South Texas Persian Rescue

Est. 2003

Meet the team

Meet our team, a diverse group of committed animal lovers focused on providing quality lives for the cats we rescue.

Founder & President

Elizabeth Anderson

We have always taken in breed cats from Texas and surrounding states. In the last couple of years we have branched out internationally too. This is Theodore. We rescued him from Kuwait, sadly his people had moved out of the country, leaving him behind in the apartment; he was not discovered for several weeks. When Theodore came to us, he was a mess. It was discovered that he had stomatitis. This is, in a nutshell, where the cat’s immune system treats the cat’s teeth as foreign objects and starts rejecting them. In the last two years, Theodore has had five oral surgeries to remove his teeth and roots. Despite the neglect in his past, the upheaval of international transport, his health he has remained a sweet, loving, wonderful baby through it all.

Cats amaze me with their ability to forgive and truly love..

Lori Piper

Vice President

The kitty in the picture is Zeb. My awesome and amazing Zen-like kitty. He’s so chill and relaxed. He gets along with everyone. Kitties, people, and dogs. He is an American shorthair rescued from the streets of Kuwait and is two years old. Ever met a hippie? That’s Zeb!!!!! My hippie kitty!!!! He came with the name Zebra, pronounced liked Debra. I simply shortened it to Zeb!!! He introduces himself to the new kitties that come into the rescue and shows them it’s a haven and how to play and romp. I guess you could call him our Rescue Ambassador.

Sydney Floyd

Attorney

While assisting our amazing transportation volunteers, transporting a few cats from Houston to San Antonio, I had a brief chance meeting with Gianni, I should of known that resistance on my part was futile. Once Gianni had received medical car and was ready to be put up for adoption I once again made the trip to return Gianni to Houston but as a member of my family. He brought a needed energy to the household, along with multiple broken items and frequent “things that go bump in the night”, commonly referred to as “Gianni, what have you done now???”.

It’s been hard to choose which picture to share. Finally, I decided to share the new kid on the block, Gianni.

The truly difficult thing about loving animals is restraining your desire to love with the balancing what they need and what you can provide. I’m extremely fortunate that my heart and ability to give a quality of life to my animals is balanced, it’s hard but worthwhile. Over the years I’ve been blessed with having an amazing cast of characters who while they were here truly expanded my life.

In 2005, I decided to add another to my family, at the time I had 2-Persians Sassafras ‘Sassy’ a blue point Himalayan and Cinnamon ‘Cinny’ a little red Persian. Searching on Petfinder led me to STPR and a little bowling ball of a brown tabby with golden eyes, just seeing her photo, I knew we needed her in our family. Off I went to San Antonio, she was beautiful, sweet, easy-going, and friendly with all the other cats, so I knew she’d be an excellent addition, after getting to know her I renamed Jazzy.

In 2006, learned about Honey, whose picture and story captivated me immediately, sending me on another journey to San Antonio. Honey was a tiny orange cat with the heart of a lioness, pushy, eccentric, and fearless. While at Beth’s another little girl caught my eye, another little brown Tabby, Chloë, the complete opposite of Honey, shy and timid, she captured my heart and the two were such close friends I couldn’t separate them. Her personality and loving character established such a special corner of my soul that she inspired a (very amateur) poem.

“What makes you special, sweet Chloe” A heart murmur made you ‘special needs’ and unadoptable, Beth said.

Yet when you raised your head to meet my hand and revealed your emerald eyes, you adopted me in one beat of your perfect heart.

What makes you special, sweet Chloe? Your head resting in the palm of my hand as you sleep? Your contagious delight in sun and shadow?

Perhaps it’s the occasional glimpse of kitten hood reclaimed. Perhaps it’s the gift of a trusting purr or shyness superior to an inferior world.

What makes you special, sweet Chloe? Could it be as simple as special needs mutually met?”

I became infatuated with a flame-point Himalayan–a snaggle-toothed, curly whiskered, clumsy, loud, and very endearing clown, Kobe; he joined our family in 2008, he reigns as the favorite of many of my friends and family.

With Kobe, I thought I was done for a while. But, in 2011, I was on STPR’s Facebook page and saw another little flame-point boy and, once again was enamored. My Kirby was the bravest, gallant, most self-possessed, aristocrat cat I’ve ever known. Upon opening the carrier after the trip from San Antonio, he walked out, sat down, took a look around and said (it was evident), “I guess this will do.” He ignored the other cats, unless they invaded his space and walked through life as the prince he knew he was.

I miss them all for their individuality, the unique way each enriched my life and will live in my heart forever.

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I became involved with STPR slowly, helping where I could with legal consulting, temporary foster care while transportation was being arranged. My natural desire to be an advocate for animals, seeing the amazing work STPR has done over the years combined with my friendships with Beth and Lori when asked to join the board I was honored and have loved every minute.

Currently, it’s just Harley and Gianni in the family, I can’t seem to help myself and am looking to add to the family. Whoever we decide to adopt has two colorful characters waiting to meet their next brother or sister.

Harley, is my first and so far only, Exotic Short-Hair, a 7 year old large, orange and white gorgeous boy who’s the biggest love-bug. He loves everybody, and everybody loves Harley. The newest member is Gianni, she joined the crew almost 2 years ago. She had been turned in at a shelter in Houston at 6 months of age, and through the rescue network was brought to Beth’s attention finding refuge at STPR.

Cassie Wilson

Director, Special Programs

Squish came with this name and I loved it! Unfortunately, he earns it every day because he has zero life skills and enjoys long naps on the stairs, at night, in the dark. He’s so laid back it’s hard to even believe he’s a cat. They told me he came into rescue after being on the streets for approximately a year, in horrid shape and needing much medical care. He was also a senior and estimated to be between 8 and 10 years old. Squish has no life skills that I have ever witnessed. Zero self-preservation tactics. I still have so many questions about this supposed year on the streets. Is he some Russian spy that has led a double life? Does he train at night while I’m sleeping? I ply him with treats for answers, but he has yet to reveal his secrets. Maybe in time he will reveal. Until then, he’s my sweet man and I couldn’t love him more.

Jackie Anderson

Marketing & Communications

In the photo is Gossamer, he is a Ragdoll and was added to our family in November 2011. We were considering adopting another cat and Beth knew what we were looking for. She called us one evening and said we just had to see the kitten she just took in.

Some teenagers found this fluff ball of a baby kitten in the parking lot of Wal-Mart abandoned. They couldn’t leave it so one of them brought it home. Per happenstance, through someone, they knew contacted Beth to see if she could take in the kitten. Once we had the opportunity to meet him, my husband fell in love with this little guy.

He has a unique personality so it was very difficult to name him. So we figured we give it a bit of time to see what he was like before we dubbed him anything.