From the Founder: What We Learned from Our First Fundraising Campaign

When we launched the Gaske Cat Foundation, our mission was clear: to reduce the number of cats surrendered to shelters by addressing the root causes, especially those driven by crisis, housing insecurity, and a lack of support for pet owners in vulnerable situations. From the beginning, this was never just about rescue. It was about prevention. It was about stepping in before someone feels they have no other option but to give up an animal they love.

Our very first campaign was intentionally aligned with that mission. We chose to focus on survivors of domestic violence because one of the most overlooked drivers of owner surrender is crisis. When someone is trying to leave an unsafe home, secure emergency housing, or rebuild their life from scratch, pets are often excluded from traditional support systems. Too many people are forced into an impossible choice between their own safety and the safety of their cat.

As we wrapped up our first official campaign this summer, I am proud to share that we raised and distributed funds to two incredible organizations: Safe Voices, a domestic violence resource center in Maine, and Dallas Cat Lady, a rescue in Texas that provides temporary foster care for cats whose owners are fleeing dangerous situations. Both organizations reflect what we believe at Gaske Cat Foundation: keeping people and pets together whenever possible is not a luxury. It is essential.

My connection to Dallas Cat Lady is deeply personal. I volunteered with them for years while living in Dallas, Texas. I cleaned kennels, bottle fed kittens, and fostered medically fragile cats. I saw firsthand how quickly life circumstances can change for someone. I met women who loved their cats deeply but were living in cars, couch surfing, or trying to escape unsafe homes. I saw how temporary foster care could be the bridge that allowed someone to stabilize without permanently losing their companion.

What I learned during those years shaped the foundation’s philosophy. Most people do not surrender their cats because they want to. They surrender because they feel they have no other option. They are overwhelmed. They are in crisis. They are unsupported. If we can provide practical, compassionate resources at that moment, we can prevent unnecessary separation.

That lived experience is part of why this campaign mattered so much to me. From our conversations with the team at Safe Voices, we learned how central a pet can be to someone’s decision to seek help or not. For many survivors, their cat is not just a pet. They are a lifeline. A source of emotional grounding. Often the only constant companion during an otherwise chaotic and unsafe period. Safe Voices shared that when survivors know their pets can come with them or be safely fostered, they are far more likely to leave.

In trying to identify potential partners, I personally called dozens of shelters across New England including well-known ones like Rosie’s Place in Boston, to ask about their pet policies. The lack of clarity was eye opening. If it was that difficult for me to get information as a nonprofit founder, imagine how overwhelming it must be for someone in crisis, scared and trying to make a life altering decision. That reinforced for me that our work is not only about funding. It is about advocacy, communication, and helping close the gaps that leave people and animals vulnerable.

This first campaign was a direct expression of our mission. We are here to reduce owner surrenders, yes. But more than that, we are here to prevent unnecessary separation between people and the animals they love, especially during times of crisis. We are here to recognize that human welfare and animal welfare are intertwined. When we support one, we strengthen the other.

Domestic violence impacts more people than many realize. In the United States, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner. This is not distant. It is not abstract. It touches our communities, our friends, our families.

To everyone who donated, shared our campaign, or took the time to learn more, thank you. This was our first step as a 501(c)(3), and it affirmed that there is a real need for this work. We are just getting started. If this first campaign showed us anything, it is that preventing surrender requires compassion at the root. It requires meeting people in their hardest moments and making sure they do not have to choose between safety and love.

With gratitude,

Holly Gaske

Founder, Gaske Cat Foundation