Teresa O’Brien started Pura Vida Volunteer Cat Services, Inc., which helps to assist and control the growing cat population in Duval County. O’Brien said her nonprofit involves TNR, which stands for trap humanely, spay/neuter, vaccinate and return.
Fourteen years ago, O’Brien opened her business in Ponte Vedra Beach. It was then that she discovered a hungry male cat that she started to feed. She heard about a colony of cats nearby that had been TNR’d. A few months later, she noticed a young cat with a large belly. The cat returned to the food bowl with her four kittens four weeks later. O’Brien wanted to help the kittens but wasn’t able to adopt them since she already had three large dogs at home.
Fortunately, O’Brien was put in contact with Lee Conway who educated her about the importance of controlling cat populations. Conway taught her how to trap and where to take the kittens to get them fixed and vaccinated for free. O’Brien has provided the kittens and their mom with food and water every day since. Thanks to her help, the family still thrives today…