Catalina with Nino and Anais
Photo by MK McKenna
at Sweet Paws
Catalina Stirling
Catalina’s journey to the foundation of Jasmine’s House began in San Francisco where she worked as a volunteer with Rocket Dog Rescue. When she relocated to Baltimore, she volunteered her time at the Maryland SPCA and then moved on to Baltimore Animal Rescue Care Shelter. It was there she found a blind dog that really needed help. The only rescue that returned her phone calls was Recycled Love. She and Sally Jennings worked together to find Lucky his forever home and it was then she decided to devote her tireless efforts to Recycled Love for the next several years, for she knew they believed in the impossible. In that time period, Recycled Love Rescue took in several of the Vicktory Dogs, and Sweet Jasmine went to live with Catalina. Read Jasmine’s Story here. After Jasmine’s passing in 2010 Catalina and her partner, Kate, embarked upon the Jasmine’s House journey together in an effort to change the plight of Pit Bulls in the United States.
The most challenging cases of abuse, neglect, abandonment and discrimination in specific breeds are the ones where Catalina devotes her time and energy. She does not believe animals are bad, only misunderstood. She works diligently to help educate dog owners understand this and reverse the behaviors. Her innate talents towards animals are only surpassed by her compassion and empathy in these most challenging cases.
Catalina is the heart and soul of Jasmine’s House. Were it not for her passion none of us would be here.
Kate with Tyson
Photo by MK McKenna
at Sweet Paws
Kate Callahan
Kate came into rescue accidentally in 2008 when a crazy spaniel named Eastwood was dropped off at her house by a friend. Eastwood was being picked up by a Recycled Love volunteer the next day, but he needed a place to stay overnight. When Kate learned about Recycled Love and its mission she joined the volunteer team full-force in an effort to help and since that time, rescue has taken over her life.
Kate’s first foster dog was a dog named Francie who had suffered a gunshot wound to the face and needed some weeks of tube-feeding and rehabilitation before being adopted to an amazing home in Hampden. Her first Pit Bull was foster-failure, Minnie, who was found as a stray wandering Charles Village by an acquaintance.
Kate is the PR, operations-brain and bravado of the rescue, ever insisting that it can be done better, bigger and more efficiently than anybody else believes (until they see it).
Their Mission Together
Kate and Catalina live on 19 acres in Mount Airy with children Nino and Anais, and Bailey, Minnie, Desmond, Jack, Thaiz, Lulu, Mamita, Isis and a number of other foster dogs. They work tirelessly to build the foundation for a successful rescue and outreach organization.
Catalina and Kate with Minnie and Bailey
Photo by MK McKenna at Sweet Paws