“Andrew is very supportive and he’d never tell me not to bring an animal home—even a pig. This one pig, Hugo, was being kept behind a taco stand in horrible conditions. So Andrew and I got him healthy and found him a home at this sanctuary.”
The couple have fostered over 30 pigs, but Hugo has always been special and they couldn’t possibly tie the knot without him. So on the big day, he got to trot down the aisle as the ring bearer while wearing his own bow tie.
“He walked down the aisle with popcorn instead of flowers, and he ate it going down the aisle,” she said.
That’s one way to make it original.
The More Unusual Rescues
As her ability increased, she’s comfortable taking on the “funkier cases,” including kittens with paralysis, a collapsed ribcage, and a cleft palate.
“Two years ago, we fostered ChouChou, who had a severe cleft palate. A kitten like him wouldn’t normally survive a day, but I tube fed him every two hours until he was six months. He was my most intense case, I fed him over 1,000 times,” Shaw said.
Against the odds, ChouChou is now 2 years old and eats independently, all because Shaw believed in him. Most of her kittens eventually go to forever homes, but she couldn’t bear the thought of ChouChou leaving, so she adopted him in 2022.
“When I rescued my first paralyzed kitten, Chloe, eight years ago, I had no experience with mobility differences, but I decided to give it a shot. I remember lying on the floor and crying for two days, thinking there’s no way this kitten could live a happy life,” she said.
“I started figuring out what I could do for her, like putting yoga mats on the floor to provide grip. I had no understanding before, so I felt overwhelmed and tried to fix her, but now if I take on a paralysis case, it’s totally different.”
Working with Chloe was transformative, and it gave Shaw the confidence to take on more challenges. She’s now helped several kittens with mobility differences who otherwise wouldn’t be here today.
There are countless kittens who have gone on to live happy and healthy lives, all because of Shaw. Including Badger, who was discovered during a snowstorm, “still wet from birth.”
He’d been outside for hours and he was frozen stiff by the time Shaw got to him. She used a small toothbrush to stroke his fur and gradually warm him up before getting him into an incubator.
To this day, it’s incredibly powerful for Shaw to see a kitten transform in front of her eyes.
How She’s Using Social Media
When she’s bottle feeding a neonatal kitten, or sleeping in a haybarn with a piglet, Shaw documents her experiences online. She’s not doing it for the likes though—it’s all about awareness.
“If I ever question whether I’m making a difference, I think back to 15 years ago when most shelters had no foster program. Now, I’m incredibly optimistic, but also hungry to keep going because I know I can do something impactful for kittens everywhere,” Shaw told Newsweek.
“It’s incredible to have so many people’s faith in me, and I just want to make everyone (and kittens) proud. I want to be a real hero for them.”
Shaw and Marttila have traveled the world for their book, Cats of The World. By capturing stunning images and learning how cat welfare can be improved, they hope to make a worldwide impact.
She’s also set up a nonprofit, the Orphan Kitten Club, and if her work has shown anything, it’s not to lose hope on even the tiniest of lives.
Anyone who follows Shaw will know that she doesn’t only advocate for rescuing on social media. She also shares tutorials to help others do their bit.
Reducing strays isn’t just Shaw’s fight, it’s everyone’s.
She said: “Seeing a life change before your eyes is a powerful force that provides purpose. I always say that eight weeks of my time can give these kittens the gift of 20 years of life.
“Fostering is a small act of kindness with huge ripple effects.”
