In The Beginning…
Our First Chapter.
For most animal rescues, hustle and urgency set the pace – shuffling from one cage to the next — all speed and sorrow, a race that never really ends. (Cue the piano, the slow-motion eyes, and the soft voice promising that for the low cost of one coffee a week…)
Food drives, foster pleas, emergency calls at midnight. It matters deeply, but somewhere along the way, the refuge part of rescue began to fade.
Then we met Kenza- not our first rescue but the one who gave us new eyes for the what this work could be.
She had a rough beginning yet today, she mothers every new arrival at our sanctuary – and she’s the reason The Velvet Paw exists as it does today.
What if rescue was more about refuge – and living well in a forever home? What if there were a place where cats like Kenza and Julian could end the cage-shuffle in exchange for staying secure, seen, and loved for the rest of their days?
That’s how The Velvet Paw Sanctuary was born.
We believe stewardship of the animal kingdom is a calling, not a convenience.
The Velvet Paw became more than a place. It became a philosophy: that love can be both quiet and fierce. That rescue work is sacred work.
Through the 712 Charm Project, each bracelet helps feed and care for our residents. Through our digital guides, we teach others to share that same care beyond our walls. Through sponsorships, our mission keeps breathing.
Every small act becomes part of something eternal — love made visible in every meal, every medical visit, every peaceful nap, every playful adventure shared with a friend.
And Kenza?
She’s still here – sleeping in the sunlight, reminding us every day that gentleness, when nurtured, can heal anything.
Meet The Team
Behind every nap in the sun and every second chance, there’s a small family making sure the rhythm never stops.
Ashley McLean
Executive Director
Ashley brings the vision and the strategy — holding both the heart of the mission and the mechanics of the sanctuary.
She bridges The Velvet Paw’s vision, financial sustainability, operations, and community — ensuring that compassionate care, refuge, and restoration endures with integrity for generations to come.
Bradley McLean
Facilities Director
Bradley builds and maintains the spaces that make sanctuary possible — the fences, the cottages, the enrichment tools and the quiet napping corners.
His hands-on dedication ensures every structure reflects the same gentleness that defines the sanctuary itself.
Kailynn McLean
Animal Care &
Enrichment Team Lead
Kailynn ensures the cats are not only fed, but known — tending to daily routines, forming bonds, and teaching younger volunteers what love looks like in action.
She oversees medical services and individualized care plans, setting the highest standards for feline health and happiness.
Audri McLean
Executive Assistant &
Community Outreach Coordinator
Audri brings the joy — the laughter, creativity, and warmth that make every cat (and every human visitor) feel at home.
Through her social media storytelling and community outreach, she helps connect supporters to the heart of the sanctuary, both immediate care and long-term sustainability.
