February 16, 2025
By: Sarah A. Neikam, SPCA Albrecht Center Marketing Director

The SPCA Albrecht Center recently published our 2024 Impact Numbers—statistics that showcase our organization’s achievements over the past year, including 818 cats saved, 569 dogs saved, and 2,607 spay and neuter surgeries performed. These are incredible numbers that reflect the dedication and hard work of our team. But sometimes, when looking at the big picture, it’s easy to lose sight of what those numbers truly represent—each life saved, one pet at a time.

Today, I’d like to share the story of just one of those pets.

In July of last year, a battered and weary orange tabby was brought into our shelter as a stray. He was thin, scarred, FIV-positive, and had a blind eye. Though treatable, his chances of adoption weren’t promising. Our staff named him Crunchyroll.

Understandably, Crunchyroll wasn’t always the friendliest cat. He had clearly endured a rough life—one that left him with scars, blindness, and now, in an unfamiliar shelter environment. But over time, he adapted to his new routine. Still, his chances of finding a home remained slim.

Then, Hurricane Helene hit, leaving our shelter without power. In response, the community stepped up, fostering nearly all our animals—including Crunchyroll. During his time in foster care, his temporary family fell in love with him and decided to make it permanent.

Despite yet another change in his surroundings, Crunchyroll adjusted well to his new home, even bonding with the other pets and children in the family.

Sadly, in January, due to unforeseen family changes, Crunchyroll was returned to our shelter. But something was different this time—his time in a home had changed him. He was noticeably happier and more comfortable than before.

Around that time, Joe, a supporter from Ohio who had sponsored Crunchyroll’s care through Petfinder, reached out to check on him. I was happy to share the good news of his adoption but promised to follow up if anything changed.

So, when Crunchyroll was returned, I let Joe know. While saddened by the news, he also shared something unexpected—he and his wife had considered adopting Crunchyroll before but thought they had missed their chance. They were still interested.

After several emails, an approved adoption application, and some coordination, we arranged for Crunchyroll to travel to his new home in Ohio. Karen Johnson, our SPCA Pet Photographer, and I made the nearly 300-mile trip on Saturday to meet Joe halfway near Knoxville, TN.

Crunchyroll traveled well and seemed content upon meeting Joe. As they headed back to Ohio, Karen and I returned to Aiken, thrilled to have been part of sending Crunchyroll toward his new, happy life.

Once we were all back home, I followed up with Joe to learn how he had discovered Crunchyroll in the first place. Most of our adopters and donors are local, so his interest from Ohio was a pleasant surprise.

Joe shared: “I found Crunchyroll (CR) on Petfinder. It was around the anniversary of the loss of a special little guy we had adopted off the mean streets of Chicago, and I was reminiscing a bit. We had adopted him because of a photo on Petfinder, and CR was the same way. In both cases, their pictures spoke to me.

I have a soft spot for the broken ones, particularly FIV+ male cats with special needs that don’t get readily adopted (my wife, on the other hand, loves them all and would adopt all the cats if she could).

Upon seeing CR’s photo, I wanted to make sure he had a chance for a good life, so I sponsored him and also thought a little about possibly adopting him. A short time later, my wife and I took a trip to Charleston, SC, in November with the idea that, if he wasn’t adopted, we would swing by and meet him.

However, shortly before the trip, we found out he had been adopted. While we were a little disappointed, we were thrilled that he was getting a good home. Fast forward a few months, and Sarah reached out to me, letting me know CR had been returned to the shelter. My wife and I decided we didn’t want to miss this opportunity to give CR the best life we can, so after confirming that the shelter would adopt out of state, we are giving CR his forever home. Knox is his new name—short for ‘hard knocks’—and we picked him up around Knoxville.”

Our staff and volunteers are overjoyed by Crunchyroll’s happy ending—and new beginning. His story is a powerful reminder that, while our mission can feel overwhelming at times, our success is built one second chance at a time.

You can be part of this success! Whether you adopt, volunteer, donate, or simply share a pet’s story, you are making a profound difference. Let’s continue to create these stories of hope and transformation together—one pet at a time.

 

 

Sarah Neikam is the Marketing Director for the SPCA Albrecht Center in Aiken, SC. She has been with the organization since 2012, holding various roles including Volunteer Coordinator and Director of Operations & HR. A Certified Animal Welfare Administrator as of 2022, Sarah is a passionate advocate for animal welfare. She resides in Aiken with her husband, Tom, and several beloved cats.