Who we are

Founded in 2003 by Lana Bajsel, Give Me Shelter Cat Rescue (a registered 501(C)3 non-profit organization), has worked tirelessly within the San Francisco community to help stop the overpopulation of abandoned and unwanted adult and senior cats.

As a small group of dedicated volunteers, we try to save as many feline lives as we can. We provide behavioral and medical intervention, unconditional love and a safe haven while we seek new forever homes for our feline friends.

As many of you know, the odds are stacked against older cats that are placed in local shelters. Here in San Francisco, most adult cats are at risk of being euthanized, whether it is due to their age, easily treatable medical conditions, or due to the stress of being placed in a shelter. We believe that adult and senior cats, with their typically calm personalities, can make the best of family pets. Our mission is to rescue these cats and find them loving, permanent homes through fostering and active adoption strategies.

Every time you adopt a cat from us, you allow us to save another cat that would have otherwise died. We receive new cats into our system almost every week. Our website is constantly being updated, so please check back often!

Our Mission

Every day adult and senior cats with treatable medical and behavior conditions are euthanized. GIVE ME SHELTER's goal is to rescue these cats and place them into loving permanent homes.

The GMS Team

Lana Bajsel - Lana had been independently involved in rescue for many years before she decided to start GMS. Walking through Animal Care and Control, she realised that all these wonderful adult and senior cats that were languishing in their cages had no one to help them. The void had to be filled. She started GMS then and there and has watched it grow and become San Francisco's largest cat rescue organization.