ABOUT USMy name is Leslie Gilbert, and I am the owner and operator of Darby's Place Cat Rescue. We are located in Mount Airy, Maryland and have been actively involved in feline rescue for over 4 decades. We help stray and feral cats in the community through adoption, TNR, and problem-solving.
Darby’s Place Cat Rescue came into existence and evolved sometime later as I got more involved in cat rescue and began adopting out cats I took in. I also learned how to trap and care for feral cats and began helping people who wanted to help feral and community cats. I provide technical expertise and loan trapping equipment to reduce the number of outside cats humanely through TNR (Trap Neuter Return). Providing food and shelter for feral (never socialized) and community (socialized but outside with no owner) cats isn’t enough. These cats need to be spayed and neutered and vaccinated. We need to reduce the number of outside cats humanely through TNR. Feral cats aren’t to blame for the overpopulation of outside cats - people are, and TNR is the way to reduce this population. If you are interested in helping our cause, please visit the 'How to Help' page. We are in great need of donations for our veterinary medical bills. Also, please be sure to visit the 'Adoptable Cats' page to look at our available cats and kittens looking for forever homes. We appreciate your support! |
Darby's StoryI bought my small 2 bedroom home in April 1980. I moved in with my two cats (Gretel and Simon) and not long after added two more adopted from a rescue (Sybil) and from Howard County Animal Control (Maggie). After that, the cats found me. I always checked the animal notices in my local free paper. One day there was a post about a kitten who was healing from a broken pelvis and was up for adoption. The thought ran through my mind “who was going to adopt a kitten with a broken pelvis?”
At that point in my life I had 13 cats, all local rescues, but I called the Montgomery County Humane Society and started the process to adopt Darby. They were leery of adopting out a kitten to a crazy cat lady with 13 cats. But my vet vouched for me, and as I suspected, no one else was interested in adopting her. So, Darby arrived as cat 14. Her story inspired me and when my rescue efforts became more organized and expanded. Darby became the poster child of my rescue. A good samaritan found an injured 3 month old kitten on the side of a road in Silver Spring. He took her to the Montgomery County Humane Society. They then sent the kitten to an emergency vet hospital who treated and stabilized her. The MCHS then placed her with a foster mom who specialized in caring for sick and injured cats where Darby got 8 weeks of cage rest. Once it was confirmed her broken pelvis had healed, Darby was put up for adoption and came into my life. Darby became the face of my rescue because the safety net was there for her. She didn’t die on the side of the road. A good samaritan transported her to a rescue. The rescue saved her life by getting her to an emergency hospital and then a volunteer cared for her in her home for 8 weeks while she healed from her injuries. And then I cared enough to adopt a kitten who had been injured. The safety net was there for Darby every step of the way. As I wish it was for every cat. Darby was a great cat and died of old age decades ago, but her story still serves as a beacon to those of us who love and care for animals. |