(NewsNation) — A South Carolina woman has raised more than $26,000 to create a permanent home for dozens of cats.
Two years ago, Heather Perez stumbled upon several stray cats living in the parking lot of an industrial park in North Charleston, The Post and Courier reported. Perez has been caring for the cats ever since, feeding them twice a day with the occasional help of other volunteers.
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The group of cats living in what Perez calls “Whiskerwood Village” now includes more than 50, prompting her to set up a GoFundMe to raise money for a permanent sanctuary for them, according to the outlet. Perez said the money would go toward purchasing an acre of land, fencing and tiny houses to create “Whiskerwood Sanctuary.”
Perez has raised more than a quarter of her $100,000 goal as of Sept. 23, according to her GoFundMe page. “This is a big thing to do,” she told The Post and Courier. “I’m aware of that, but at this point, it’s necessary. They don’t deserve to live in a busy industrial park.”
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The CEO of Charleston Animal Society, Joe Elmore, said in a statement obtained by the outlet that while he believes Perez is well-intentioned, stray cats shouldn’t be relocated unless they are facing a “serious and unavoidable threat.”…