Some startups launch with seed money. Edie Hogan, president and founder of Bernie’s Buddies Cat Rescue, jokes that she launched with “seed cats” instead.
For many years, Hogan balanced working full time while volunteering with various cat rescues, shelters and foster programs in New Jersey. But in February 2021, when an acquaintance approached her about rescuing two female cats from a difficult situation, she took it as a sign that something greater was to come.
“A man had a garage where he fixed cars in Newark, and he had two female cats there,” Hogan shares. “He refused to get them spayed, and they kept having litters over and over again. Some of the kittens died. Some of the kittens became strays. We worked for a month to convince this man to give me the two mamas and their newborns.”
“I brought in these two mama cats and each of them had five kittens, so I had them in two spare rooms here at my house,” she continues. “I had the beginnings of the rescue and then had the very first adoption day on May 15, 2021.”
With that, Hogan officially launched Bernie’s Buddies Cat Rescue. In the four years since its inception, she has tirelessly advocated for responsible shelter practices and pet ownership.
“I have taken from my years of fostering for other organizations, learned from those experiences, learned what worked, what didn’t,” Hogan says. “And even though I have to stay small because of cost, because of vet bills, we have done a great job. We are very focused. We want to do the right thing. We don’t want to just be a conveyor belt of cats in and cats out.
“We are doing what we can in our small corner of the world.”
Hogan estimates more than 70 kittens and cats have been adopted from Bernie’s Buddies Cat Rescue since that first adoption day. She’s proud to have rescued animals from all over New Jersey — from Piscataway and Newark to Bayonne and North Plainfield, to name a few.
According to Hogan, the process of adopting a kitten or cat through Bernie’s Buddies is intentionally meticulous.
Kittens and cats of all ages that come through her rescue are spayed or neutered, given dewormer and appropriate vaccinations, and tested for feline AIDS and feline leukemia. They’re also socialized with other cats — and occasionally dogs — put on healthy diets, and evaluated thoroughly before being put up for adoption.
“It is a very thorough process, and it’s everything from soup to nuts,” Hogan said.
Potential adopters are also thoroughly vetted. Hogan requires references, confirmation of a current vet, landlord approval for renters, and information on existing pets. It’s all about giving the animals in her care every chance to succeed.
The rescue, based in Central New Jersey and named for a cat Hogan once fostered, operates entirely on her determination, a dedicated team of volunteers, and the generosity of others.
As Bernie’s Buddies does not have a standalone facility, Hogan and a handful of volunteers foster cats of all ages in their own homes or help in other ways.
While rewarding, running the rescue comes with its challenges. Hogan and her team pay for expensive vet bills, food and other necessities out of their own pockets. That’s why she’s especially grateful when people donate money, cat beds, litter, food and toys.
“I could not be in operation for four years without the small band of volunteers and foster parents that have donated their time, talent, effort and own resources,” Hogan says, citing Chrissi and Dave Daniel, Nina Danner, Kristen Kovatch, Bernadette Danner and Patrizia Fresia.
“I could not do this without the volunteers, foster parents and supporters that have done what they’ve done for Bernie’s Buddies. I am not an island unto myself. It’s just amazing — the dedicated people who have helped in various ways because they really understand that everything I do is not about me, it’s about the cats and kittens.”
Bernie’s Buddies holds weekly adoption events for kittens and cats at Barkley’s Marketplace in Branchburg, a small family-run business that has partnered with Hogan since the beginning. The pet store — which also has a location in Flemington — offers customers a discount if they also buy something for Hogan’s rescue.
In the future, Hogan hopes to build partnerships with businesses, restaurants, bars and shops around New Jersey for fundraisers like pizza nights, wine tastings, sip-and-shops and more.
“If there’s a business owner out there that is willing to host us, I would love to bring attention to that business along with my cat rescue. Everybody wins.”
In the meantime, Hogan and her team are looking ahead. Bernie’s Buddies Cat Rescue has made it this far, and there’s no stopping it now.
“We’re small,” Hogan shares, “but we’re mighty.”
For more information, follow Bernie’s Buddies Cat Rescue on Instagram (@berniesbuddiescatrescue) and Facebook (Bernie’s Buddies Cat Rescue). Email berniesbuddiescatrescue@gmail.com.