Barbara Sanders

Barbara Sanders has been a devoted Heritage Humane Society volunteer since 2016. She is all about the cats and we are so happy to have her! She has devoted hundreds of hours over the years to socializing, cleaning, and playing with the cats and kittens in our care. You will usually find her over at PetSmart in Williamsburg multiple times a week in our Cat Adoption Room. We have adoptable cats and kittens there and our volunteers assist in caring for them there. Barbara and our other PetSmart volunteers also help these cats get adopted! They introduce the cats to potential adopters and Barbara has helped MANY cats over the years find their forever homes. We are incredibly grateful for Barbara’s kindness and generosity. Read her words below to learn more about her!

Words from Barbara Sanders:

“I’ve had cats all my life. When I moved to Williamsburg 22 years ago, I would stop by Petsmart for food, toys, litter, etc. for my own cats – Kittoo and Rudy – and I’d always check out the cats and kittens in their cubbies. At that time, it was a little foreign to me that I could actually do what they did back there! I really wanted to – and they seemed like they were having such a great time with the cats and kittens and talking to potential adopters, that I’d occasionally talk to a volunteer about what they did and the responsibilities they had, keeping this in the back of my mind for ‘one day’… so, a few years before I retired, I finally signed up to volunteer and it’s been so rewarding – I wished I had done it when I first moved here! There are so many cats and kittens who need homes. It’s great to have Petsmart as a showcase for these animals and their partnership with the Heritage Humane Society.  Because of the visibility, a lot of customers come in looking for food for their cat or dog and LEAVE with an extra mouth to feed!  I love to hear people’s reactions when they see them in their cubbies – everything from “Awwww.. can I see that one?” to “Yeah, they’re cute – let’s go look at the FISH!” (heard that one many times over the years!)

Now that I’m part of the HHS family, I truly can’t imagine not doing this. So many volunteers are needed at Petsmart as well as the Shelter and I’m glad to able to contribute.  It’s a big responsibility, caring for these animals, one I don’t take lightly. I get my ‘Kitty Fix’ there, as mine have passed away. Now I have a lot of (temporary) cats and kittens to take care of – loving every minute of it.”