After the passing of her father in 2015, Dori Story felt a tremendous loss. She and her father shared a love of animals, so when she heard of an abandoned kitten in need of care, she began her rewarding journey of fostering. Dori expressed that love toward every kitten she cared for over the next five years. She has personally fostered over 50 kittens and cats, caring for 6 to 12 per year.
Dori finds the challenges of caring for abandoned kittens extremely rewarding, from bottle feeding to treating for medical problems. Her strategy in fostering kittens is to socialize them so each animal can express its own individual personality, ultimately leading to successful adoption. Although she still struggles with letting them go, she recognizes that her momentary sadness reinforces that she has done her job well.
Dori is also an active volunteer with Hill Country Cats and dedicates her efforts to trapping, transporting, public awareness, and fundraising. She serves as living testimony to shatter the myths about fostering that keep so many people from volunteering to foster. Given her unwavering dedication, HCC nominated Dori for Petco Foundation recognition as a Foster Hero. JULY UPDATE: The Petco Foundation selected another nominee as the national Foster Hero. But Dori is still HCC’s hero!