THE CAUSE Since 2012, Fearless Kitty has taken in more than 1,300 cats, and last year alone adopted out 214. This year, they aim to bring in a new record of 250 cats to Kittyville. The nonprofit’s mission is to save homeless cats and provide them with the highest standard of care while they wait for homes in the most effective way possible. “We are in the business of saving lives — it is a business and we run it like a business and that’s in part why we are so successful, because of the heart and the soul of our people and their desire to do what’s right by the cats that we bring in,” said Obreck. As a part of that business, Fearless Kitty has evolved to help educate the public and become a highly valuable resource for humans and cats in the community. “Kim and I didn’t know what rescue was when we first started. We just wanted to help these animals. And now it’s about how can we help the public be educated,” Stefan said. Currently, Fearless Kitty is preparing for the critical “Kitten Season” — the time from April to October when kitten birth rates increase and shelters quickly hit capacity. While it may sound like an adorable phenomenon, Kitten Season for rescues like Fearless Kitty it is a critical time of scrambling for resources and space. “Kittens are super fragile,” Stefan said. “From the time they come in to the time they are adopted, it is a huge undertaking.” With the extra care and attention young kittens need, Fearless Kitty relies on their foster program for extra support. “The foster program is growing, and it’s going to allow us to save those other animals that we haven’t been able to serve because of our resources,” Stefan said. “I am excited about that, for sure.” THE FUTURE What started as two dedicated friends has now grown to a staff of seven, including an adoption coordinator, events coordinator and foster coordinator. “All of the people Fearless Kitty rescues cats in distress without regard to age, breed or ease of placement. 40 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | APRIL 2019 CHARITY SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED

are key components of the organization and what’s needed for Fearless Kitty to be here 20 years down the road,” said Stefan. As Fearless Kitty Rescue continues to expand and build on their success, they hope to one day shift focus. “We would like to be out of business as a rescue,” said Stefan. “We would like to have a different purpose — it wouldn’t be about how many calls we’re going to get this month of how many animals need our help. “ But until then, Fearless Kitty Rescue will charge forward, doing what they can to help the homeless cats and hopeful humans in the community — one fearless kitty at a time. To learn more, visit fearlesskittyrescue.org . C H E C K O U T T H E KITTY CAM! Want to know what it’s like to be a cat at Kittyville? Get a look inside the lives of adoptable residents with the help of the Live Kitty Cam donated by Maddie’s Fund. Peek in on playtime, nap-time and even tune in for scheduled activities and informative talks. GO TO FEARLESSKITTYRESCUE. ORG/ABOUT/KITTY-CAM Catie Richman CONTRIBUTING WRITER catie@frontdoorsmedia.com