Please be aware that we are NOT a rescue or shelter. We are strictly a pet food pantry. If you need assistance with cats and kittens, please reach out to the many local area rescue organizations that can help guide you on how to best help the animals in need. Thank you for caring for these animals and giving them kindness until another solution is found.
No One Goes Hungry On Our Watch!
The Little Black Cat Collective is a small but fierce group of animal advocates, rescuers, veterinary professionals and pet parents providing supplemental pet food service to those in need of temporary assistance.
Our mission is to nourish precious bodies & souls by providing food, comfort & kindness to animals in need and compassion to those who love them. We further aim to be an advocate for proper veterinary care,
including essential spay and neuter surgery.
We can make a difference, one meal, one small act of kindness at a time.
What We Do
Making A Difference
Pet Food Pantry
We primarily serve as a local pet food pantry, servicing the Youngstown area and surrounding communities. We believe that by assisting those in need, we can help prevent hunger and homelessness for many animals, thereby reducing the risk of abandonment or relinquishment to shelter and rescue organizations which are already overfilled and overwhelmed.
Spay and Neuter Education and Assistance
We are committed to helping prevent pet overpopulation and saving lives. We consider our unique organization a great opportunity to educate people on pet overpopulation. We are committed to spay and neuter efforts as well as hunger relief.
Veterinary Care and Nutrition Guidance
We have veterinary professionals on board to answer important animal care questions and concerns. We can also provide a list of resources to help with animal care/welfare services such as low cost spay/neuter, vaccines, parasite prevention and wellness/medical care.
Find out more by contacting us.
Contact The Little Black Cat Collective
Register for pet food assistance by requesting an application.
P.O. Box 3161 Boardman, OH 44513
(330) 732-5053
Meet The Little Black Cat Collective Team
Committed to Helping animals In Need
Laura M. Zavadil, R.V.T.
President/Founder
Laura is a Registered Veterinary Technician whose passion and love for animals was the driving force that turned the dream of helping animals in need into a reality. She is a wife and Cat Mama who loves her family more than anything. She has rescued over 100 stray/abandoned cats and found homes for even more.
Aaron J. Zavadil
Vice President
Aaron is Laura's husband and a kind and awesome Cat Daddy. He has helped rescue for many years and has been an integral part of helping The Little Black Cat Collective get off the ground. He is amazingly handy and helpful.
Ronald J. Rachic
Treasurer
Ron is a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor and a heart of gold when it comes to animals. He is a Cat Daddy and longtime rescuer and supporter of many animal welfare organizations. He has been very active and helpful with community outreach and fundraising.
Annette Ketchum
Secretary
Annette was a smart and loving Cat Mama with many years' experience with animal rescue and volunteer work. She was formerly a Veterinary Assistant who, along with her husband Terry, has given a wonderful home to many rescued cats and dogs over the years. Sadly, Annette passed away in 2023 after a courageous battle with cancer. She will forever be loved, remembered and missed.
Terry L. Ketchum
Board Trustee
Terry is a safety engineer by trade who always has everyone's best interest at heart. He has served on many boards and brings a lot of experience and ideas to the table. He is a Cat Daddy and longtime rescuer with wife Annette.
Sarah M. Sabol
Board Trustee
Sarah is a Veterinary Assistant, Cat & Dog Mama and has a great eye for details. She gives a lot of thought and insight to the best interest of the organization and is very compassionate. She and her mother also hand-make all of our famous catnip toys!
Julie Greene
Board Trustee
Julie is our newest board member. She is a former D.V.M., pet parent and rescuer. She is smart, savvy and funny with a heart of gold, especially when it comes to helping animals in need. She has great insight to help make good decisions to manage our ever-growing pantry.
Krista Milford, R.V. T.
Fundraising Coordinator
Krista is a longtime animal advocate and rescuer who works very hard to help as many people and animals as possible. She is very creative and hardworking and has been an integral part of our organization since the start. She has organized the majority of our fun and fantastic fundraisers and pet food drives.
Donate to The Little Black Cat Collective
Make a Difference Today!
There are many ways to donate to help us to continue our mission of feeding animals at risk for hunger and homelessness. You can donate food, money or gift cards to purchase most needed food items and supplies directly by dropping them off at Big Ben’s Clock Shop during regular business hours, Tuesday-Saturday. You can make a safe and secure donation through our PayPal link, found at the top of our website, or send donations directly to our P.O. Box address. We appreciate and are so grateful for all of our donors. We could not do this without your support.