Page 11 - Palm City Spotlight - March '25
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Palm City Spotlight, Page 11
pet Matters
The Pet Cottage Post When Joan was diagnosed I witnessed this firsthand
with pancreatic cancer, her through my relationship
The Birth Of The Pet Cottage: A Tribute To first concern was not for with hospice during Joan’s
Joan McCabe herself, but for her beloved illness. The need was clear,
companions. What would and when Joan passed on
The Pet Cottage is more than happen to them when she March 11, 2012, I, Wendy
just a sanctuary for pets—it is was gone? She searched for Derhak, honored her legacy
a testament to the love and solutions, but none existed. by founding The Pet Cottage.
devotion of one remarkable Determined to ease her heart, What started with Joan’s
woman, Joan McCabe. Joan was I made a promise: I would Joan McCabe three senior cats quickly grew.
a beautiful soul, full of warmth care for her cats as she had, The next animals in need Arya
and kindness, whose love for her ensuring they were safe and loved. were three dachshunds—
pets was immeasurable. She was Shadow, at an astonishing 21 years old, passed before Joan. Charlie Brown, Ivy, and
a client of mine when I ran a small When the time came, Smokey and Jeremy, then 17, came to Peanut—whose owner had
personal training business for women, and over time, she live with me. They thrived in my care, living to be 20. But passed away. The demand
became a cherished friend. Joan shared her life with three Joan’s story revealed a much larger truth—she was not the for a safe, loving place
senior cats—Shadow, Smokey, and Jeremy—who were her only one in this predicament. Many pet owners, facing illness for pets in these situations
family and her greatest joy. or life-altering events, had no plan for their beloved animals. continued to grow. In April
2015, The Pet Cottage
officially became a nonprofit,
dedicated to providing
lifelong guardianship for
pets who lost their humans
due to death, disability, or
deployment.
From those first rescues, Elsa
The Pet Cottage has
flourished. Today, we provide care for over 51 dogs and
eight cats. While our initial focus was on pets whose
owners had passed, we quickly expanded to include those
affected by disabilities such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
We also recognized the needs of military members,
ensuring their pets had a safe place when deployment or
relocation made it impossible to keep them.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this journey has been
the realization that senior people make extraordinary Forever
Guardians. Many of the pets in our care are older and need
calm, loving homes. Many seniors, facing loneliness, long for
companionship. The greatest challenge to welcoming a senior
pet into one’s home is often the cost of care, particularly
veterinary expenses. The Pet Cottage removes that burden by
paying all veterinary expenses allowing these perfect matches
to be made.
The Pet Cottage is more than just a place—it is a promise.
It is a tribute to Joan McCabe and to all those who love their
pets like family. None of this would be possible without the
generous support of our donors and community. You are the
superheroes who make this mission a reality.
There are many ways to support our work, from joining
our Happy Tails monthly donation program to making one-
time contributions. Every donation helps us fulfill our forever
promise to these beloved pets and provide pet companionship
to senior individuals, matching pets who have lost their
humans with seniors who long for a loving companion.
To learn more about The Pet Cottage, visit our website
at thepetcottage.org, follow us on Facebook and Instagram,
and check out our YouTube channel at The Pet Cottage
Official. To visit, please call to make an appointment at
(561) 818-5025.
Thank you for being part of our pack!
See answer in this paper.
