At the Wake County Animal Center, some heroes wear scrubs, and some warm bottles for hungry kittens in the middle of the night. Elle Felkins has done both.
By day, Felkins is a clinical project manager for oncology studies at a pharmaceutical company. She began her career as a nurse and later moved into research. Caring for others has always shaped her life.
She is also the mother of a 22-year-old son. When he was about eight years old, they began visiting the animal center simply to spend time with the animals. They would put money down to sponsor pets, hoping to help them get adopted more quickly. Then one day, Felkins fell in love with a cat. She decided to foster him and eventually adopted him.
“We kept fostering for the love of animals and to provide an experience for my son of caring for others who are less fortunate,” Felkins said.
In the early years, they “foster failed” more than once, choosing to adopt the animals they brought home. Over time, they learned how to give each foster the love and stability needed to prepare them for permanent homes.
Today, Felkins is proud to say her son, now 22, volunteers at the shelter, a full-circle moment that reflects the values they built together.
Because of her background as a trauma nurse, Felkins and her family often take in animals requiring intensive care. They have cared for pets recovering from amputations and burns, animals suffering from severe emaciation, and tiny kittens requiring bottle feeding. Living close to the shelter allows them to respond quickly when urgent needs arise.
“They need to know love so that they can attach to humans and know they are safe,” she said. “We cry every time a foster is adopted because we have loved them. I always say that if I stop crying, it will be time to stop fostering.”
For her, fostering means saving lives, sometimes quite literally being the reason an animal survives. She also serves as a resource for newer fosters, offering guidance and encouragement as they learn.
“Having a direct effect on a living creature, literally being the reason an animal is alive, is beyond description,” Felkins said.
Her advice to anyone considering fostering is straightforward: Jump in. Support is available, and the impact is immeasurable. As long as she is able, she plans to continue opening her home and her heart to the animals who need it most.
