Precious Paws Rescue People Page

	Linda Ouellete - Founder My name is Linda Ouellette and I was born and raised in Van Buren, Maine. I have owned, loved and nurtured animals for as long as I can remember. In the year 2002, as I was driving by the local pound I decided to stop and pay a visit. I soon discovered that there was an alarming rate of cats and kittens being abandoned, not only in my community, but in many other communities along the St. John Valley. The holding facilities, also known as the local dog pounds, have limited holding periods, which can be as little as 24 hrs! In addition, it was obvious that the animals were being kept in a very stressful, unsanitary environment, receiving minimal attention and no medical care. I approached the town council and asked them to allow me to care for the animals at their facility. It was my hope to create positive changes to benefit the animals and the community in which we live. After a year of service, it became very obvious that the elected officials had no desire to adapt new changes to their present system. Although my efforts had created positive results, it was then I realized how critical it was to adapt new changes for the welfare of the animals and to provide much needed assistance to this low-income community. In the year 2003, I recruited help, gathered support for my cause and formed a new organization, known today as Precious Paws Rescue and Adoption, Inc. Since the onset of Precious Paws, I have dedicated countless volunteer hours and have been working relentlessly 7 days per week recruiting volunteers and working to form the building blocks for success. I am very thankful for the volunteers that have supported this mission, but I also realized that this is a tremendous undertaking that requires a large team effort. I firmly believe and trust that with patience, perseverance, collaboration, support and continued dedication, Precious Paws Rescue will eventually accomplish its many goals. Over the past 30 years, I have gained a great deal of knowledge and business management skills and feel fortunate to have this experience to help me along the way. My drive comes from the love that I have for animals and the need to make life for them a better place to live . It is my strong opinion that animals deserve to be treated with kindness and compassion. My mission is to create an organization we can all be proud of and form friendships that will last a life time. Linda has 30 years sales, marketing and management experience and has been a business owner for 25 years. In this capacity she has maintained personal and business records, prepared tax documents, managed finances and has extensive public relations experience. For the past 3 1/2 years Linda has donated countless hours managing the entire organization and is continuously educating herself and her members by attending conferences and reading educational materials. Linda is a member of the Humane Society of the United States. Linda lives with ~5 cats and 1 dog.

	Brenda Levesque, Treasurer Brenda is in the process of completing her Business program for Medical Secretary. She has a deep love for animals and is a dedicated volunteer.
	Terry Kilcollins, Secretary Terry has 20 years of administrative experience working in education. In addition she worked as an assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs at UMPI where she worked with lawyers on faculty contracts, union settlements and worked closely with faculty and staff. While in New Jersey she was an assistant to the Dean of Humanities and gained grant writing and budgeting experience. After relocating to Maine Terry worked as an assistant to the Principal office in Presque Isle gaining invaluable experience in all aspects of office management as well as being certified in first aid and CPR. Terry also holds a certificate degree in Photography.
	Amy Ouellette, Consultant Amy has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and is currently enrolled in graduate school pursuing her Masters Degree Amy has a passion for all animals. She has dedicated thousands of hours as a volunteer at area shelters and is an active member of PETA. She has done foster care and helped to increased adoptions of long-term adult cats in shelters by educating potential adopters. Amy plans to incorporate pet therapy in her future plans as a way to create a better quality of life for both pets and people. Amy owns 5 cats.
	Wendy Ouellette, Advisor, Graphic Designer Wendy has a degree in Video/Multimedia technology with plans to continue her education to master graphics. She is directing the web site to draw interest and increase awareness as well as adoptions. She has been a member of PETA and the ASPCA since the age of 10. She has always had an unwavering love for animals, volunteering countless hours at local animal shelters to ensure every animal received love before she left that day. She has worked as a veterinary assistant and currently owns 3 cats.