We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kate Baumwell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I’ve always been an animal lover, but didn’t get involved with the rescue community until the end of 2020. I had one pet at the time, and had always wanted more, so someone suggested fostering. I had an extra bedroom so figured why not! I reached out to Saving Sage Animal Rescue, and was approved after going through their application process. Since then, I have fostered over 80 cats and kittens for Saving Sage, along with other local rescues like Operation Liberation, Pretty Kitty Miami, and Love N Light Furever. What I noticed about the rescue community here, (which is mostly volunteer, foster, and donation based,) is that there is literally never enough food, funds, or people to help.
My love for wine is also somewhat new, really developing over the last 8 years or so. I’ve traveled quite a bit, to about 28 countries, and have visiting wine regions all over. So I started to think of new ways to raise money for all of these rescues, and thought, why not combine my love for animals and my love for wine in some way! And so, Whiskers & Wine was born,

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Whiskers and Wine doesn’t just ask for donations (which are, of course, always welcome,) but rather we look to reach out into the wine community to host events in an effort to raise money. We’ve only been active for the last year or so, and have hosted events like a wine fundraiser at Flight Wine Lounge in Miami Shores, and even a Workout for Whiskers at V3 Perform gym (also in Miami Shores) where boot camp participants (21+) received a complimentary post-workout glass of sparkling wine. We’d love to host more event like those, but are currently looking for additional partners to host wine tasting fundraisers at their wine bar/restaurant, or even something like a 5 course wine-paired dinner fundraiser. The money raised goes mostly to rescues, and eventually we would like to be able to fund transports out of south Florida to areas of the country that don’t have the animal overpopulation crisis that we do.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think over the last few years, I’ve tried to reach out to various rescues, and tried to help in any way. Even if it’s making connections between rescues. I think just by being available and reliable, rescues know that they can trust me and I have the best interest of the animals at heart!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience is essential in rescue work. While Whiskers and Wine doesn’t directly participate in animal rescue and care, our mission is to channel resources and funding to those who do. Every day, we witness the need for resilience—whether it’s coping with the loss of animals despite tireless efforts, the constant stream of abandoned and surrendered pets, or the ongoing challenge of finding enough adopters to clear shelters before space runs out. It’s a heavy burden, filled with frustration and defeat. Yet, the rescuers persist, often volunteering their time and even spending their own money, all without recognition. They embody true resilience, and my goal is to do everything I can to support them and make their work a little easier.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://whiskersandwinefoundation.org
• Instagram: @whiskersandwinefoundation

Image Credits

Nathalie Rodriguez
Kate Baumwell