Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Mannarelli
Hi Megan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up knowing my life would include animals in some capacity since the moment I could speak. I had no idea which direction, however, I would end up being taken. I thought that as I grew and experienced different paths of animal care, it would become clear – but the reality is that I always have and always will love them all. Cars, dogs, exotics, marine life – I find all of it fascinating and beautiful & have worked in many of the fields learning to care for each.
Out of high school, I had wanted to go to school for biology and zoology, but was not in a situation where I could afford to go to school & not be working full time. That’s when cats chose me 🙂
I worked at a local pet store where I met my current rescue partner and co-director, Jennifer, who had brought her bottle baby kittens to work with her. I asked her to teach me and she eagerly did so & so began a beautiful relationship that neither of us could have seen the impact that moment would make.
It wasn’t long before I learned to love the intricate care it took to care for neonatals which then led to a desire to work with other more delicate cases. My whole family and I have a plethora of chronic health issues stemming from a connective tissue disorder, so it felt natural to begin learning to care for cats with disabilities and finding ways to make their life just as beautiful for them, if not moreso. I feel so at home with them and I’d like to think that they feel that in turn.
While I’d still love to go to school one day and experience work with exotics once more & continue my education, the founding of Wonky Hearts Animal Haven really made its own place for me right alongside me creating it. I created a home for me just as much as I did for them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It absolutely has not been a smooth road, but we joke that how could we possibly expect it to be when wonky & wobbly is our whole thing? There’s bound to be hurdles even if the path seems clear as day, but it’s about HOW we overcome it and find our own way in doing so moreso than when or if we accomplish it.
Many of the cases we care for take a significant amount of time & I think our biggest challenges would be financially caring for their medical needs alongside working our own outside jobs to make our own ends meet. We truly need more people involved and maybe, once we open a new center to educate about these special cases, we will be able to expand our care team through inspiration & their experience with them hands on 🙂
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Wonky Hearts Animal Haven?
Wonky Hearts Animal Haven is a 501c3 nonprofit animal rescue with a focus on education & animals with disabilities and medical needs.
We made a name for ourselves largely through my Tiktok account (@meganandtherescues) where I share their stories in light, silly ways – highlighting their quality of life despite their differences.
I am most proud of the educational center that we currently have under construction. It’s been the most enormous feat, both physically and financially. Our goal is to open our doors to the public within the year and allow friendly comfortable ways to experience their differences and learn from them. We hope to be open and sharing for many years to come, but even if it is short lived, I am SO proud of how far we have come and how much we have accomplished.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I feel IMMENSELY lucky for my TikTok account. Many have credited its success to the way I storytell and create a humorous narrative that both inspires and educates even in the most stressful of situations. But I still believe that luck played a part in its success. The audience it’s given us to be able to reach & fundraise I will never ever take for granted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WonkyHeartsAnimalHaven.org
- Instagram: Wonkyheartsanimalhaven // meganandtherescues
- Facebook: Wonky Hearts Animal Haven // Megan and the Rescues
- Youtube: Megan and the Rescues
Image Credits
Claudio A. Robles
