MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Middle Tennessee cat rescue is overflowing — at a time when their biggest supporters, everyday Americans, are struggling to keep up with the cost of living.
Right now, True Rescue in Mt. Juliet is caring for more than 500 cats, and the need for fosters, volunteers, adopters, and financial help is urgent.
Just last week, the nonprofit was called to a hoarding case in DeKalb County, where a woman had died — leaving behind more than two dozen cats living in terrible conditions. Many of the cats appeared fine but were actually suffering from respiratory issues, parasites, and other health problems.
“In this case there was no intent for cruelty with these animals,” Founder and Executive Director Amy Simcik said . “The good intentions and love of animals are normally present, even though masked in garbage and waste.”
Simcik says True Rescue shared video from the scene to raise awareness about the mental health challenges behind hoarding. “The readers of these posts tend to be very judgmental and shame the people living in those situations,” she said. “It really is a mental disorder.”
When you don’t receive any tax dollars from the city or county, keeping a rescue like True Rescue afloat takes creativity — and community support. “We’re reaching out to more and more companies to try and get breaks on some of our expenses,” Simcik said. “We work with food companies that give us a discount.”
But even those partnerships can only stretch so far. “There’s been a decrease in giving overall,” she said.
Simcik says it’s not just the financial support that’s down. Fewer people are adopting or fostering, too, as pet ownership costs climb. “It’s a struggle to find fosters or adopters,” she said. “A lot of people just aren’t adopting cats or dogs because of the expense.”
Still, True Rescue continues to take in animals in need — especially the tough cases. “The really difficult cases can cost thousands of dollars for one cat or kitten,” Simcik said. “And those are often the ones we just can’t say no to.”
Even with the challenges, Simcik remains hopeful. “The more we keep going with it, the more support we get,” she said.
On average, True Rescue adopts out about 120 cats each month. Next year, they’re hoping to open their own veterinary clinic — a move Simcik believes will save money and allow them to help even more animals.
True Rescue is located at 12110 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet and is open seven days a week for adoptions and tours. The group says they’re always in need of fosters, volunteers, and donations — especially as costs continue to rise and more cats come through their doors.
More information can be found here.
This story was reported by reporter Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Aaron and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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