Hi! My name is Karen (I know, believe me I know!), I do cat rescue in the Anteope Valley. , which is the High Desert area of Los Angeles in the state of California. Most of my work concerns TNR Trap Neuter and Return, which helps to lessen the amount of new kittens born into this high predator and extreme weather area. Many kittens born to unfixed mothers living in vacant lots, mobile home parks , gas stations, alleyway and the desert itself find themselves hunted by coyotes, hawks, owls, stray dogs and even people. Hazards abound by way of autos, illness, lack of food, water and shelter in temperatures that can rise to well over 100 degrees or Lows that leave the ground frozen. The winds that blow almost daily toss about dirt, sand and debris that can sting little eyes and cause injury. Every year between the Months of March and late November the calls of people finding litters of kittens is deafening and I do my best to answer As many of those calls as I can. But many of the very small neonates still do not make it , even with 24/7 care I am not a mother cat. Losing them is so painful , it breaks my heart. I started doing this because I did not want a single one of them to suffer and die but consequently I see the suffering and dying more than the average person. Talk about your irony huh? In any case the work I do to prevent as much of the procreation of homeless cats in my area is important and the wear and tear on my vehicle from traveling to trap and then to the clinic for surgeries each week has seen the low end vehicles (of which my past three cars were) meet their maker and the junkyard fairly soon. My most recent pictured above will now not go into reverse and I have not been able to get the check engine light to go off and can’t smog it. I need $ 7000 dollars for the down payment on a 2016 Honda CRV which should last me a whole lot longer than the two years I’ve been wringing out of cars that I’ve spent 2 or 3 thousand on. I cannot do this without the help of all you wonderful animal lovers out there as Nobody gets rich doing cat rescue and in the present economic climate my social security barely covers basics. I know times are hard for us all but even the smallest donations add up and if you absolutely cannot donate you can still help by sharing this campaign to your family, friends and coworkers. The more people who see it, the more chance I have of meeting my goal and getting back on the road saving kittens and cats here in the Antelope Valley. Thank you for reading and considering my request! Much love to you all Sincerely Karen.

PS I realize that the words on the back of my car are a bit cynical, but even with my current problems I have taken on a decidedly more upbeat attitude and plan to change it to say “Cats are angels with whiskers instead of wings” Oh and by the way ! I know this is the car I was meant to buy because the

license plate has the word “UP” on it ! Actually 7up!!! I thought I would share a few references from people I have helped in the past. Hoping to jump start my fundraiser as it seems to be losing steam .

February 6, 2026

To Whom it may concern:

I met Karen through a mutual friend who helps cats. Karen has helped me to TNR close

to thirty (30) cats in my community.

Karen is a dedicated cat trapper—particularly in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). In addition,

Karen is a silent hero for ALL cats and to many communities as well.

Here is what people don’t know about Karen: She often spends hours in the cold or in

the heat trapping and is always nearby to safely remove the trapped cats so that they

will not be taken away by strangers or evildoers. Karen is the only trapper that I know

that will go out of her way to help because she is authentic and it is in her heart to help

cats and kittens and educates others in TNR.

Karen has improved our community by preventing countless future litters and reducing

overpopulation which in return helps the lives of these beautiful creatures as well.

Karen is very dedicated to TNR. She takes the time to bring cats to clinics for spay/

neuter surgery, vaccinations, and ear-tipping ensuring a better, healthier life for the cats.

Karen is a community problem solver and goes beyond helping the cats. She has been

a bridge between our community and animal care services. Karen has educated me in

safely trapping cats as well as cat behaviors. She has taken cats that I trapped to get

spayed /neutered and also to a veterinarian for the cat to receive medical help.

Karen is amazing and I am thankful for all of the hard work she has done and continues

to do.

~ Dayne Voorheis

On Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 5:39 PM Alfonso Diaz wrote:

To whom it may concern: Karen was highly recommended by my daughter. I had been looking for someone to help me trap feral cats because even though I love them, they kept multiplying and it was getting completely out of control. She came and trapped 15 of them and had them neutered and only charged me 15 dollars each for her time which I think is bargains considering what they charge at the vet and plus I would have to catch them myself. Karen is god sent,I highly recommend her.

Al Diaz

Hi!

We adopted Dawn from you. He is the joy of our life, and we really appreciated your effort to rescue and spay/neuter these animals. Without your help there would be so many kittens helpless in the wild without a home. We are truly forever grateful!!!

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To whom it may concern:

I first contacted Karen Summer of 2024 after I returned from summer vacation, because I had a white female pregnant cat hanging out in my front yard. I found her information on the Antelope Valley TNR Facebook page. She immediately responded and came over with her traps, trapped her within hours, and took her to Sylmar. Unfortunately, the cat was sick and didn't survive the recovery part of the process. During this time, there was also a tuxedo male cat (Loverboy) hanging out in our front yard, so we decided he needed to get fixed. Around the same time, another white female cat (Snowy) started hanging out which I believe was the offspring of the first one. Once Karen TNRed Loverboy, I realized that Snowy was also pregnant, so Karent TNRed her too. These two are attached from the hip and still hang out in our front yard. They wait for me to get back from work, and greet me with lots of love in return for food. Snowy took a while to warm up, but for the past 4 months, she's allowed me to pet her just like Loverboy does. In March of last year, while I was feeding Loverboy and Snowy, a calico cat (Babygirl aka Hissyfit) showed up from the neighborhood behind our backyard and demanded food. She too got pregnant and was TNRed by Karen. She is an amazing cat and now lives in our backyard and is an indoor cat at night. We are trying to transition her to be a full-time indoor cat, but it's taking some time since we have an older indoor cat at home already. Last but not least, there was another tuxedo cat (Mickey Mouse AKA Scarface). Not too long after he showed up in our backyard, he one day came back with a rip on the right side of his cheek. He mostly stayed behind our shed and started looking better, until one day I realized the wound had opened up again, and he wasn't doing so well. I called Karen in panic, she once again trapped the cat, got him fixed and neutered, but when he returned the stitches had come apart. She took him back, but for some unknown reason, Scarface was never returned. During the past two years, Karen has also recommended me to Hemme Hays for antibiotics. I have helped fix Snowey's injured paw, and just recently Loverboy came back with two puncture wounds on his left thigh, and I was able to help him recover with pain medication and antibiotics without having to take him to the vet. I now have two new male cats that have shown up that need to be TNRed, but I am unable to call Karen, because she now needs financial assistance to be able to continue to do the amazing dedicated service she provides our community.

In conclusion, Karen is a great asset to our desert community when it comes to the multitude of abandoned cats. Any way you may be able to assist her, will actually be helping the entire Antelope Valley Community.

Sincerely,

Sona Conlin

To whom this may concern,

My name is Michelle Ramirez and I’m writing this letter today to inform you of my sincere gratitude towards Karen. She has helped me in so many ways when it came to taking in stray cats every other rescue/shelter would deny because she takes on the important role of desensitizing them and preparing them for their forever home while also taking on the financial burden. I feed and watch over many stray cats and have encountered a couple of kittens that needed intervention and couldn’t possibly survive on the streets alone, Karen has taken in 3 kittens that I’ve encountered so far and has helped me do TNR on a tuxedo female that lives in my neighborhood to hopefully break the cycle. She never denies any cats and that really goes to show how much she cares!

Karen has helped many cats throughout Antelope Valley. She has helped many cats get a second chance rescuing them from unsafe situations, nursing them back to health. She helped me with trapping cats in the park to spay or neuter cats. She has helped with giving me a trap so that I can trap ferrals and would bring them to spay and neuter cats in the Antelope Valley. She has provided me medicine for a feral cat because he had asthma. She has helped me with trying to find homes for the new kittens. She has saved and helped these beautiful cats that needed a second chance in life. I will always be so greatful that she helps these innocent cats. Here are the cats that i now feed that she spayed or neutered.

Thank you Karen,

Love Shawna

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing this letter on behalf of Karen Pederson, someone who has made an incredible difference in my neighborhood due to an overpopulation of cats.

Karen has been an absolute blessing when it comes to helping with stray and feral cats in our community. On my block alone, she has helped trap, care for, and ensure the fixing of at least 25 feral and stray cats. Her dedication is tireless, and she approaches this work with genuine compassion and responsibility.

Because of Karen’s efforts, four kittens were rescued and placed up for adoption, and she personally made sure each one found a loving and safe home. She doesn’t just help when it’s convenient — she shows up when it matters most. Recently, when one of the kittens was seriously injured after being caught in a vehicle’s fan, Karen immediately responded to a neighbor’s call. She picked up the kitten without hesitation and made the difficult but humane decision to have the kitten put to sleep, sparing it further suffering. That moment truly speaks to her character, courage, and deep sense of responsibility.

I honestly cannot imagine life in my neighborhood without Karen’s love, dedication, and passion for protecting and fixing the cats in our community. She has improved the lives of both animals and neighbors alike, and her kindness has had a lasting impact on all of us.

Karen Pederson is a person of strong character, compassion, and selflessness, and I am grateful beyond words for everything she has done.

Sincerely,

Bettie Negrete

Hello,

My name is Brandi and my family and I adopted a cat with Karen’s help. We adopted a kitten named Spot (formerly Puddles) from Karen. Spot was 4 months old, rambunctious, fixed and had all of his shots. 6 years later Spot is now 16 pounds, still rambunctious as ever and an integral part of our lives.

Thanks to Karen, we have our boy Spot and I’ve learned from her. Karen has been a tireless advocate for cats and has opened up her own home and wallet to save them. Many people say they love cats but are too busy, broke, tired, obligated, etc to help. Karen is someone who in spite of having responsibilities, obligations and challenges, chooses to help, protect and rescue cats.

I want to thank Karen for all she has done and continues to do to help and protect cats. Spot pictured below.

Thank you

To whom it may concern.

I know Karen Pedersen TNR for many years. She has taken care of all of my cats, fixing them satisfactory over the years.

She is a person with a heart and loves all cats and dogs, always doing her best even when she suffers from too little sleep herself.

Sincerely, Hildegard Caringi.