Darriel was born in a rural shelter that had limited adoption opportunities. There he lived for the first year of their life. He only knew shelter life.  Through our partnerships with rural and city municipal shelters, we help move pets out who may have little to no chance at adoption, into foster homes. Pet Haven is a foster-based rescue so all our pets are in loving foster homes till adoption. This gives us a chance to get to know their personalities and find a family best suited to the pets and people’s life.

 

Darriel arrived on a transport with 16 other cats to awaiting foster homes. Unbeknownst to us one of them was his brother Hoban.

 

Hoban and Darriel had grown up in this shelter together but no one really knew how bonded they were. A foster was found for each cat and the brothers were placed in separate foster homes. Hoban was adjusting well to his new life. He had landed with a single parent who wanted to teach her son the value of caring and being compassionate towards animals. They had never had a pet before and chose to foster cats for Pet Haven. They fell immediately in love with Hoban and Hoban in return loved them back. He thrived in their home where the young boy turned his world into little adventures every day. A box castle, buckets with surprise toy mice in them, games of hide and seek. Hoban was a gift during a pandemic for an only child.

Darriel on the other hand was not doing so well. While his foster home was perfectly fine and full of adventures and love, he was not interested. He would go from what seemed like depression to nervous pacing accompanied by yowling. The foster tried everything. Enrichment, string toys, lazer toys, teats, and nothing seemed to bring him out of his nervousness and angst. The foster posted on a internal message board asking other fosters for suggestions and posting a picture of him.

Hoban’s foster mom saw the photo. Darriel looked just like Hoban and came from the same shelter. She reached out to the foster to see if the two kitties could meet.

It was as if they had never left each other and Darriel immediately calmed down. His pacing and yowling stopped. He just needed his mate, his brother. There were licks, hugs, and the “zoomies”! Sometimes we are so deeply bonded to someone that life just isn’t right without them. Dar and Hoban knew this.

 

 

Now the two are inseparable. 

 

The foster who had Hoban adopted both Hoban and Darriel!

Emotional well being is an important part of our health and it is for pets too. Losing love can cause pets to get depressed and stressed just like humans do. At Pet Haven, we give the best physical care we can but we also place value on our pet’s emotional health.  We have bonded pair policies so companions will not be separated. We offer behavioral and emotional support for our foster pets and to our adopters.

 

We value enrichment and have partnered with Royal Pet a local pet supplies company that donates to us toys, treats, and other enrichments for cats and dogs. Emotional health affects physical health too. Having a happy enriched pet will lower health issues. At Pet Haven, we are committed to the health and wellbeing of every pet in our care.

 

This is the Pet Haven Promise. A promise that Hoban and Darriel are grateful for.

 

If you would like to support The Pet Haven Promise consider a donation today. Anything helps and is greatly appreciated.