In the summer of 2024, KyLee came across a story that stopped her in her tracks: Beagle Freedom Project had shut down an animal testing facility and transformed it into a sanctuary for survivors now known as Freedom Fields.
As a cat guardian of four cherished cats, KyLee felt an immediate need to help. The thought of cats surviving the horrors of laboratory testing broke her heart, and she jumped into action. She became a sponsor through our Sponsor A Kitty program, determined to show these survivors that life could be so much more than a small cage and painful experiments.
She chose to sponsor Salem, a young black cat who had known only pain before his rescue. Salem had spent years in a cage, fleas crawling across his back and ticks burrowing into his skin, feeding on his blood. Salem was unable to relieve the pain. When he would scratch, a cone was wrapped around his neck to prevent him from knocking any of the parasites off. Despite this history of suffering in the laboratory, Salem was calm, sweet, and affectionate. KyLee hung his photo on her fridge and cherished every update, watching from afar as he began to heal.
In October, KyLee’s world was turned upside down. One of her beloved cats, Kerrigan, passed away. The grief was crushing.
The house that had once been filled with the soft padding of paws and the gentle purring of companionship suddenly felt devastatingly still.
Quiet.
Empty.
Weeks passed.
One day as she walked past the photo of Salem on her fridge, something clicked.
After months of updates, stories, and photos from the Sponsor A Kitty program, KyLee knew Salem. He was already a part of the family — and it was time to bring him home.
Without hesitation, KyLee contacted Beagle Freedom Project and in a matter of days everything was ready for her to set out on the 8-hour journey to bring Salem home. But it didn’t feel long because at the end of the trip, Salem would be in her arms.
When she met him in person for the first time, Salem and KyLee felt like old friends. And when they made it back home, it felt like Salem had always been there.
From the moment he arrived, he brought life back into the home. He made fast friends with KyLee’s other cats. He chased toys like a kitten discovering joy for the first time. He curled up in his mom’s arms, purred loudly, and looked at KyLee with eyes full of trust and love. They were healing each other.
The once-still house was filling with playful afternoons. The silence was returning to laughter and happy purrs of cats napping in the sun.
While Kerrigan can never be replaced, Salem helped KyLee heal from her loss and find joy once again.
Sponsorship Is More Than Support — It’s a Lifeline
When you sponsor an animal through Beagle Freedom Project, you are providing more than food and medical care. You are giving a survivor the chance to heal, and to finally be loved.
Sponsors see firsthand how their support changes lives through regular updates, and occasionally they find their own life forever changed in return.
Ready to become part of a survivor’s story?