👀 Would you keep taking in pets if you had the space?
“We don't have kids, so our pets are kind of our kids… And definitely Potato. She's like my soul animal. I have never felt a connection with an animal as much as I have with her and I think it's because she's so dependent on me. It's like having a baby all the time.”
When our pets rely on us for everything they need to live a safe, happy life, it really can feel like they’re our “kids.”
Pair that with the unconditional love we receive from them on the daily, and it makes for a pretty fulfilling relationship.
But what happens when one “kid” isn’t enough… And every time you see another in need, you can’t resist the pull to give them a loving home?
…You end up with a big family 😊
When Cassie Leigh–journalist, certified forensic technician, and dedicated pet parent to cats, dogs, and a horse–got her first rescue nearly 12 years ago, she had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last.
Now, with 7 pets, her home is filled with a ton of different personalities, lots of love, and sometimes, maybe even a little chaos.
When you can’t stop saying “yes”
“I should not go on Facebook because I see these animals that come up for adoption and I'm like, ‘I can give it a good home.’”
With a huge soft spot in her heart for animals in need, it’s hard for Cassie to say no when she knows she can give them a good home.
This isn’t anything new though. When she was 5, the “Cat Distribution System” left her family a little black kitten who had climbed under her dad’s car… And then stayed there the entire drive home from work.
Since then, her obsession and passion for animals only grew stronger.
Eventually moving to a farm, there were always animals in her life. Dogs, cats, horses… Turkeys, chickens, ducks…
Even less common pets like sugar gliders, lizards, and a piranha (yes, you read that right) all found themselves in her care.
So it only made sense to continue the “small zoo” theme as an adult.
It started about 12 years ago with Saphire, the flame point Siamese who needed a home.
Then, came her soul pet, Potato, the panda Pug with sparkling blue eyes and a tongue too long for her face.
Eventually, Potato needed a friend, so along came Bean, the rescued one-eyed black Pug.
Cassie told herself she didn’t want more cats (she’s technically allergic) but when her boyfriend lost his cat to cancer, a subsequent Facebook post pulled on her heartstrings.
“The exact month my boyfriend lost his cat, our local shelter was doing a free adoption event and they had this kitten that was kind of like a cat that I wanted… So, I went there, I met that cat, and they said I had to wait until he wasn’t sick anymore…
Then I saw this black one-eyed cat and I was like, ‘Nobody wants you, do they?’... I didn't have the heart to say no… So I brought him home.
My boyfriend's like, ‘Where'd you get the cat from?’ I'm like, ‘I don't know. It just happened.’ But I went back to get the kitten a month later and now these two are best friends.”
That’s how they ended up with Jack and Pierogi.
Next came the horse, Fable. She was brought into the family for a reason. Cassie volunteers with her local mounted unit, and they require each person to have their own horse.
Having just graduated, Fable was a “graduation gift” to herself.
Last came Sh*tty, the stray kitten who was brought to the barn Fable stays in. At only 4 weeks old, and not eating, she needed care fast. Cassie immediately stepped in.
The plan was to get her to health and find her a family. She hasn’t left since.
The moments that keep life interesting
“Traveling and packing up all of the animals into a vehicle and driving 13, 14, 15 hours with traffic and stops and everything… It would make anybody crazy…
We've even done it in my Mustang… But after a dog peed on one of the seats, we learned our lesson with that. We're going to rent a car from now on because we cannot fit everybody!”
When you’ve got 7 pets in your care, you’re bound to have some pretty memorable experiences.
Since Cassie and her boyfriend both have houses in different parts of the country, they split their time between the two. And that means all the pets (except for the horse) come with each time.
Fable gets to stay in her barn with a trusted caregiver while her mom is away.
But once everyone is settled back down, that’s when their true personalities start to shine.
When it comes to the cats, Cassie feels fortunate to have a group that actually likes playing and interacting with each other.
All the cats she had growing up were very standoffish, so to see the cats, all different ages and from different backgrounds, getting along is very rewarding for her.
It’s especially nice to see that Sh*tty has that bond with the other cats because even though Cassie and her boyfriend saved her, she wants nothing to do with them.
Then, with Potato (Cassie’s little shadow), the mom guilt is real.
“She would seriously bully me. If I put my shoes on, she would come over to me and be like, ‘Okay, where are we going?’ She tried to run to my car before I could even close the door because she was like, ‘We're going together, you can't leave me alone.’”
Getting Bean helped, but now Bean looks to Potato how Potato looks to Cassie… each needing their emotional support friend.
And Fable, still being young at just 3 years old, can be feisty, to say the least. Coming with no previous groundwork (basic training) or established manners, she sometimes treats humans like other horses… Biting, kicking, and being a little pushy.
But Cassie has a plan. Working on building trust, and basic manners, she also acknowledges that Fable is very smart.
Together, they’re starting to lay the foundation to (hopefully) get into forensic scent detection work.
“It's slow going but we're just doing little things and I'm rewarding her whenever she listens to me. It's like a big dog.”
So many ways to give and receive love
“There’s definitely a different dynamic between all of them.
I do feel, very much so, more like a mom to the dogs. They are a lot more dependent on us and they're always like, ‘What are we doing?’ The horse is like, "’If you feed me, I could care less about what you're doing.’ And the cats are like, "I like you when I want to be nice, but as long as you feed me, I'm good.’
I love them all individually for their own personalities, really.”
The nice thing about having so many kinds of pets is that no matter what kind of mood you’re in, there’s always one around with the energy to match.
Potato, being so attached to Cassie, is always near her. She’s not happy unless she’s on her lap, no matter where Cassie’s sitting.
That closeness and admiration for her human is a constant reminder of the love she feels toward her.
Bean, having come from an unknown place (and obviously having experienced some kind of trauma) is still slowly warming up, using Potato as her safety net. Even so, she still makes sure to show her humans some affection.
While the cats all have their own ways of showing love, Jack likes to come up in the evening and grab their legs, almost begging for attention.
Pierogi is always down to pets and head scratches, and Sapphire loves ALL humans, not just her own. She’s the cat who will make the neighborhood rounds, saying hi to everyone she sees.
Sh*tty wants to be near people but if she even thinks they’re going to try and touch her, she flees. Still, that desire to be close shows them that there’s definitely a fondness there.
No matter how they decide to show Cassie their love, however, Cassie found something they ALL love in return: food.
Taking time to figure out what each pet likes, she spoils them with their favorite treats. For example, Potato loves bell peppers. The cats love catnip treats.
Using food as a motivator and sensing their excitement just helps her feel closer to the animals she loves so much.
She’ll make sure to give them love in individualized ways too.
Sometimes, she tries giving the cats new, fun foods to try.
With the dogs, that might look like walks in the fresh air or a trip to a coffee shop for a pup cup.
For Fable, that looks like spending quality time to build up their bond. Cassie might just hang out alongside her or braid her tail and mane so she knows every interaction isn’t about training.
Between all the animals, it seems like a lot sometimes. But to Cassie, the moments she spends with each of them make life so much more special.
Whether it’s the “mom” role she feels with her dogs or the ability to unwind, unplug, and focus on training with Fable, she wouldn’t change it for anything.
Without pets, life is incomplete
“I feel like I wouldn't be who I am today if I didn't have all of the animals. Throughout my entire life, we've had a huge assortment of animals, and I think every single one of them played a part in me growing up into who I am and being the caring person that I am today, especially for animals.”
Like many pet parents, Cassie has felt such a strong connection to the animals she’s always had in her life…
And because of them, even the harder moments felt a little less difficult.
During the times when she felt she didn’t have anyone to talk to, there was always a pet nearby.
Now, as an adult, they help her fulfill different roles in her life.
The dogs, being dependent on her, are a reminder of the responsibility she has in keeping another living being safe and healthy.
The horse is a reminder to be present because when working with horses, the moment you check out, you could get seriously hurt.
But in a world filled with so many stimulants, the opportunity to tune everything out and be present is a much-welcomed change of pace.
When she’s working and stressed, seeing the cats play or feeling their vibrating purr brings happiness and lightheartedness into the moment.
“I don't feel like I would be the same person that I am today if I didn't have the interactions that I've had with animals through the years and I love them all so much for all of their different reasons.
I feel like I've learned something from every single one of the animals I've owned over the years, and I just cannot imagine life without them.”
Whether you’ve got a single special pet or a whole family of them, making sure they get the love and attention they need is always top priority!
But if you had to step away for a few days, would someone know exactly what to do to keep them happy and safe?
If something happened, could someone confidently step in and take your place?
Putting a Cotl plan in place ensures your pet is taken care of, just the way they’re used to, no matter what.
Discover how the process works or book a call directly with Sean, our founder and CEO, to see what a plan could look like for you.
