Hi, my name is Sarina and I'm making this GoFundMe on behalf of my mother, Laura Sousa. We have never done anything like this before, and I'm not sure where to begin. My mom is disabled and on a fixed monthly income. She battles with mental health struggles and adopted 2 cats two years ago to give her something to look forward to every day. The amount of love she's given these cats is unreal, and unfortunately, her cat Sierra was running into an allergy issue with her paws over the summer in 2025. She would take her monthly to get antibiotics, but the condition was only worsening. The vet told us she would need to see a dermatologist. She was quoted $375 for the vet visit, $600-$700 for the allergy panel, and approximately $200 to test what was under her nail. Not to mention, the allergy medications she would need were said to be very expensive.

My mom did what she thought was best and decided to surrender her to the Martinez Animal Shelter. But Sierra is a duo with another cat her age, Odin. The two have been together since they were little, and they're not littermates, but they are the best of friends. They can be found cuddling all the time and playing day in and day out! Because the shelter is at capacity, Sierra and Odin are now separated from one another.

This fundraiser would serve to help us get Sierra out of the shelter, as the community my mom has reached out to has suggested we crowdfund to reunite the cats and give my mom her companion back. She's been torn up and filled with regrets since surrendering her. The additional funds would also help with the fees to the animal shelter's vet she will have to pay, and any future vet visits needed to cure Sierra's condition and keep her healthy and in a home she knows and is comfortable in.

Thank you for reading her story and supporting my mother. I can't thank the Martinez community enough for the amount of love she's received and the empathy for her story.