard to put them on the transport because you know that you won’t get to see them on your next volunteer day, but the immense joy knowing that they are one step closer to furrever homes makes every bit of it worth it.
I would be remiss in not mentioning how incredibly AWESOME all of the volunteers and fosters are that work with Purrfect Match. I have met some of the most incredible human beings while volunteering here. The friendships and the knowledge that I have gained could never be replaced. I honestly cannot imagine not being here. It has been said that if you find something you love to do it is never considered work.