Fluffy orange and white kitten sleeping in a cat bed

The Story Behind Maya’s Mission

Maya's story started with irresponsible pet parenting, her original parents adopted her along with a second kitten for their young girls, who were about 4-5 years old. They also had a dog, whom they kept most of his life outside tied to a dog house during all weather, without proper socialization and kindness shown to him.

Then one day, one of the kittens disappeared, and Maya became lonely.

Maya started to come around to our house, we remember sitting outside, celebrating Em's fathers birthday, sitting at our picnic table cutting into chocolate cake, and as we look over... Maya was using the edge of our bushes as her litter box.

Maya decided, that our place was her place, she started running down our three tiered garden when we pulled into our driveway and spent more time around our house then our neighbors. We started to feed her as she appeared skinny, and the natural bond just grew.

At one point, we decided that the bond was getting so strong that we should just ask the neighbors if they would be open to us adopting her.

So we did... The neighbors acknowledged they did not have the financial means to get her spayed or vaccinated and to properly care for her. The day after that conversation we came home to a large tote on our door step of the toys and food they did have for Maya.

We remember it took a few weeks for it to soak in, the commitment we just made for this little beautiful soul. We never expected to build the bond with her that we did, and she was our one and only child for 18 years.

We learned so much from our baby about what it takes to be a loving, responsible advocate and pet parent.  Despite her no longer physically being here with us, we feel her around us and will honor her by helping others not just help their non-human babies survive, but help them thrive.

Maya's Mission was created to help you be more confident in your pet parenting journey so you can give them the best chance at the longest and healthiest life possible because we know, how precious every day with our babies truly is.

Our Core Values

Our values guide not only the work we do for animals and the people who care for them, but also how we work with one another. They shape the way we educate, communicate, make decisions, and grow Maya's Mission.

Compassion

At Maya’s Mission, compassion is at the heart of everything we do. We believe animals deserve to be seen, heard, and considered, even though they cannot speak our language.

We strive to amplify the needs of those whose voices have too often been overlooked and encourage a world where their well-being matters.

That same compassion guides how we treat people. From empowering pet parents with knowledge and support to the way we interact with our community and one another, we lead with empathy, respect, patience, and understanding.

Compassion isn't simply something we teach—it’s how we strive to operate every day.

Non-Judgementalism

At Maya’s Mission, we believe every animal and every person deserves to be approached with respect, curiosity, and an open mind. We don’t judge an animal based on their breed, species, appearance, history, or circumstances, and we don’t make assumptions about pet parents based on where they are today or how they got there.

We focus on what comes next. We meet people where they are, listen before making assumptions, and provide education and support that empower them to make informed choices and continue growing. We believe lasting progress is more likely when people feel comfortable asking questions, learning, and seeking help without fear of shame or judgment.

We bring that same principle into the way we work together. With coworkers, partners, community members, and other stakeholders, we seek to understand different experiences and perspectives before drawing conclusions. We encourage respectful dialogue, give others the benefit of being heard, and create space for people to learn, grow, and do better.

Progress begins with understanding, not judgment.

Communication

At Maya’s Mission, we believe meaningful change starts with open, honest, and respectful communication. We strive to make information clear, approachable, and useful so people feel empowered to ask questions, share their experiences, and make informed decisions for the animals in their lives.

We believe communication is a two-way process. We listen as much as we speak, welcome thoughtful questions and different perspectives, and recognize that we can learn from the people and communities we serve. When we don’t know something, we believe in saying so, seeking reliable information, and continuing to learn.

We hold ourselves to the same standard internally. With coworkers, partners, collaborators, and other stakeholders, we communicate openly and respectfully, listen with the intent to understand, address concerns constructively, and share information that helps everyone work toward a common purpose.

We communicate to connect, understand, and empower—not simply to be heard.

Innovation

At Maya’s Mission, we believe innovation should make it easier to create meaningful change. We continually look for better, more engaging, and more accessible ways to share knowledge so pet parents and animal advocates can turn information into action.

Innovation also shapes how we work behind the scenes. We embrace thoughtful use of technology, new ideas, and efficient processes that allow us to spend less time on unnecessary complexity and more time on what matters—educating, supporting, and empowering people to improve the lives of animals.

We’re willing to evolve. We stay curious, learn from what works and what doesn’t, and remain open to new approaches that can help us expand our reach and impact.

The goal of innovation isn’t simply to do things differently—it’s to help more animals and the people who care for them, better and faster.

Real People. Real Animals. Real Moments.

We believe technology can help us educate, connect, and reach more people—but we also believe there’s something special about keeping things real.

Many of the photos you see throughout Maya’s Mission were taken by us and feature real people, animals, and moments from our lives and communities. As we grow, we’d love for our website to reflect even more of the people and animals who share in our mission.