Freddie’s Felines Rescue!
Donation protected
♥️ PLEASE READ THE LATEST UPDATE! ♥️
Freddie’s Felines is finally getting off the ground!
For those who don’t know, my name is Jennifer Whitaker. I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Tennessee, and my husband is a Veterinarian/Surgeon. We own Highway 58 Animal Hospital in Chattanooga. Animals have been a life’s passion for both of us, and I have spent nearly my entire life rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned/stray pets (primarily cats) and injured wildlife; a passion learned and inherited from my mother, who in turn learned and inherited it from her father, and so on. It’s literally all I’ve known since before I can remember. I’ve also maintained a successful feline behavior consulting service for the past 15 years, helping hundreds of cats stay in their homes.
When my husband and I bought our new home across the Tennessee border in Rock Spring, GA, one of the many reasons we fell in love with it was that it had a fantastic unfinished space that is PERFECT to become my rescue/foster room. Up until now, I’ve always used spare bedrooms, bathrooms, pretty much every available living area. While this was no issue when I was single, it is not really a viable option now that I have a husband and 2 children. As such, my rescuing capabilities were limited when I met Shane and moved to Tennessee and our family grew, and I’ve only been able to foster one cat or litter at a time.
As we all know, homeless cats abound everywhere in the South, and it has been torture over the past 4 years having to repeatedly turn down rescues or redirect them elsewhere because my one “slot” was already taken. Now that we’re in a more rural area outside metro Chattanooga, and kitten season is taking off, the need for a dedicated space is critical and needs to happen ASAP.
Unfortunately with buying the new house and needing to fix up the old house before we can sell it, we are on a VERY tight budget and finishing out the rescue space is an expense we really just cannot swing right now. We are chipping in any extra funds we can manage, but I am hoping we can crowdfund most of the cost and get it finished before kitten season hits full force!
Given our veterinary degrees and access to our own hospital, we have the capability to help animals in a way that many rescuers cannot, and have the ability to help innumerable cats in need. It also allows us to end needless suffering by performing surgeries, curing disease, and letting terminally ill animals be at peace. This is an important addition for us to be able to make a difference in our community.
Here are the major points:
• Freddie’s Felines is named in honor of Freddie Mercury, who was a dedicated lover and rescuer of cats — so much so that he would call home on tour just to speak to them on the phone. He rescued MANY cats over the years, and this was one of the traits that endeared me to him at a young age and turned me into a lifelong fan. Obviously in addition to his incredible voice, songwriting talent, flamboyant style and attitude, and incredible music with Queen! I have applied for an Ltd. through the state of Georgia in order to secure 501(c)3 status through the state and through the IRS. Our business manager at our hospital is assisting me with this.
• The space we are finishing is around 200 square feet. It is already constructed, framed, ventilated, and wired — these were completed by the original builders. It has a window for us to create a catio, etc. We just need to finish the walls, the floor, and the ceiling to make it usable.
Here is a link to pics since GFM does not provide a space for albums or full size photos:
Freddie’s Felines Rescue Construction Album!
Here is the list of supplies we need:
Sheet Rock
Drywall Mud
Drywall Screws
Drywall Hanging Tools
Laminate Flooring
Trim
A Door
Door Hardware
2 Lighting Fixtures
Lumber (2x4’s for framing, random fitting pieces)
Nails, Screws, Etc.
Yellow Paint
Paint Roller Heads
Edging Pads
Storage Cabinet
• Then once the room is finished out, we will need to either buy stainless steel cages, or purchase melamine to make our own condos (Shane has a wood shop). I think we will be doing the latter, just haven’t decided yet. We will also need lumber, carpeting, and sisal rope to make cat trees, scratching posts, and wall perches/climbing platforms/walkways for the common space. I will be using a LOT of DIY to make these items out of old stools, chairs, shelves, etc. with carpet remnants I can pick up from builders in the area.
• I am the Queen of finding deals and used items, and will be making our funds stretch as far as I can by seeking out sales, clearances, discount warehouses, houses being remodeled, veterinary hospitals being closed or remodeled, etc. in order to source as many of the things on our list as possible. Shane’s partner Dr. Brock also has a farm with a MASSIVE barn full of every random thing you can think of. He has spent years collecting various supplies and parts and fixtures, so I’m willing to bet he has some useful items we can get for cheap or free.
Please help me realize my goal and help us rescue many more furry friends in need!
Freddie’s Felines is finally getting off the ground!
For those who don’t know, my name is Jennifer Whitaker. I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Tennessee, and my husband is a Veterinarian/Surgeon. We own Highway 58 Animal Hospital in Chattanooga. Animals have been a life’s passion for both of us, and I have spent nearly my entire life rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned/stray pets (primarily cats) and injured wildlife; a passion learned and inherited from my mother, who in turn learned and inherited it from her father, and so on. It’s literally all I’ve known since before I can remember. I’ve also maintained a successful feline behavior consulting service for the past 15 years, helping hundreds of cats stay in their homes.
When my husband and I bought our new home across the Tennessee border in Rock Spring, GA, one of the many reasons we fell in love with it was that it had a fantastic unfinished space that is PERFECT to become my rescue/foster room. Up until now, I’ve always used spare bedrooms, bathrooms, pretty much every available living area. While this was no issue when I was single, it is not really a viable option now that I have a husband and 2 children. As such, my rescuing capabilities were limited when I met Shane and moved to Tennessee and our family grew, and I’ve only been able to foster one cat or litter at a time.
As we all know, homeless cats abound everywhere in the South, and it has been torture over the past 4 years having to repeatedly turn down rescues or redirect them elsewhere because my one “slot” was already taken. Now that we’re in a more rural area outside metro Chattanooga, and kitten season is taking off, the need for a dedicated space is critical and needs to happen ASAP.
Unfortunately with buying the new house and needing to fix up the old house before we can sell it, we are on a VERY tight budget and finishing out the rescue space is an expense we really just cannot swing right now. We are chipping in any extra funds we can manage, but I am hoping we can crowdfund most of the cost and get it finished before kitten season hits full force!
Given our veterinary degrees and access to our own hospital, we have the capability to help animals in a way that many rescuers cannot, and have the ability to help innumerable cats in need. It also allows us to end needless suffering by performing surgeries, curing disease, and letting terminally ill animals be at peace. This is an important addition for us to be able to make a difference in our community.
Here are the major points:
• Freddie’s Felines is named in honor of Freddie Mercury, who was a dedicated lover and rescuer of cats — so much so that he would call home on tour just to speak to them on the phone. He rescued MANY cats over the years, and this was one of the traits that endeared me to him at a young age and turned me into a lifelong fan. Obviously in addition to his incredible voice, songwriting talent, flamboyant style and attitude, and incredible music with Queen! I have applied for an Ltd. through the state of Georgia in order to secure 501(c)3 status through the state and through the IRS. Our business manager at our hospital is assisting me with this.
• The space we are finishing is around 200 square feet. It is already constructed, framed, ventilated, and wired — these were completed by the original builders. It has a window for us to create a catio, etc. We just need to finish the walls, the floor, and the ceiling to make it usable.
Here is a link to pics since GFM does not provide a space for albums or full size photos:
Freddie’s Felines Rescue Construction Album!
Here is the list of supplies we need:
Sheet Rock
Drywall Mud
Drywall Screws
Drywall Hanging Tools
Laminate Flooring
Trim
A Door
Door Hardware
2 Lighting Fixtures
Lumber (2x4’s for framing, random fitting pieces)
Nails, Screws, Etc.
Yellow Paint
Paint Roller Heads
Edging Pads
Storage Cabinet
• Then once the room is finished out, we will need to either buy stainless steel cages, or purchase melamine to make our own condos (Shane has a wood shop). I think we will be doing the latter, just haven’t decided yet. We will also need lumber, carpeting, and sisal rope to make cat trees, scratching posts, and wall perches/climbing platforms/walkways for the common space. I will be using a LOT of DIY to make these items out of old stools, chairs, shelves, etc. with carpet remnants I can pick up from builders in the area.
• I am the Queen of finding deals and used items, and will be making our funds stretch as far as I can by seeking out sales, clearances, discount warehouses, houses being remodeled, veterinary hospitals being closed or remodeled, etc. in order to source as many of the things on our list as possible. Shane’s partner Dr. Brock also has a farm with a MASSIVE barn full of every random thing you can think of. He has spent years collecting various supplies and parts and fixtures, so I’m willing to bet he has some useful items we can get for cheap or free.
Please help me realize my goal and help us rescue many more furry friends in need!
Organizer
Jen Whitaker
Organizer
Center Grove, GA