About Us
The Cat and Dog Project
The Cat and Dog Project was founded by a husband-and-wife team united by compassion, commitment, and a deep-rooted love for animals. What began as a shared belief in kindness and duty quickly evolved into a full-scale rescue effort, one built on long nights, tender moments, and an unwavering determination to be a voice for the voiceless. As a Marine veteran with years of experience in TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) through efforts like Operation CatSnip, and a former veterinary assistant with over two decades of hands-on rescue experience, we’ve dedicated our lives to giving animals the second chances they deserve. Together, we've worked side by side in all kinds of weather and circumstances, crawling under fences, waiting patiently in alleyways, and making room, always, for just one more soul in need.
​
At The Cat and Dog Project, rescue is more than a mission, it’s a way of life. It’s early mornings filled with the sound of food dishes clinking and late nights spent nursing the sick and frightened. We’ve opened our home and hearts to over 40 cats and 6 dogs, and our journey began long before our nonprofit took shape. These animals are not statistics to us, they are names, faces, personalities, and stories etched into the rhythm of our everyday life.
From caring for horses, parrots, and barnyard animals to rehabilitating wildlife, our experience spans species and situations, always grounded in empathy and unwavering care. No matter how large or small, feathered or furry, every creature we encounter reminds us why this work matters so deeply.
​
We actively participate in community-based spay/neuter initiatives and believe in the power of proactive, compassionate rescue work. By partnering with local residents, veterinary professionals, and fellow rescuers, we aim to interrupt the cycle of suffering before it begins, educating and empowering others to do the same. Our dream is to create a peaceful, visitor-friendly cat sanctuary that inspires connection and education, while launching a mobile dog rescue program focused on the Miami-Dade area, where countless homeless dogs await their chance at a better life. This dual vision is not just about shelter, it’s about restoration, dignity, and offering both animals and humans a chance to heal together.
​
At The Cat and Dog Project, we believe every animal has a story worth saving, and a future worth fighting for. Because when you give an animal a home, you don’t just change their world, you change your own.
Our Dogs: From Forgotten to Forever
Many of the dogs we rescue come from heartbreaking circumstances in Fort Pierce, Florida. One of them is Mary, a small, wiry dog who was barely surviving among a colony of community cats. When we first met her, she was so filthy and covered in fleas that her fur moved on its own. She had no consistent food, no shelter, and no one to care for her, but she clung to life. The only thing keeping her alive was a weekly food drop meant for the cats. We brought Mary home, bathed her, treated her for parasites, and showed her, for the first time, what it meant to be safe. Today, she’s a happy, quirky girl who still prefers curling up next to a cat rather than a fellow dog.
​
Another survivor is our Catahoula puppy, found on a rural farm where she had been rejected by her mother. At just a few weeks old, she was cold, frail, and fading fast, curled under a bush as the other puppies nursed without her. Had we not intervened when we did, she wouldn’t have made it through the night. But under our care, she grew strong, vibrant, and full of spirit. Her bright eyes and speckled coat now reflect the playful dog she was always meant to be. Her story reminds us that rescue often means stepping in when the world has turned its back.
Our Cats: Guardians of the Forgotten
Our work with community cats is ongoing and deeply personal. In recent months, we took in a young mother cat and her litter of kittens, fragile and hungry, born in an abandoned structure where broken glass littered the floor. After we brought them home, this brave mama did something extraordinary. She accepted three additional orphaned kittens as her own, grooming them, nursing them, and wrapping her body around them in shared warmth. In that moment, she became a symbol of everything The Cat and Dog Project stands for: compassion, resilience, and the belief that family can be chosen, and saved.
We’ve also trapped and housed pregnant feral cats so they could give birth in peace. One of them, a dwarf we named Lizzy, gave birth in a warm crate lined with fleece blankets instead of the dumpster she had been scrounging around. Watching her slowly learn to trust us as she nursed her babies was nothing short of sacred. These kittens, now adopted into loving homes, never knew the dangers their mother escaped, but we do. And we work every day to change the future for others like them.
​
From warehouse lots to back alleys, the cats of Fort Pierce live under constant threat, from traffic, disease, weather, and human cruelty. But with each TNR effort, foster placement, and emergency rescue, we chip away at the suffering, and create space for hope to take root.
Why Your Support Matters
Every story we’ve shared, every purr, every tail wag, every heartbeat, exists today because someone cared. Our work is fueled by love, but sustained by generosity. Donations go directly toward food, medical care, vaccinations, spay/neuter services, and safe housing. We don’t believe in fancy offices or overhead costs. We believe in muddy paws on clean blankets, in second chances, and in the power of people like you.
​
Whether you're here to adopt, volunteer, donate, or just learn more, we’re grateful you’ve found us.
Together, we can rewrite the future for the cats and dogs who need it most.