ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — In the middle of the night, you'll find Lisa Hoff working hard to save little lives. Bottle feeding newborn kittens, fighting to keep them alive.
She's the founder of the animal rescue, Wags and Whiskers Pet Rescue.
"What she does is unlike anybody I have ever seen, it is so self-sacrificing," tells Kit Zayas, a volunteer with Wags and Whiskers Pet Rescue. "She is at the office every single day. It doesn’t matter if it's a pandemic or hurricane, of which we’ve had many, she still comes in because those cats need care.
She nominated Lisa and says she's more reliable than the mailman.
"It doesn’t matter if it is rain, sleet, snow, hurricane, pandemic, deaths, blazing heat… she still shows up," tells Zayas.
But for Lisa it isn’t work, this is what she was meant to do.
"It's a labor of love, seven days a week, day and night," says Hoff.
To date, Wags and Whiskers Pet Rescue in St. Augustine saves around 400 cats and 200 dogs each year and helps them find loving homes. Lisa is quick to add it is a team effort with around 15 volunteers and around 20 foster families.
But those volunteers will tell you, Lisa is the heart and soul of it all.
"The reason it is such a wonderful village is because she is a great town center, she is the best," says Zayas.
Inspiring those around her with her dedication to animals.
"She met me at midnight one night because we had a cat that was failing and she met me, no questions asked...she will do whatever takes, because in her mind every life matters," tells Zayas.
Seeing the animals find a loving home, makes the long nights of bottle feedings worth it. Lisa loves hearing how the animals have changed the lives of their new owners.
"She said 'I can’t even imagine life without him'. Those stories, I just love them," says Hoff.
If you would like to donate to Wags and Whiskers Pet Rescue, they are always in need of cleaning products, food or more foster families.
You can also donate to help their spay and neuter efforts. More information can be found on their Facebook page by clicking here.