‘Such compassion and motivation’ July 11, 2025

“I have been working for the Nebraska Humane Society since August of 2023. I started out feeding and cleaning the cat kennels. After a few months, I had the opportunity to become the cat staff supervisor.

I had never been in a management position before, but I had so many ideas. When you’re in the middle of everything and just trying to get through the day, it can be hard to see all the changes that have been made along the way.

Since I started, we’ve been able to give the cats more space and opportunities, a large reason being the start of our Community Cat Program and Working Cat Program. I’ve been able to work with others to get more in-depth information on our cats’ behaviors, focus more on enrichment, create behavior modification plans, and we’ve been able to spend more time on the tough cases.

Nearly all our kennels have what we call “portals,” giving them more space in our stray holding areas. Working with one of our veterinarians, we’ve started to give some cats kennel curtains, giving them more opportunities to hide when the environment around them can be loud and confusing. My current project is installing water bowls that clip onto the kennel door, making cats unable to flip over and spill their bowls and allowing them to have clean water all the time.

I’m always trying to learn about how I can improve the lives of the cats in my care. This year, I had the amazing opportunity to go to the Best Friend’s National Conference where I learned from other shelters what they are doing to make a difference, and I came back with so many ideas. Right now, I’m learning a behavior tracking system that will allow us to make the best decision faster, allowing us to create plans and pathways for the cats that need it sooner.

A lot of my extra time is filled reading shelter forums and Facebook groups, sharing what I can with others to improve their shelters, and learning about new things that we can try here at ours.

My favorite cat stories are of the scaredy cats that are afraid of the world. My staff and I will spend extra time with them, allowing them a safe and quiet environment. It is always a special moment when you are the one to successfully get a cat to come out of its shell, being the one that finally gains their trust, and seeing almost a whole new cat who will curl up in your lap or look out the window instead of hiding away in the shadows.

Watching them get adopted is always bittersweet. And I truly do have to give credit to my staff who are constantly going the extra mile to help these cats. They are always coming to me with concerns, coming up with creative ideas, really advocating for the animals, especially since they are the ones that spend the most time with them. It is really comforting to know that the people who take care of the cats every day have such compassion and motivation to give them the best lives while they are here.”

-Laurel, NHS Animal Welfare Supervisor

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