AARP’s Real People, Real Stories series celebrates ordinary individuals from diverse backgrounds whose actions have made an extraordinary impact on themselves and a wider community. In the series episode “Florida Couple Runs a Retirement Home for Cats,” we profiled the operators of Cats Cradle, a senior cat sanctuary located in Florida. Our objective was to highlight the plight of senior pets in the shelter system and show that with passion and ingenuity, individuals can make a significant impact on caring for aging animals in their community.
Senior animals are some of the most at risk animals in the shelter system. According to the ASPCA, over 500,000 cats are euthanized each year, and senior cats make up a disproportionate amount of those numbers. Senior animals are also especially vulnerable when their owners (who are often older adults themselves) die or move into new living situations that aren’t compatible with their furry friends.
Bruce and Terry Jenkins started Cats Cradle as a haven for vulnerable animals to live out the rest of their lives in peace. The couple had a life changing moment after a chance encounter with a senior cat at their local animal shelter. Lifelong animal lovers, the couple quickly adopted the pet and took action to save more older cats from the high rate of euthanasia. They decided to turn their backyard into a senior cat sanctuary. They now take care of approximately 30 cats at a time.
The internet loves animals. And since AARP is dedicated to improving life for people over 50, we thought there might be a story that could combine both. Enter: Bruce and Terry Jenkins.
We brought this story to life by contacting the couple to find out more about how and why they started Cats Cradle Sanctuary. Our plan was to interview them on site, allowing them to explain how cats come to their sanctuary through shelters and private homes, particularly where someone might be ill and unable to take care of their pet. The couple have rescued more than 350 cats over the years and had found a real purpose in caring for older animals who, in many ways, were a reflection of where they were in life, too. So we made that a central theme of the story.
We realized that in order to execute our plan and connect viewers with the plight of senior pets, we needed to have as much cute cat footage as we could. Filming with animals can always be a challenge, especially in the Florida heat. So, we had to structure our production to make sure that we could show the animals that lived in Cats Cradle in all of their glory. In this case, that meant filming in the early morning and being close enough to capture footage while making the cats feel safe so they wouldn’t hide or run away.
While interviewing the couple and then scripting and editing together the footage, we strove to answer basic questions viewers might have, including how the Jenkins can afford to care for so many cats (they rely on their own retirement savings and limited donations) and why they have dedicated themselves to animal welfare. The most beautiful part of the story is the confluence of two overlooked populations, coming together with mutual love and affection. Through this work, the Jenkins discovered the special quality of older cats, qualities in their older years that young cats don’t have. Terry said that it is “true of people as well. You just have to discover it.”
Using our platform of 2.1 million followers on Facebook, we hoped their story would shine a light on older animals and potentially inspire viewers to carry this message of passion and purpose into the areas of life that are most important for them.
The video was an overwhelming success with our Facebook audience and for Cats Cradle Sanctuary. The video was among the top 2 posts of the year across all types of content on AARP’s Facebook channel. The video reached over 6.5 million people, earned close to 5 million views, and received over 300K engagements. This represents a substantial increase in people who are talking and engaging with the issue of caring for senior animals.
The success of this video on AARP’s Facebook channel also helped drive direct impact for animal welfare through Cats Cradle. In a short period after the video was published, the organization gained 2,000 followers on Facebook and raised more than $15k to build a hospice room for cats in their last days. The video also resulted in an increase in sign ups for their monthly donors “Angels” program. This increase in donations and attention allows Cats Cradle to save more cats from being euthanized.
Viewers connected with the video’s core message of helping save animals. Here is a sample of the nearly 13,000 comments:
