Zahra’s TNVR Initiative

When my husband, Alex, and I met Zahra, a tiny orange kitten, during our trip to the Agafay Desert, we had no idea how much she would change our lives. She appeared outside our tent every day, thin and sick, yet incredibly loving. Leaving her behind felt impossible.

After we returned home, I worked with a local veterinarian and organized Zahra’s international adoption. Once she was safely home, we could not forget about the remaining cats. That is when we partnered with the rescue group Association de Défense des Animaux et de la Nature (ADAN).

Today, Zahra is healthy, happy, and living a safe life in Hoboken, New Jersey. Her story has reached hundreds of thousands of people online, including being featured by The Dodo. But many of the cats who lived alongside her are still struggling to survive near the camp where we found her.

That is why I am starting The Zahra TNVR Initiative, in partnership with ADAN. The TNVR work will be performed by Dr. Abderrahmane Lamrini, the veterinarian providing trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return care for the cats in this area. The goal is to reduce suffering, improve health, prevent more kittens from being born into dangerous conditions, and potentially even open up adoption opportunities for the cats.

All funds raised go directly toward spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, and basic medical care provided through this program.

Zahra’s rescue inspired something bigger than we ever expected. Now her story can help protect the cats she left behind. Every donation, big or small, helps make a real difference.

If you are donating from Instagram/tiktok, please include your handle and platform in the donation note.

What Your Donation Supports

We are starting with Zahra’s desert family, a small community of 15 to 20 cats (and 1 dog named Bro) living near the Agafay Desert outside Marrakech. Every dollar supports veterinary care, transportation, and food, managed by trusted local rescuers.

Estimated Costs Per Animal

Volunteer Support

Why This Matters

TNVR is an act of compassion. It saves lives, reduces suffering, and helps animals and communities coexist safely.

In many parts of Morocco, stray population control is still handled in cruel ways. Cats and dogs are often poisoned, shot, or removed to die elsewhere. These practices happen every day and are preventable.

Neutered male cats fight and roam less, making them calmer and safer. Female cats are spared repeated pregnancies and loss. Vaccinations protect both animals and the people who live near them from serious diseases like rabies.

This approach works. Long term TNVR programs around the world have reduced stray cat populations by 50 to over 90 percent when continued over time.

If you believe in kindness and real solutions, this is how change starts.