In 2015, I adopted Mar. He quickly became more than a pet. He’s been my beloved companion animal since.

 

In early 2020, as a journalist covering the COVID-19 pandemic, I noticed a disturbing trend: misinformation suggesting that cats and other companion animals could transmit the virus to humans.

 

Despite the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarifying that "there is no evidence the virus can spread to people through the skin, fur, or hair of pets," the damage was done.

 

As I watched this unfold — both as a journalist and as Mar's guardian — I realized that a big threat to companion animals isn't always lack of rescue capacity or shelter space. It's lack of accurate, accessible information.

 

When people don't know or understand how to care for animals, when myths go unchallenged, when education isn't prioritized, animals suffer.

 

Many animal welfare organizations do extraordinary work rescuing, treating, and rehoming animals. But few have the resources to focus on preventing problems before they start — through education.

 

As a journalist, I knew I could help bridge that gap. Mar's Mission was founded to do exactly that: develop and promote educational initiatives that help people become better, more informed caregivers to their companion animals. This is because the best way to protect animals is by empowering the communities where they live — through education.

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Maria F. Cartaya
Founder of Mar's Mission

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P.S. My love of cats actually started years earlier, when I adopted Paz during my Peace Corps service in southern Africa. He helped with a rat problem in the mud hut I called home.