Meet Amanda Hodder | Amanda Hodder | Founder-President & Mother

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Hodder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, how does your business help the community?
Each year almost 3 million cats and dogs are euthanized in animal shelters around the country. America is in an overpopulation crisis that gets worse every year. Animal shelters are overwhelmed and lack the resources to provide for every single animal that comes through their doors. Our business’s purpose is to directly impact these numbers and help lower the overwhelming amount of animals that are in need and being euthanized.

Our kitten rescue focuses on rescuing one of the most vulnerable populations, the underage neonate kittens. Most animal shelters are not equipped to care for kittens under 8 weeks of age because they do not have employees who work overnight. Because of this reason, kittens under 8 weeks of age are at risk of being euthanized. Our rescue steps in and takes these kittens in to prevent them from being euthanized and to make space in the shelters.

Our business allows innocent lives to be saved while also working with and supporting the larger animal municipalities, which ultimately lightens their burden. We serve our community members by providing a reliable source for animal adoption services. We also help the public by accepting surrenders requests when a Good Samaritan finds a litter of kittens on their property or needs to surrender pet(s) due to personal reasons. More times than not, the shelters have no space to take in surrendered animals from the public, this is just one way we are of service to not only the animal population but our local and surrounding communities as well.

Our mission is to protect and provide for sick and orphaned underage kittens. Kitten Rescue Life promotes kindness, teamwork, and compassion within our community to accomplish the shared goal of saving lives and ending suffering. We hope by educating and spreading awareness within we can inspire others to get involved.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I first got involved I was surprised to learn that there could be a lot of cattiness in the rescue realm, pun intended. Hindsight being 20/20, this shouldn’t have been that surprising, because it’s probably pretty common among any large group of people. Even those with the best intentions can get distracted or caught up in human nature. So, when I opened my rescue I was determined to make sure it was a safe space not just for the animals but for my volunteers, too. I never wanted myself or my rescue to be responsible for someone’s troubles. Rescue can come with its own difficulties. We lose kittens that we fought so hard to save, we feel guilty for saying no even though we know realistically we cannot save them all. It’s important to create that safe space for people because when you begin to add needless drama on top of the stresses of rescue it becomes too much to handle and a lot of people will quit or burn out fast. This was one of the biggest lessons I learned and one that I feel the most strongly about.

Another thing that sets us apart is our choice to value quality of care over the amount of lives we can save. While it is important to us to save as many as we can, it is equally if not more important, that the quality of care we are able to provide each kitten does not lessen due to the number in our care. We take on a lot of major medical cases per year that not every shelter or rescue feels comfortable taking on. We are lucky to have supporters and donators who share our belief that each kitten deserves the same chance at life even if it costs us a little more to provide that. Amputations, enucleations, unique procedures, rare congenital diseases, and expensive surgeries are just a few examples of the type of cases we take on every year.

I am most proud of the level of care we provide for not only our kittens but our volunteers as well.

Getting to where I am today was not without struggle. I have put my literal blood, sweat, and tears into my work and I know my volunteers who help me take care of these kittens have too. By leaning on each other for support and encouragement we continue to find the strength to carry on and keep going.

If there was anything else I would want the world to know about our story, it’s that anyone can do what we do. It did not take any special schooling or training to get to where I am or to start my business in animal welfare. All it took is heart and determination to make a difference. Most of us in rescue are volunteers. We have full time jobs, homes, families, and personal lives on top of the work we do. We don’t have fancy homes or large spaces to do what we do. A lot of volunteers start off with fostering kittens in their living room or bathroom. We also have volunteers at our adoption center who show up for 1-2 hours a week, their role doesn’t require housing any animals in their home. There are so many ways to get involved and make a difference for the rescues, shelters, and animals in your community. If this inspires just one person to sign up with their local shelter or rescue I will know I’ve shared our story effectively.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I grew up in North County San Diego, so without a doubt the first stop on our itinerary would be Juanita’s Taco Shop in Encinitas. It is my most favorite and has over 30 years of nostalgia and memories for me. We would probably eat our burritos at Moonlight Beach which is where I spent every day of summer as a youth. We might cruise the coast and stop for a drink at Dini’s in Carlsbad or The Kraken in Cardiff. We’d probably end up at Balboa Park to see the historical architecture all lit up at night. A stay on Coronado island would be a must – especially at Hotel del Coronado. I really love the history and culture here so we’d probably end up driving around and finding similar places to visit and admire.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Kitten Rescue Life wouldn’t be where it is today without the wonderful team of volunteers behind it. Each year we continue to expand and grow, which allows us to save more lives and increase the positive impact we make on the overpopulation crisis we are facing in the animal world. What began as a one woman operation has grown into a nonprofit organization with over 50 volunteers.

My life has changed a lot since I first founded KRL six years ago. I am a mother now and as the rescue grows it requires more and more of my time and dedication. My family has been extremely helpful and supportive in this way. My mother, my father, and my son’s dad have all helped with my son or with our foster kittens so I can focus on the rescue work I need to do. Without their help our growth as a business would not have been possible and I will be forever thankful for their support.

Website: https://kittenrescuelife.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kittenrescuelife/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kittenrescuelife

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kittenrescuelife?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Image Credits
Amanda Hodder