SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS:
Heather and Steven Morris
The Mobile SPCA is fortunate to be able to showcase many of our adoptable cats and kittens at PetSmart on Airport Boulevard. The cats who are rotated periodically get to enjoy higher visibility which increases their chances for adoption. But taking care of them is not PetSmart's responsibility...it falls on the shoulders of the MSPCA to assure their living quarters are always clean, that the kitties have fresh food and water and a little play time outside their kennels. It's a job with a lot of responsibility every day and we are thankful that we have a number of great volunteers who make the effort on a regular basis. Two of our PetSmart cat cleaners are Heather and Steven Morris and they are especially dedicated because they've been tending our kitties for three years non-stop! It all started back in September, 2008, when the Morris' saw an advertisement for a Sunday cat cleaner posted at Luv-A-Pet.
"We figured finding someone reliable to take care of the kitties on a Sunday was pretty difficult considering most people have other things they have to do and can't always make time on the weekends. We also love cats and since we can't exactly adopt every single homeless cat that's out there, we felt like we needed to do something else to help them in any way we could, so what better thing to do than volunteer our time taking care of them?" And take care of them they have! We've had a lot of volunteers who have helped at PetSmart over the years but few have been as faithful for as long as Heather and Steven. The Morris' both graduated from the University of South Alabama here in Mobile where they have lived for a little over 3 1/2 years after graduating. Married for four years, they adopted their very first kitty from PetSmart as a three month old tortie kitten who they named Mitzi. Since then, they have added to their furry family and now have a total of four including: Moe, an asthmatic gray and white tabby, and Punchy and Rosie, two twin ginger tabby kittens.
"We always try to spend time with each kitty, showering them with the love and attention they deserve, but we especially try to spend extra time with the very shy, anxious kitties who are new to the adoption environment. It's always great to see them if they're there the following Sunday and have them respond to us in a more outgoing manner. It feels like we were able to bring them out of their shell and give them an even better chance for a speedy adoption."
Thank you Heather and Steven for the fantastic job you've done for the Mobile SPCA and the happiness that you've brought into the lives of so many of our adoptable cats and kittens over the years. There are countless volunteer opportunities available.
If you'd like to help in any capacity, please call the office at 633-3531. The efforts of volunteers like Heather and Steven are what allows the MSPCA to exist and we thank every one of you who do so much for our dogs and cats.