On May 18, Animal Welfare lost a great supporter and cherished friend with the death of Kari Winters.  She had been an advocate for pets during her time in Southern California and for the Animal Welfare Department since moving to New Mexico in 2006,

While in Southern California, where she spent many years as a psychiatric nurse at the UCLA Medical Center, Kari was involved in animal rescue in Los Angeles and was a Board member of Southern California Siamese Rescue. She also worked with several other pet rescue ventures, including the Amanda Foundation, a nonprofit organization that rescues dogs and cats that, through no fault of their own, are spending their last days at City and County Shelters.

It was while in Southern California that she rescued the pet love of her life, her beloved Remi. He was a disheveled mass of hair, quivering in a corner of an enclosure when Kari first laid eyes on him. Despite an admonition from a vet that Remi was too damaged to be fostered, Kari went ahead and took Remi, had him groomed and nursed him back to health. Remi stayed with Kari permanently and became her soul pet until he passed last year.

Kari was an award-winning writer and a professional member of the Cat Writers' Association, who wrote books and articles for various pet publications such as Cat Fancy, The Pet Press and others. She was also an active participant in Lap Dog Rescue. Through it all, she found the time to write and administer the website www.ShelterPetsInk.com; her motto-"Changing animals' lives through writing."

Working with Animal Welfare, she never met a cause she didn't like; from helping to reestablish Animal Welfare's moribund Outreach Program in the schools to helping find auction items and contributors for the Mayor's Dog Ball to advocating on behalf of Animal Welfare to the city council. She was also an active foster parent for animals in need, opening her home and giving of herself selflessly, as well as advocating for the group Save a Mexican Mutt.

Kari is survived by her mother, Leona Winters of MI; her goddaughter Krystal Javien and husband Joe of CA; special friends Gary Rhode and Wuffy of CA, Lexi Kelly of NM and Darlene Arden of MA;

To honor her legacy, Animal Welfare considering a number of options, perhaps a plaque in the new Eastside lobby, honoring Kari's memory. If you'd like to contribute, you can do so through Albuquerque Kennel Kompadres (kennelkompadres.org)

“For now though, our only consolation for a life well-lived is the impact she had on Albuquerque's pets and our lives” said Jeanine L. Patterson, MS, RN, COHN-S, Director of Albuquerque Animal Welfare. “It's an understatement to say she'll be missed. It's reasonable to assume we'll rarely see her like again in our lifetimes.”