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Hi, I'm Ruby!

YOU MAY ASK, WHY NAME A RESCUE AFTER  LI'L OL' ME?

Well, my mom thinks I am pretty special. I think I look a lot like other cats, but she says, heck no cutie pie. You're da bomb. She told me the day she met me at the shelter she couldn't believe how friendly I was, that I was rubbing on everyone and purring like a Mac truck. So, she scooped me and my sister up (my sister hid terrified under a chair in the furthest corner away from us in the shelter's visiting room). Then off we went to our new home! At first she said I was a little "stinker." Whatever that means! She said the human teenage siblings weren't allowed drinks without lids, cause I would just whack them off any surface. I don't know why it was such a big deal...mom would always clean it up anyways! After a few rounds of scratched up furniture and lots and lots and lots of toilet paper on the floor she said I chillaxed...she uses weird words.

 

Then one day a stray kitty came around and mom called him Rudy, cause he looked like the male version of me and was super chill too. She said there's just something special about those tabbies. Rudy and I became friends and would hang out on the deck and sunbathe together. Mom was surprised how I just let him hang; she said most kitties would chase him away. I thought that was weird too, cause why wouldn't you want friends?

 

My sister and I now live with a new cat that my Mom used to feed on our deck. She calls him Blue Kitty, now Blue,  and one day she grabbed him off the deck on Dad's birthday and put him in our laundry room for three weeks and only let us see him through the door. Dad said Blue was NOT his birthday gift. Then one day she let him out and he took FOREVER to leave the threshold of the laundry room. Now we are all friends, well I know I am his friend, can't say much about my sister. Mom said she's a tortie and doesn't need friends? 

 

Then Mom LOST HER MIND and adopted two puppies in one year! They keep trying to chase me, but I'm too smart for them...I just hang out and they lick my face and ears a lot. Mom says she had no idea when she named me Ruby how accurate it would become. She says I am as unique as a gem! She told me that every time she looks at our precious faces she can't stop thinking about all the other animals that need forever homes. So, she set out to form an animal rescue to save more homeless animals just like me and my four siblings! I say GO MOM!!!

About Our Rescue

MISSION

Our mission is to be a voice and a home for those who do not have one. To provide love, care, and shelter for those who have never had it or have lost it. We believe all animals are deserving. We will rescue, protect, vet, and provide hope as we search for loving forever homes for all animals that come into our care.

 

PURPOSE

Ruby Whiskers Animal Rescue based in Lemont, Illinois is dedicated to rescuing, vetting, and rehoming animals from shelters and other abandoned situations. Volunteer run, supported by foster families and sponsors, our goal is to provide the necessary veterinary care, grooming, and love while finding them forever homes.


 

GOALS

  • Successfully rescue and rehome dogs and cats from kill shelters and other abandoned situations.

  • Spay/neuter all companion animals that come into our care.

  • Grow a foster and volunteer network.

  • Support and educate the community of the importance of spay and neuter.

  • Keep pets with their families by providing assistance with pet food, training, vetting, or any other pet related issue, in order to keep them together and out of the shelter.

  • Educate adults and children, including but not limited to: awareness building, responsible pet ownership, and the importance of spay and neuter for all animals.

  • Adoption from shelters, rescue organizations, and puppy mills to reduce pet overpopulation.

  • Stronger laws regarding animal welfare, cruelty, and puppy mills/pet stores.

  • Fewer homeless and abandoned animals and lower euthanasia rates at shelters and animal control organizations.

PHILOSOPHY

Successful Ruby Whisker adoptions depend on multiple and strong relationships with committed volunteers, foster homes, local veterinarians, and trainers. Through these relationships we will able to rescue hundreds of animals every year, provide them with loving temporary care, and find them carefully-matched forever homes.

SUPPORTING

Best Friend’s Animal Society NO-KILL 2025 Goal

Reaching no-kill by 2025 means that every shelter in our country is getting the community support it needs to save every dog and cat who can be saved. *When a shelter is saving at least 90% of the dogs and cats entering that shelter, it is designated as no-kill.*

Our Team

Meet Team RWAR

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Kimberly Arias

OFFICIAL ANIMAL HOARDER

(FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, & BOARD MEMBER)

Kim founded Ruby Whiskers in early 2021. Trained in graphic design and printing she is now using her mad skills in the animal world! Lover of all things furry, Kim has always had a passion for animals. From early on she would rescue lost pets in her childhood neighborhood and grew up with cats and dogs of her own. She currently has 5 pets: 3 cats, Ruby, Lucy and Blue, and 2 dogs, Indy and Poppy. In October of 2019 one of her own cats went missing for 8 days. After many restless nights and tears, kitty returned home unscathed. From that point on she knew she had to help more animals. A few search and rescues under her belt for people who have lost pets in the area, she decided to take it further and Ruby Whiskers was born! Not only will she help lost pets, but homeless ones as well, and will put her passion to the test!

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Violet Vrsek

SOON-TO-BE CAT HOARDER

(CO-FOUNDER, BOARD MEMBER, CAT FOSTER COORDINATOR)

Violet co-founded Ruby Whiskers Animal Rescue in 2021 while also pursuing her passions of teaching yoga and working as an esthetician. She has always had a affinity for helping animals and this seemed like the perfect way to put that dedication to work! She currently has two cats of her own, Kingston and Pipsqueak, who fully support the cause of saving as many of our furry friends as possible. She hopes to help reach the goal of no-kill by 2025, and help RWAR grow and reach its full potential in any way she can.

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Lisa Steck

 MEDICAL COORDINATOR 

Lisa has been working in the insurance industry for over 20 years, helping people with insurance and financial needs. Over the years,  she has had a variety of pets of whom she loved like children, from hamsters to ferrets, cats, and dogs. She currently has 3 labrador retrievers, Cicso Kid, 9, Pancho Villa, 2, and Daisy Mae, 1. Daisy Mae was her first rescue and she opened up Lisa’s heart in such a special way. Always being an animal lover,  becoming part of a rescue was an easy decision for Lisa! She wants to do her part in doing what she can to help rescue animals and educate the community. Whatever you are going through in life, Lisa can guarantee that it will be better with a furry friend by your side.

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Kathy Halverson

MEDICAL COORDINATOR

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Bree Scott

THE DO-IT-ALL RESCUE FLOATER

(EVENT COORDINATOR)

 

Just like the title implies, Bree does it all! Events, fundraising, social media, communications, transport, fostering, supplies, design...and more. Bree has loved animals since she could crawl. Her mother can attest to all the funerals they've had for deceased birds, frogs, and even fish. Animal funerals aren't totally her jam anymore, but you can still find her helping the community search for their lost pets, jumping out of her car to assist a stray or an animal crossing the road, and of course, all the time and heart she puts into RWAR. Bree currently has a chiweenie named Sadie, a dilute tortie named Margot, and a blue heeler mix named Winnie (adopted from RWAR!)

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Amy Padua

SUPPLY & ANIMAL TRANSPORTER

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Katie Chentorycki

SOCIAL MEDIA WIZARD & DONATION CHAMP

(FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR)

Katie is probably one of the biggest animal lovers in the world. She's practically had every type of pet you can think of. A glorified cat lady, she has 3 cats: Fifi, Asia, and Rosie. She also has two family dogs, Duke and Lucy. Katie loves being apart of Ruby Whiskers Animal Rescue for so many reasons. It gives her an amazing feeling that she can be part of an amazing rescue and help save animals.

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Melody Keasler

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Kim Manning

FOSTER AND EVENTS
TEAM MEMBER 

 

Clare Egyhazi

CAT MEDICAL COORDINATOR

Dezirae Miller

ADOPTIONS MANAGER

 

Jane Holt

VOLUNTEER & TRANSPORT TEAM

 

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