Desert Cat Rescue & Sanctuary Of Arizona - DCRSA

I first came across Desert cat rescue when they were looking for fosters on Facebook. I'd never done anything like that before but I had room and wanted to help. After a home inspection and interview with the director, I got my first foster kitties. They were scared kitties rescued from a hoarding situation but in time they became part of my family. I have continued fostering for the last several years and it is so rewarding to see a scared kitty come out of it's shell, or an injured kitty recover and find a forever family after difficult beginnings. The hearts of the volunteers and allies in the community are what make me proud to be a part of this rescue.

Desert Cat Rescue & Sanctuary of Arizona stands out as a beacon of hope and dedication in the nonprofit sector. Operating from a rural area with limited resources, they effectively serve both pets and their owners through a range of innovative programs. Initiatives like the Discount Spay Neuter Vouchers, Happy Pets Meals on Wheels, and The Pet Stop pet food pantry showcase their commitment to addressing community needs and supporting pet owners.

Their foster-based model, despite lacking a physical facility, highlights their adaptability and reliance on passionate volunteers, which is truly admirable. The impressive statistic of over 400 adoptions in a year, especially with their adoption centers located two hours away, speaks volumes about their effectiveness and determination. This nonprofit not only helps animals find loving homes but also makes a significant positive impact on the community. Their unwavering dedication to animal welfare and resourcefulness in overcoming challenges is inspiring and commendable!

I have served 6 years as a Board member, foster and volunteer. DCR is caring, kind and they work tirelessly to help animals and people. They cover a very large area with limited resources. They display commitment for their work and endless compassion. I have been proud to be associated with them.

I met Canute in the bank shortly after my dear husband had passed and he asked me how I was doing and I told him how lonely I was, and he said he'd fix me right up, and that was when I met my first fitty to foster. Izzy, She was a beautiful and wonderful kitty and I dearly loved her but she succumbed to feline leukemia after a couple of years.; It broke my heart and I found myself being very lonely again so I got another kitty. Mr. P. He is completely different but I love him with all my heart. Cheryl and Canute Christianson are very good about furnishing all their needs, and I love them for introducing me to this program.

working here has truly warmed my heart! i feel like im making a difference in my community and love to see my work pay off when the little kitties r healthy and sent off to new happy homes:-)

Thank you Desert Cat Rescue for being there to give the motherless kittens a second chance in life, the abandoned felines a sanctuary to call their home, the abused unconditional love, the sick a safe haven to recover, and ensuring that the adopted go to a loving home. Your dedication, time and efforts do not go unnoticed. Your rescue efforts are assuredly a blessing to this community in so many ways.
Cynthia Holmes

A few years ago i held an online auction for the rescue then after learning more about the rescue I started making bags the reading program for families who had kids that adopted a cat, then added making adoption folders, now I am a board member. I am so glad that Desert Cat Rescue is available to help so many cats as well as the community with the many programs that it currently has.

I began as a foster with this group, then quickly advanced to volunteer and board member. Their mission to help the community (discount spay/neuter vouchers and pet food pantry) and educate our neighbors on the issues in such things as animal cruelty and free roaming cats are some of the things that have kept me here..... As well as helping the kitties of course! The volunteers and other members of this rescue have such big hearts and dedication to the cause that it is an honor to be among them.

I would like to say how fortunate we are to have organizations such as Desert Cat Rescue in our community. This past November I found a very small kitten that had been separated for her mother. When I happened upon this kitten, she was cold and lifeless, I was going to get a shovel to bury her when I nudged with my toe and she moved a bit. I had heard of hypothermia and how sometimes critters and people will recover even when they shouldn't. I took this poor limp kitten into the house and held it in my hands unit she started coming back to conciseness. We the placed her on a heating pad on low and in a few hours she was up wanting something to eat.
This is where Desert Cat Rescue comes in. We have a ten-year-old Siamese cat that rules our house and she wanted no part of sharing her domain. We had a friend give us a phone number of a lady who volunteers her time to keep the Desert Cat Rescue going. After we contacted her she picked the kitten up and took her to another lady's house who keeps the cats until they have all of their shots; are spayed or neutered; get microchipped and are old enough to be adopted.
Now for the rest of the story: the lady who was taking care of this little kitten fell in love with her and now a kitten that didn't have a chance at life is the Queen of that house. I am so thankful for the Desert Cat Rescue organization and their many volunteers.

This is my first year as a volunteer for the Desert Cat Rescue. I became familiar with DCRSA a little over a year ago when my husband found a cat near death from the outside cold weather. Not knowing quite what to do, we called DCRSA for assistance. They came immediately and the kitten was placed in a "foster home" to be taken care of. That kitten who almost lost her life, now lives happily in a home with 3 other cats, that were also taken care of by the Rescue.
That was not the only cat/ kitten we came across that needed care and after watching the way the volunteers/employees took such care of the animals, and the absolute love for animals that they have, I decided I wanted to be a part of the team.
Although I have recently become a Board member, I am still learning all the DCRSA does, not only for the animals, but for the people and for the community.

Susie Case

This is an organization with a heart. I am a volunteer and have noticed the many hours that the director and other members have put in to save the lives of cats who would otherwise be euthanized simply because they had no loving homes. Desert Cat rescues abandoned kittens, finds foster parents for them until they are old enough to be adopted, seeing to it that they are spayed or neutered and kept in good health. They will help people with trap, neuter and release (TNR) so that homeless cats don't keep multiplying. They also supply our local food pantry and Meals on Wheels with pet food so that the needy and homebound in our community can feed their pets.

THEY HAVE HELPED ME SO MUCH. I HAD A LITTER OF CATS AND THEY HELPED ME GET THEM VETTED AND FIXED. THEN ASSURED THEY WERE ADOPTED INTO SAFE LOVING HOMES. THEY HAVE ALSO HELPED ME W SEVERAL RESCUES I HAD. ALSO HELPED ME FIX MY PERSONAL FUR BABIES THROUGH THE VOUCHER PROGRAM THEY HAVE. THEY ARE KIND COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE THAT TRULY LOVE AND CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THESE ANIMALS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM.

Desert Cat Rescue & Sanctuary of Arizona is an amazing rescue and resource for the communities they serve. I have fostered and adopted from them. They save the most vulnerable of kitties and find them great homes. DCRSA also helps with TNVR and low-cost spay/neuter programs to help control the pet population.

I have been fostering cats for Desert Cat Rescue for several years, I have adopted some of the fosters too.
DCRS is such an amazing organization that helps the community in different ways, such as vouchers for spaying/neutering cats and dogs, TNR, among others.
Rescuing cats brings some much joy into our lives and finding their forever homes is the most rewarding end.
We really appreciate all the time and effort that Cheryl and Canute put into the rescue.

The Desert Cat Rescue & Sanctuary Of Arizona (DCRSA} is a dynamic group of volunteers and board members who are devoted to rescuing, caring for abandoned and unwanted domestic cats, providing veterinary services and then placing them in caring homes. Over 400 cats are rescued and placed for adoption each year. Additionally, DCRSA raises awareness of pet needs as well as animal cruelty issues. Through several partnerships with social service agencies they provide cat and dog food to financially needy pet owners. It is a privilege to serve with DCRSA.

We are proud to be a part of DCR. It has opened our hearts and we’ve received love back ten-fold from the rescues. There may always be kittens in need and we only hope there will always be loving and kind people to help. DCR is a very responsible organization and works hard to provide the best care for their rescues.
David and Cynthia Holmes

They take very good care of their cats and the kittens are super cute.

They provide the best care and work with Desert Cross Vet to take care of all their Vet needs locally in Graham county and work with PetSmart to facilitate adoptions.

Desert Cat loves the animals they work with and goes the extra mile to help them at every level. From trapping strays for spay/neuter and relocation to finding homes for each and every kitty, they are dedicated to helping cats get the care and love they need, especially in communities where cats are underserved.

We ae a state wide non-profit agency with a FEMA Disaster Medical REsponse Team inside.
This nonprofit has been one of our most important partners in helpig the vulnerable community on the East side of the state!

They have done so much that I ,as Gov Doug Ducey's State Citizen Corp Councll, Vice -President have asked the Founders to join our state team to act to make Arizona a more responsive place for Animals and Their Pets!
Their work for Veterans Has Been out standing!

DCRSA is a great nonprofit! I am absolutely amazed by their passion and commitment to helping save kitties. This small team extends itself through large swaths of South Eastern AZ to help give kitties of all ages a chance at a forever home. Very comprehensive services too- all kitties get full medical evaluations, spayed/neuter, foster/adoptive placements… it’s great!

I love cats. Always have always will. It breaks my heart to see a cat in need. I was really frustrated one day because I had three feral cats around my house. One was a mother of the other two. They were very scared and hungry. I set out some cat food for them. It took quite a while for them to come and eat it. I mentioned it to my friends and they told me about the Desert Cat Rescue and Sanctuary of Arizona. I called them and they came to my home and set traps. We managed to catch all three and they were fixed and released back at my home. They now “live” here. I love them and feed them daily. I was given great advice to keep them safe. I now have three more feral cats and I am hoping to get them caught and fixed. I cannot thank DCRSA for all their help and advice. I highly recommend them to anyone who needs help with feral cats.

I have been a volunteer with DCRSA for a couple of years now. We work with the PetSmart crew to help get cats adopted to their forever home. The cats are socialized and kept healthy to give them the best chance. Our Rescue has dedicated volunteers that care for our cats with their time and love of animals.

They do their very best to help the cats in the Graham County area, if not for them the cats would have nowhere to be brought to for the care they deserve.

They are very nice, they care. All the animals are very well taken care of. Great people to work with.

We have a bunch of special needs kitties right now. While all kitties are special, these guys need a little extra help and loving homes!

Desert Cat is amazing! Their kitties are sweet and loving!

Thrilled to foster for Desert Cat Rescue! They are working so hard to save as many cats/kittens as possible and doing a community service by lowering the feral cat population. They have been easy to work with, always available to communicate any questions or concerns. We have both adopted and fostered for them.

This is an amazing group of people who go over and above for our furry kids! Their compassion for the less fortunate felines who need help is over the top and I have witnessed it time and time again!

Spent hours with us as a kitten was stuck in our wall. Continued to fight for the kitty and got all the help we needed and didn't give up until the cat was out. I'm so thankful for them and their invaluable help. We have also previously adopted two cats from them and they made that a smooth and comfortable transfer for both parties.

DCRSA was notified that the Graham County Animal Control facility had a sick and very dehydrated kitten. As they are only a holding facility, the GC Animal Control contacted DCRSA who had a skilled volunteer pick up the kitten, provided rehydration therapy and saved it's life. While exceptional, this occurrence is not isolated. DCRSA is a very humane and compassionate animal welfare organization.

I'm a Board Member, volunteer, foster, and client served, all of them, as regards Desert Cat Rescue. I would not be so heavily involved with them if I was not convinced of the quality of service they are providing for the community. They are involved in not only the rescue, care and placement of cats, with compassion and dedication, they provide other services to children and the elderly. They partner with other non-profits to bring additional programs in.
They are totally devoted to what they do.

Desert Cat Rescue has helped me place numerous cats, kittens, expectant mothers, mother and babies from people that have requested help from Clifton Animal Control to their very needed rescue. They have also helped with spay/neuter assistance when the public has asked for assistance.

This is an amazing rescue. They are a very caring, compassionate group with a mission to help cats and kittens that are without homes. I enjoy working with this group very much.

This Rescue is AMAZING
They have always helped me out with our shelter and our constant influx of cats and kittens to re-home

Great people to work with. Amazing prices and great with the animals. They really try to meet the needs of every animal and adopter.

They do a wonderful job of rescuing helping and renominates homeless cats and kittens

Desert Cat Rescue has done so much to save the stray/unwanted cats in this community.

I’ve fostered for Desert Cat Rescue in the past. They truly care about the beautiful, sweet, innocent creatures that they deserve. Fosters are a big impact for the rescue! Please consider fostering if you are able! It’s extremely rewarding and worth every loving second.