When it comes to cat rescue, DeVida dives in! She started volunteering with Cat Adoption Team as an adoption counseling assistant, helping families match with cats. Now, she’s an adoption counselor, has served on multiple committees, repped CAT at community events, and brought her enthusiasm to Kitten Palooza. When she’s not changing lives at the shelter, DeVida can be found traveling, watching movies, and spending time with her pets at home. Here’s what DeVida shared with us:
CAT: Tell us about your pets, please!
DeVida: We have two cats: Bagel (age 18 yo) and Hera (age 12 yo), and one dog, Sadie, who is essentially a black and tan Retriever — no really, her DNA says 77% Lab even though she looks like a Rotti. All of them are long-haired beauties; I’ve shared with much love and pride photos of them with CAT staff and volunteers.
Bagel has long silky cream colored fur, blue eyes, and tortie points. Gorgeous really. She’s is a bit particular and definitely has “tortie-tude.” She also delights us with her many chirps, hums, and sweet vocalizations. Hera is an equally stunning brown tabby with gorgeous and intense green eyes (she drills into your soul with those eyes!). Hera is diminutive, but BIG in personality. She is the alpha kitty and lets everyone know it! She’s funny in that she’ll grumble when picked up, but secretly loves it. Sadie is everyone’s friend, thinks she’s a giant cat, and hates when the cats have spats. She’ll run over to them and stand there if she hears or sees any conflict. We love them all immensely and spoil them completely, as it should be!
CAT: Describe your dream vacation.
DeVida: We love Hawaii, the sun, the sand, the culture, but I think my dream vacation would be going back to France where I lived for a year in college. It always felt like “home” to me and is so romantic and beautiful. I LOVE the history. There were 14th century buildings in the town where I lived! I like the energy of a city like Paris, but also enjoy the countryside, relaxing, enjoying local food and people and culture. Passing hours at a cafe talking, connecting, and just being sounds divine – in no hurry to get anywhere!
CAT: If you could have dinner with anybody in history, who would it be and what would you serve?
DeVida: Hmm. I know this may sound corny, but my parents. They’ve both been gone for around 30 years and I miss them (they both died in their late 50s). Both were trailblazers in their time. My father was a 2nd generation dentist and my mother was a first generation PhD. Given they were black and given the times, this was truly an accomplishment for each of them. I was lucky to have them as parents and I would do anything to have more moments with each of them. Through both of them I am related to some other famous black people in history, and I’d love to hear the stories again, and maybe meet those folks too! The two who come to mind are William R. Thompson (a Tuskegee Airman) and Henry Ossian Flipper. For dinner, goes without saying: Steak, green beans, and potatoes. It was a staple growing up. Or maybe Shepherd’s Pie. Yum!
CAT: What movie or show can you rewatch over and over again?
DeVida: That’s a tricky one! I LOVE movies and am equally thrilled to indulge in binge-watching HGTV, true crime, or Law & Order. As far as a favorite movie, “A Room with a View” was and probably still is a long-time favorite. I also love “Drumline.” The drumming and percussion are amazing.
CAT: What was your favorite childhood gym activity?
DeVida: Tumbling. I was really good at it and could jump over like 5 classmates lying down — the most in our class. Tee hee! Gold level performance for sure!
CAT: When you’re not at CAT, what do you like to do with your time?
DeVida: Here it is in no particular order:
- Spending time with my cats and dog
- Hanging out with my husband
- Getting together with my kids and their partners and with family in general
- Hiking
- Birding
- Dancing
- Wine tasting
- Home improvement projects – there’s always something to do/improve inside and out!
- Movies! I LOVE going to the movies and what’s a movie without “buttered” popcorn?!
- Traveling!
CAT: Tell us about your animal welfare background.
DeVida: All animals, but especially companion animals in need of loving homes, are my heart. I started volunteering in the animal welfare field in 1988 right out of college at the MSPCA. I was pretty much the same as an adoption counseling assistant or adoption counselor at CAT, but also helped clean cages and the shelter. I fostered one cat, Kitty, who became my first in a long line of “foster fails”. I also volunteered at BayPath Rescue. For nine really intense and special years, I devoted my life to the Humane Society of Chittenden County in South Burlington, VT, where I was an office administrator, Development Manager, and ultimately the Community Relations Director. I loved every single minute of it. One of my favorite responsibilities was giving tours of our facility to groups of kids and managing our humane education camp for kids 9-12 years old. Seeing a kid’s eyes light up when their love of animals is validated is so life-affirming. It would fill my heart with so much love. Volunteering at CAT is like coming home for me. It is an honor and a privilege!
