Team Member - Mi Chaing

Life as an animal rescuer is Posh and Poop.

Actually, it’s more poop than posh.  In fact, I think the only thing that’s posh is the annual Furball fundraiser when volunteers show up in clean clothes and a lint roller.  Which, by the way, I scored the volunteer of the year award for 2011…hey, that was 15 years in the making!  Thank you Kitten Rescue J  My husband thinks that award should mark my retirement…HA! 

So how did I my feline journey begin?

It started with a girls’ day out at Topanga Mall.  Kitten Rescue, a small and humble group at the time, was holding an adoption event there.  I was compelled to admire the furry creatures in person.  A woman asked if I was interested in volunteering and damn was she persistent.  She kept calling me to volunteer until I showed up.  On my way to the adoption event I got lost, went to the wrong Petco, and ended up rescuing my first cat.  During my time with Kitten Rescue I’ve taken in my fair share of bottle babies, feral kittens, the old, the abandoned, the sick and the crazy.  I’ve even expanded to fostering dogs from time to time and two of my three dogs were rescued while I was trapping cats in Echo Park.     

Over the years the cats have come and gone, well, most of the cats have gone…but as I tell my husband, it’s not about me stopping fostering; it’s about us getting a bigger place…

As for running the LA Marathon, I enjoy many activities, but running is not one of them.  However, I was inspired by Minoo's run last year, so here I am, training for 2012.  Anything to help homeless cats and dogs is worth the 26.2 miles of agony.  Great thing about training is getting into shape and eating lots of carbs (guilt-free)!  My crowdrise page might confuse some people but I’ve decided to have “Adrienne” on my runner’s bib since most non-rescue friends know me by that name, and I cringe at the thought of spectators butchering my name as I hobble by.  So instead of me…my…mae…or hey you, I’ll stick with yo Adrienne!    

To donate to my fundraiser please go to www.crowdrise.com/catwoman