St. Francis Animal Rescue (SFAR) was founded in 1992 when a group of women banded together to feed and spay/neuter a large colony of feral cats living at the North Jetty in Nokomis, Florida.  The women soon recognized there was a need to help stray, homeless and abandoned cats in the surrounding community.  In 1993, SFAR became a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.  Three years later, property was purchased to accommodate a cageless shelter/adoption center and a thrift store.  The shelter/adoption center is still located at 1925 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice.  The thrift store has since relocated to 478 N. US Bypass 41 in Venice.

 

St. Francis is a volunteer run organization that cares for lifetime resident cats, adoptable cats and kittens and foster cats.  St. Francis provides volunteers with food to feed local feral colonies.  Recognizing the need for Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) of feral cats, St. Francis has teamed with local volunteer trappers to spay or neuter the ferals in our community.