Hello, my name is T’Marie, and I am the founder of 4Paws4Claws, a nonprofit organization created from a lifetime of resilience, healing, and an unwavering love for animals.

My journey began with hardship. My mother had me at sixteen and later struggled with addiction and alcoholism, leaving her without the support or capacity to raise me. Throughout my childhood, I was passed between relatives and family friends until I was nine, when I went to live with my father and his new wife. Unfortunately, that home was not a safe or loving environment.

I experienced emotional and physical abuse and grew up feeling unwanted, like a responsibility no one truly wanted to carry. I was isolated from other children. I couldn’t play outside freely, visit friends, watch television, or experience a normal childhood. At school, I was bullied because I lived differently from other kids. I became shy, withdrawn, and filled with shame.

By the age of sixteen, I had attempted to end my life twice. I was a deeply sad and lonely child searching for comfort and connection.

The one place I found peace was with animals.

Dogs and other animals became my safe space. I would sit with them for hours, talking, playing, and finding comfort in their presence. While our pets were often kept outside and not always treated kindly, I felt a deep bond with them because, in many ways, I understood what it felt like to be neglected and unheard.

As I grew into adulthood, my connection to animals only deepened. I found myself naturally drawn to helping vulnerable creatures, stopping to feed stray dogs and cats, rescuing injured birds, rabbits, and squirrels, and caring for animals whenever I could. Animals have an incredible ability to sense energy, kindness, and intention, and I have always felt that they recognized something gentle and healing within me.

Despite my childhood experiences, I refused to let pain define who I became. I chose to be a giver, a caregiver, and someone who leads with compassion.

In 2015, I met the love of my life. We married in 2017, and tragically, I lost my husband to COVID-19 on March 16, 2020, at only 47 years old. His passing left me grieving and searching for purpose again. After years of working in corporate America and pursuing a few unsuccessful business ventures, I reached a point where I asked myself a powerful question:

What is my true purpose before I leave this world?

That answer came to me in January 2026.

A stray cat had been living in a sewer near my home. I began feeding her daily, and two weeks later, I discovered she had brought her four kittens into my backyard. Out of compassion, I took them in even though I was renting and could not keep them permanently. I carefully vetted families through the Nextdoor app, successfully adopting two kittens into loving homes and placing the others in a no-kill shelter, where they were adopted within 48 hours.

Through a Trap-Neuter-Spay-Release program, I was able to have the mother cat spayed. I named her Gypsy Girl because she loves to roam. Bringing Gypsy home changed something inside me. She is one of the sweetest souls I have ever encountered, and I truly believe she came into my life for a reason — at a time when I needed healing most.

Gypsy inspired my vision for 4Paws4Claws.

My mission is to rescue stray and abandoned dogs and cats, rehabilitate them medically and emotionally, groom and train them, and transform them into emotional support and companion animals for individuals and families who need comfort, healing, and connection.

I want to give neglected animals a second chance while also helping people who struggle with loneliness, grief, trauma, disability, or emotional hardship experience the unconditional love only an animal can provide.

This is more than a shelter.

It is a healing bridge between people and animals.

I am seeking community support to purchase a commercial building where rescued animals can be rehabilitated, trained, and placed into loving homes. While some people doubt this dream or laugh at the idea, I believe God did not bring me through everything I have survived just to fail now.

I believe this is my calling.

If you feel moved by my story or believe in the power of compassion, I humbly ask for your support — whether through donations, sharing this fundraiser, or simply following the journey.

Please follow and support our mission:

Facebook: My Furry Valentines

YouTube: Enlightened

Website coming soon :)

I invite you to be part of this journey, to help turn once-forgotten animals into beloved companions and to bring healing to both animals and people alike.

Thank you for believing in 4Paws4Claws and in second chances.

With gratitude,

T’Marie