By Tracy McCormick-Dishman
editor@floridanewsline.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Angela Soriano has been rescuing animals since she was in preschool, but she never planned to start an animal rescue. The 30-year-old founder of Celestial Pet Rescue operates a foster-based cat rescue that manages about 20 cats through a network of foster families. She also operates two TNR (trap-neuter-return) colony programs and dreams of opening a sanctuary where cats can roam free to show their true personalities to potential adopters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Q: What was the moment that made you realize you had to start Celestial Pet Rescue?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> The memory still makes my voice catch. I was finishing a long shift at work when I witnessed something that would change my life forever: someone throwing a kitten out of their car in the parking lot. I immediately went over to this kitten. She was infested with fleas, had scabies, and her front leg was broken. But that feeling of saving this kitten and giving her a chance \u2013 that’s what I want to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: How did you come up with the name Celestial Pet Rescue?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> The name came from a friend who believed we all lived under the same sky \u2013 the friend who first got me involved in organized animal rescue. I’ve been rescuing animals since I was in preschool, but this friend really helped me understand the bigger picture of what we could accomplish together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: What makes your rescue different from traditional animal shelters?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> We operate a completely foster-based cat rescue, caring for about 20 cats through a network of just five or six foster families. Unlike traditional shelters, our cats live in homes while awaiting adoption, giving them a better chance to show their personalities to potential families. We don’t like cats sitting in cages all day. I dream of opening a sanctuary where cats roam free inside a building where visitors can see their true personalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: What’s the biggest challenge you face in animal rescue work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> Animal abandonment is my biggest challenge. I recently rescued a spayed cat dumped at one of my colonies \u2013 surveillance footage showed someone simply opening their car door and driving away. Ninety-five percent of cats that we have seen that have not survived are dumped. They’re not used to hunting for their own food. The foster-based model keeps overhead low but creates constant capacity issues. We’re always looking for more fosters, sometimes more than donations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n