October 2026 Newsletter
Table of Contents
Halloween Pet Photos Are Back!
Get those costumes ready! Centerville Pet Rescue’s Halloween Pet Photos Fundraiser returns on Saturday, October 24 from 11 AM–3 PM at That Fish Place – That Pet Place.
Bring your pet dressed in their Halloween best—or come just as they are—and capture a fun, festive photo while supporting the animals of Centerville Pet Rescue. People are welcome to join the fun! Wear your Halloween costume and have your photo taken with your pet! Photos start at just $12, with proceeds benefiting the cats in our care.
And there’s even more reason to make a day of it! Our photo fundraiser is happening during That Fish Place – That Pet Place’s Howl-o-ween Party, so you and your pets can enjoy the Halloween festivities while you’re here.
Halloween Pet Photos
Saturday, October 24
11 AM–3 PM
That Fish Place – That Pet Place
Photos starting at $12
Whether your pet is spooky, silly, adorable—or completely unwilling to cooperate for the camera—we’d love to see them! Come celebrate Halloween, create a fun keepsake, and help support CPR cats at the same time.
Adoption Story: Molly Stella Finds Her Perfect Family
When Molly Stella—formerly known as Stella Lefty—was listed for adoption, her description said she was sweet, spunky, playful, and even enjoyed snuggling with her canine foster sister. For one family looking to open their hearts and home to another cat, she almost sounded too good to be true.
After losing their beloved cat over the winter, the family knew their next feline companion would need to be someone special. Their new cat would have to keep up with George, their energetic mini goldendoodle, while also winning over Lottie, their more tentative senior cat.
Molly turned out to be exactly what they were hoping for—and more.
From the moment she arrived, Molly confidently made herself at home and quickly began charming every member of the family, both two-legged and four-legged. Six weeks later, she and George are best friends. They play hide-and-seek and chase, with Molly disappearing behind the couch before suddenly popping out to surprise him. When playtime is over, the two youngsters can even be found napping together.
Lottie took a little longer to warm up to the newcomer, but Molly managed to win her heart, too. The two now nap together and have developed their own game of playing beneath closed doors, with Molly on one side and Lottie on the other.
Molly brings plenty of entertainment to the household. She gets the zoomies, races down the hallway after toys, and keeps everyone smiling with her mischievous personality. She’s spunky, personable and energetic, but she’s also perfectly happy to settle in as a lap cat.
She has earned the nickname “the foodie” because she loves just about everything and is always convinced the family should share whatever they’re eating. Another favorite spot is her very own “catio,” a multilevel outdoor enclosure connected to a window in the sunroom. Molly happily spends hours there listening to the sounds outside and watching the neighborhood critters go by.
“We truly couldn’t ask for a better kitten to complete our family. Our girls adore her, and she keeps life interesting with her mischief. We will always miss our other cat, but she fills her shoes very nicely, and we couldn’t be happier with Molly Stella!”
This happy ending is especially meaningful because Molly is the third cat this family has adopted from Centerville Pet Rescue. We’re so grateful they’ve chosen CPR once again—and thrilled to see Molly Stella so happy, loved and completely at home.
Save the Date: ExtraGive is November 20th!
One extraordinary day can make an extraordinary difference for the cats of Centerville Pet Rescue. On Friday, November 20th, CPR will once again participate in the Extraordinary Give, Lancaster County’s annual day of giving. ExtraGive is one of the most important fundraising days of the year for our rescue, helping provide the resources we need to care for hundreds of cats and kittens who come through our doors each year.
Every gift made to CPR during ExtraGive helps support the work we do every day—from food, litter and routine veterinary care to vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries and treatment for cats with more complicated medical needs. Your support also helps us continue providing a safe, comfortable place for our cats while they wait to find the families who will love them.
And you don’t have to wait until November 20 to help! Mark your calendar, tell your friends and family, and share CPR’s ExtraGive campaign when the big day arrives. Every donation, every share and every person you introduce to our mission can make a difference.
Extraordinary Give
Friday, November 20, 2026
Together, we can make this another incredible ExtraGive for CPR—and give even more cats the second chance they deserve.
2027 That Pet Calendar
The 2027 That Pet Calendar is here! For just $5.99, you’ll get a full year of money-saving coupons, plus information about upcoming events at That Fish Place – That Pet Place and Centerville Pet Rescue.
Best of all, proceeds benefit Centerville Pet Rescue, helping us provide care for cats and kittens in need.
Pick up yours today at That Fish Place – That Pet Place and save all year while supporting CPR!
Adoptable Cat of the Month: Willow
Sometimes the smallest kittens turn out to be the biggest fighters. Willow, a beautiful flame point domestic shorthair with striking blue eyes, came to Centerville Pet Rescue as a stray in July when she was only about five weeks old. She was underweight, extremely sick and in such poor condition that there were times we weren’t sure she would make it. But Willow had other plans.
This tiny kitten fought her way back, and over the past several months, her foster family and the CPR team have worked tirelessly to help her become the sweet, beautiful and resilient girl she is today.
Willow’s road to recovery hasn’t always been easy. She has experienced chronic intermittent diarrhea, and determining how best to manage it has required patience, medical care and careful attention to her diet. Today, Willow is doing well on a regimen that includes prescription Budesonide and a carefully managed diet.
The exact cause of Willow’s digestive issues has not been definitively determined and may be related to inflammatory bowel disease or another inflammatory condition. While her symptoms are currently well controlled, her future family should be prepared for the possibility that she will require ongoing medical management and occasional additional veterinary care throughout her life.
That’s one reason Willow has remained in foster care for so long. We wanted to give her the time she needed—not only to get healthy, but also to better understand her needs so we could find a family prepared to give her the right home.
And what a special little cat she has become.
Willow is sweet, affectionate and full of personality. Her gorgeous flame-point coloring and blue eyes might be what first catches your attention, but it’s her determination and loving nature that make her truly special.
As Willow prepares to become available for adoption in October, we’re looking for someone who understands that adopting her means making a commitment to all of her—including the possibility of ongoing medical needs.
Willow doesn’t need someone who simply falls in love with her beautiful face. She needs someone who sees the brave little kitten behind those blue eyes—the one who fought so hard to get here—and says, “I’m ready to love and care for all of you.”
After everything Willow has overcome, we think that person will be well worth the wait.
Volunteer Spotlight: Kelly & Todd Smith
What started as a family trip to Centerville Pet Rescue to look at cats turned into something Kelly and Todd Smith never quite expected: a house with three cats of their own—and approximately 70 foster cats and kittens who have passed through their care.
It all began when their daughter, Ava, decided she wanted a cat and brought her parents to CPR. Kelly and Todd weren’t sure they were ready to welcome another cat into their family, but a conversation with CPR volunteer Donna changed their plans.
“She said they needed fosters and suggested we apply,” Kelly remembers. And the rest, as they say, is history.
From Scared to Safe
For Kelly and Todd, one of the best parts of fostering is watching a frightened or shy cat begin to realize that they are safe.
“We love spending time with the cats and kittens we foster,” Kelly says. “Our favorite part is watching a shy or scared foster begin to trust us and come running to us for affection and playtime with toys.”
Their foster room has also served as a nursery for several mama cats and their babies. Kelly especially enjoys creating a quiet, cozy space where a mother cat can relax, care for her kittens and receive the extra nutrition she needs while raising her family.
The Rock Star Litter
Kelly and Todd are both music lovers, so when a litter of five kittens arrived, they couldn’t resist having a little fun with their names.
One kitten had a perfect black mustache that immediately reminded Kelly of Freddie Mercury. Soon, the entire litter had appropriately famous names: Freddie, Prince, Bowie, Elton and MJ.
When it was time for the kittens to enter the adoption room, Kelly and Todd wrote their bios and cleverly worked song titles from each performer into their descriptions.
It worked. A couple visiting the store happened to be huge music fans themselves and fell in love with Freddie and Bowie. They adopted the siblings and renamed them Janis and Jimi. Kelly and Todd still receive updates and photos from their adopters.
“They are still rocker cats,” Kelly says. “They have the best life.”
A Favorite CPR Tradition
Fostering may be at the heart of Kelly and Todd’s volunteer experience, but there’s another CPR activity they look forward to each year: Santa photos.
They love helping with the event and seeing families arrive with their pets dressed in festive costumes for their holiday pictures.
After fostering around 70 cats and kittens, helping countless animals take their first steps toward their forever homes, and accumulating plenty of stories along the way, we asked Kelly and Todd to sum up volunteering at CPR in just three words.
Their answer couldn’t be more perfect:
Cats. Rule. Period.
Kelly and Todd share their home and hearts with their own animals including Ginger, Annie, Bulbasaur and Chaucer. Thank you, Kelly and Todd, for opening your home and your hearts to so many CPR cats and kittens. Every foster who has passed through your door has had a better start because you were there.
Keep Halloween Treats for Humans
Chocolate and candies can be dangerous for cats (even sugar free varieties), so keep the candy bowl safely out of reach. Give your cat their own favorite treats instead so they can join in the Halloween fun!
September Adopter Gallery











