About Shelter Pets Ink

Kari Winters has been a psychiatric nurse for over 30 years and is currently Board Certified in the area of psychiatric nursing. When she got Nicky, she was fascinated by him and started reading everything she could find regarding animal health and behavior. Kari loved animals all her life, but didn't get into animal rescue until the 1990's. She's had some health challenges and after several years of doing animal rescue, decided to use her talent for writing to help the cause of shelter animals. She has won several awards for her writing and has also been quoted in many cat magazines. Kari is a member of the International Cat Writers' Association.

Kari writes at no charge for humane organizations. Please contact her through this website if your animal charity would be interested in printing one of her articles.

Kari holds the copyright for all the material she has written and posted on this website.

Kari Winters receiving The 2002 CATalyst Award
at the 2002 Cat Writers'
Association Conference

Kari won the 2004 Cat Writer's Association CORNELL FELINE HEALTH CENTER VETERINARY ISSUES AWARD which is offered by Cornell University's Feline Health Center to the highest-quality entry on the topic of technological advances, research, new medical developments, and innovations in feline veterinary medicine. Qualifying entries include newspaper, magazine, or newsletter articles, columns, or series of articles, books, or radio/television broadcasts designed to educate the general cat-owning public about new developments. The award consists of $500 and a certificate. As reported on the Cat Writer's Association website,

The winner is Kari Winters, "The Breath of Life" published in The Pet Press.
The judge for this category was Gary D. Norsworthy, a charter Diplomate of the Feline Practice Category of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
His comments about the winning entry include: "This well-written article informs cat owners of a common but often under-appreciated, disease of cats. There are good references to other sources of information It is notable that she sought the advice and review of the recognized authority for this disease."

Nicky was adopted in 1992 when he was 7 1/2 weeks old. When asked about his human mom, he says, "When my mom adopted me, she didn't mean to be stupid about kittens, but, boy, was she!

I had to teach her a lot of stuff, but luckily, she was a good student. I'm proud of her and the two of us have grown a lot together." Nicky and Kari live together in the Los Angeles area.

Remi Before

Remi After Love

This site is lovingly dedicated to Remi who taught us how to see beneath the dirt and disease that often comes with shelter animals. Remi touched our hearts and soul in a way we never expected. We now use the term "Remilove" to describe what we see when we look at animals in the shelter who need to be rescued. When Remi came to us he was old, dirty, raggedy, and had sores all over his body. He was missing fur in places and his eyes looked like he'd lost all hope. Kari says, "The person who introduced me to shelter rescue was able to see past all that when I couldn't, but luckily, Remi taught me to do that, too."

To Remi

Heart to heart
And soul to soul -
A bond that never
can grow old.
Angel heart -
now angel wings -
But still I miss
the earthly things
I used to touch -
We used to do -
before your earthly
life was through.
Our time was short -
Your love was true -
And now I'm forever
missing you.
One day I'll join you
up above And feel again
your undying love.

by: Kari Winters

Image by J.Pascoe,
In loving memory of Cody

Krystal and Cody