The FMC Spotlight: Megan Mannarelli-Martin

If you are on a particular side of TikTok–namely animal TikTok–you may recognize Megan Mannarelli-Martin as the face of the quickly growing MeganAndTheRescues. In 2020, the young philanthropist and animal lover co-founded Rafiki’s Rescue, an adoption center in Orange County, California, that works to rehabilitate, foster, and place special needs animals into loving forever homes. While the shelter is run in a similar fashion to countless others around the globe, Rafiki’s has a particular focus on offering education and assistance for the medical anomalies under their care. On her personal pages, Megan does just that, showcasing her adoptables with a particularly creative flare based around positivity, chaos and lots of serotonin.

Mannarelli-Martin began working as a veterinary technician in 2016 and quickly developed a love for those furry friends who need an extra helping hand. Her background in scientific critical care allows her to appeal to over one million people on the internet-a loving community seeking to assist, raise awareness and sometimes simply offer an encouraging word– explaining the medical needs of her animals in ways that are easy to understand. Her pages have helped viewers understand that while special needs animals may require extra care, they are still loving, playful creatures eager to embrace life.

Megan took some time out of her packed days to chat with The FMC about the animals under her care, her favorite thing about running a rescue, the ways you can help this holiday season and more.

Let’s start with a simple question. Have you always loved animals, or was it something you kind of grew into?

It was very evident to everyone around me that I always loved animals. Since before I could talk, my life involved animals in some capacity. They have always, always captivated me. Animals, bugs, any living creature I could have spent all day long simply just observing.

What is it about cats that makes you love them so much?

Funny enough, I started out as a “dog person.” Even though I loved all animals, I wasn’t particularly a cat person. I went into cat rescue for fear of keeping all the dogs I would rescue - funny how that worked out. [laughter] Cats and I simply just clicked. I like how different and unique each and everyone is. Their own personality to discover, learn, and get to know. A very unique bond with each.

How did you get involved with Rafiki’s Rescue?

I founded Rafiki’s Rescue in 2020 after having been involved in rescue since 2016/2017 with varying organizations. While I learned a great deal from others, I knew I had a clear vision for myself and how I wanted to do rescue specifically geared towards special needs & critical cases.

Can you explain how that differs from your personal pages, if at all?

I created my own pages–Megan and the Rescues–as a space for me to be more myself and have the freedom to not be so professional all of the time. The content I post on my personal pages is more creative and sometimes not about animals. It simply gives me the flexibility to be myself and not as organization-centered. The Rafiki’s Rescue account is a “professional nonprofit" page. [lauughter] I post more detailed medical updates there and include all the cats that are part of the rescue. My own page is more light-hearted, and I try to explain the medical updates in a more creative way. It also focuses more on those directly in my care instead of all of the animals in the rescue.

The animals you care for all have special needs. How does that impact the foster process?

My brand of fostering has always been a bit different than your typical shelter process. However, each organization will always have its own ways and methods that work for them. With the cases I take on, I’ve always averaged about 8 months of care before they find their forever homes. Sometimes longer, sometimes less. It all varies and depends on their medical needs, what age they arrived at, and what age they were deemed adoptable. I find, however, that their disabilities are oftentimes the smallest setback. The biggest factor always seems to be that so few people look to adopt cats older than 4 months. Rarely do I have them available that young, as their medical needs upon arrival take a few months to tend to.

As far as the actual disability itself, it mostly affects the needs and requirements of an adoptive home. Some may need accommodations in the household, and we help with that and preparing for their arrival. More often than not, we can make any home work for the animals as long as we find the right, dedicated family. I truly believe that age tends to be the bigger adoption barrier than their actual daily needs. Of course, there are some cases with greater needs that do end up with me for the very long term until we can find the right person, but that is not as common. There’s a stigma around disabled animals being unadoptable when most of them absolutely are. We just need organizations willing to work alongside adopters to educate them and offer guidance throughout the pet's life if needed.

What is your favorite thing about what you do?

There are two things. The first–the cliche– is the love I share with them all. Each is unique, and each is so special. There is something different and so beautiful about the love for life these special cases have and how badly they want to share that love with you. They radiate everything good about life. They help me to keep going. The second thing is that I love the science behind each case. I love learning. I love educating. Each case brings a new opportunity to learn more, to better myself for the next, and to understand medicine further. I will never feel as though I have learned enough or that my opinions are solidified. I think it is so important to believe you know nothing so that your mind is open to learning the absolute most. I want my opinion to be changed. I want to advance medicine. And I want to spread the joy in doing so. I just love science. [laughter]

What do you find most challenging?

The most challenging aspect for me is watching those who are ready for a home grow up in my care without finding it. That is the part that truly breaks my heart. I do believe that they are with me as long as they’re supposed to be in the big picture, waiting for that person they were meant to find. But it saddens me when I see them grow up and watch their most adoptable age pass by for no reason at all. I wish each of my adoptables a family of their own with less divided attention than mine. And consequently, it also pains me to see all the faces I have to say no to due to lack of space. That is the hardest part for me, not the sleepless nights and actual medical.

Has it taught you anything about yourself or others?

About myself? It has probably just further confirmed that I do not pay attention to myself. [laughter] I suppose I also know now that I’m better at storytelling than I thought and that I love it more than I thought. When it comes to others, I've learned to expect nothing from anyone. I know this is not a very positive answer. [laughter] Clearly, I am more of an animal person than a people person! I’ve just learned to be pleasantly surprised when something I don't expect happens.

That being said, I am absolutely blown away and taken aback by the absolutely beautiful online community we’ve created. It’s restored a little faith in humanity for me. It brings me so much joy. I did not think people could do that for me, but my online community has. They have created something so beautiful, so incredible. I learned that social media isn’t all evil and that there’s a place for everyone somewhere.

Since your TikTok gained traction, what’s changed the most?

So much has changed since TikTok that it’s hard for me even to think about or process. It’s been nearly a year, and I still can’t even wrap my head around it or spend too much time sitting with the concept without feeling like I’m losing my mind. I wish I could show myself this three years ago. I wish I could show past Megan what she would build and the community she would have. She wouldn’t believe it - she truly wouldn’t believe it. Being able to say yes to a medical case and know that there are a million people who will be cheering them on alongside me & learning with me - I cannot put into words just how special that is or just what that means to me. Being able to keep my animal's bellies full without crying over every penny we spend to do so still feels unreal. Knowing they are safe & they are fed - nothing compares to that. I will never, ever take that for granted. I still worry that one day, I will wake up, and it will be gone because it simply does not feel real. But, for now, my animals are being seen. They are being given the voice I desired for them. That means everything.

What do you think people would find most surprising about your day-to-day?

I’m not entirely sure what would be surprising about my day–to–day, but I’ve been told numerous times that every aspect of my life is unexpected and/or shocking. So, “out of the norm” has just become normal to me. I think the biggest thing people do not realize is that I am quite significantly disabled. I don’t share much about it because it’s not my focus. But so many believe that much of what I do could not be them, that they couldn’t do it. I don’t expect people to do what I do, but I do think that many components of it that people feel are impossible are not as impossible as they seem. When someone is made aware of my disabilities, they often are taken aback. Everyone has their own limitations that are to be respected, but I think those limitations are often times decided upon before allowing the chance for perspective that one might need.

For anyone who wants to help you and your rescues this holiday season, what’s the best way for them to do that?

Any and all support is always incredible in every way. If all you can do is share, that’s enough. It truly is enough. But two things come to mind that would help us start the new year on solid ground.

1. Adoptions! I think that people often believe that with a large following comes many adoptions when, in fact, it’s been our slowest year yet. We’re about to watch 12 kittens who arrived as 2-5 week-olds turn one year in our care. This has greatly limited our ability to save more. Even if you cannot adopt, sharing their profiles & posts is huge!

2. Monthly donors! Even if you can only give $5/month, it allows us to have a stable foundation each month to rely on, a budget to keep bellies fed & operations fueled on serotonin! We are also aiming to find a physical location this year, and having a monthly donor base will allow us the stability we need to move forward with these plans. Consequently, this location would, in theory, help with both our adoptions AND be a place for education & foster classes.

How exciting! Lastly, since this is The FMC, which Female Main Character archetype do you relate to most?

For the record - I am an INFJ. Let it be known! [laughter] I am probably The Nerd, but I do not value my reputation in popularity over my reputation regarding what I set my mind to or what projects I am in on. Otherwise, it would be The Warrior, but in the most introverted sense of it. I do this for myself and for the animals, not for the recognition. I am competitive, but the competition is with myself. I like a challenge, but I don’t like challenging others. It’s all a personal battle.