Pawsitive Hearts Pet Therapy and Rescue Inc. is currently seeking volunteers who would enjoy caring for and visiting with kittens and cats that are temporarily housed at Berks County pet stores while they wait for forever homes.

Currently, volunteers are needed at PetSmart Adoption Center, 4210 N. Fifth Street Highway, Temple; Petco, 4607 Perkiomen Ave., Reading; and Pet Supplies Plus, 538 E. Lancaster Ave., Shillington.

"The minimum is 30 minutes, but some people spend hours sitting with the cats and playing with them. Sometimes (the cats) are shy, so it takes time for them to come out of their shell," said Kathy Iglar, Pawsitive Hearts executive director. "Volunteers clean the litter boxes, make sure the cats have fresh water and food and that their habitats look clean and tidy."

One of the most important job duties of the volunteers is to help socialize the cats and kittens. "(Volunteers) interact with the cats to get them used to people and different situations so we know what the right fit is for their forever home," Iglar noted.

Currently residing at the Temple PetSmart are male cats Chevy and Mickey. "Chevy just made friends with Mickey, who has just arrived in rescue," said Iglar. "Mickey and Chevy would love a home together, but Mickey is more shy than Chevy."

Iglar noted that some of the rescued cats come from Berks Community Cats, which offers the TNR (Trap. Neuter. Return.) program. "If they have litters of kittens that are young enough to be socialized, we will take them," she said.

In addition to rescuing cats and kittens, Pawsitive Hearts provides animal-assisted therapy services. "We formed on Jan. 1, 2020. Our plan was to start with animal-assisted therapy and then move into rescue at some future point," explained Iglar. "We had to flip (because of the pandemic). All of the places that we visited for animal-assisted therapy were not allowing visits. We jumped into rescue a lot (faster) than we intended to, but it has worked out."

Iglar currently has one therapy dog named Kalla, 10. Because her other therapy dog, Chewy, passed away last year, she is training a puppy to become registered as well. Additional therapy dogs from other volunteers are also available for visits. "We have teams that regularly go into Berks County Courthouse at the Children's Alliance Center (where children are waiting to testify in court)," she said, adding that the therapy dogs are also available for visits to schools and nursing homes.

The organization is seeking additional therapy teams, as well as people who are willing to foster pets in their homes. "Cat rescue is definitely taking up the bulk of our time at this point," Iglar said. "We want to expand into dogs, but we need foster homes for dogs, which is a bigger ask."

Iglar said that Pawsitive Hearts will continue its mission to rescue animals, provide pet therapy services and offer community education, hoping to someday have a building of its own. "This was my vision," she said. "I was with a cat rescue and have been an animal lover my whole life. My dream was to have this organization."

For more information, email kathy@pawsitiveheartspa.org or visit http://www.pawsitiveheartspa.org or http://www.facebook.com/pawsitiveheartspa.