OUR MISSION
Built in crisis. Sustained by compassion.
Saving the Cats Most Rescues Never Reach.
Del Gato Rescue was founded in 2020 by Jen Knight after she lost her job during the COVID shutdowns. With time suddenly available — and the streets overflowing with cats — Jen began volunteering with local rescues, feeding colonies, caring for community cats, fostering, and learning the realities of TNR firsthand.
What she witnessed was devastating:
And far too few resources to meet the need.
As spay and neuter clinics shut down, the number of cats living and reproducing outside exploded. The calls never stopped. The need only grew.
Del Gato was created because waiting wasn’t an option.
Illness. Injury. Starvation. Death.
Most rescues focus on pulling cats from the shelter euthanasia list.
But thousands of cats never even make it off the street to the shelter.
They live in alleys, abandoned buildings, empty lots, and backyards. They’re sick. Injured. Starving. Pregnant. Forgotten.
These are the cats Del Gato exists for.
Cats who don’t have the survival skills to endure outdoor life.
Too sick to survive another winter.
Too invisible to wait for help.
Trap-Neuter-Return isn’t just a service — it’s the only humane way to stop the suffering from repeating itself.
And when intervention comes too late, the consequences are often deadly.
The Reality Rarely Seen
Del Gato Rescue is a volunteer-run network built by people who show up — consistently, quietly, and often after their regular workdays end.
The rescue is led by Jen Knight, alongside Donald Tran (founder of Urban Panthers Rescue), Taylor Aronow, Ayelet Ifrah, and a growing network of 90+ foster families.
Together, we operate as a coordinated rescue system.
Our volunteers support Del Gato by:
✔ Fostering cats and kittens in their homes
✔ Transporting cats to and from clinics and veterinarians
✔ Trapping community cats for TNR
✔ Managing adoption listings and applicant screening
✔ Coordinating supplies, donations, and medical care
Every single person involved is a volunteer.
We work full-time day jobs ~ and moonlight as cat rescuers at night, on weekends, and whenever the need doesn’t wait.
It’s not one person doing everything. It’s many people doing what they can ~ together.