A purrfect union

Some couples meet through mutual friends, in a bar or with the help of a phone app. One newlywed couple can tell the story about how they fell in love from a mutual appreciation of animals and working together at Cat Depot. 

In 2010, Tim Weeks and the former Kim Perez both started working at Cat Depot. Weeks was a cat caregiver; Perez was a veterinary technician. 

“He used to help me all the time when I had to pull blood from kitties,” Perez said. “He would be the one that I would pull in to hold the kitty to help me out. He was a big help.” 

The two would partner up to clean cages and feed cats but really got to know one another when they joined co-workers for a night out. 

What follows is hiss-tory: The couple married Nov. 14, in a ceremony at Bella Luna Barn, in Palmetto. Perez has since left Cat Depot for another position, and Weeks now works as the systems and finance manager. They share their home with three cats and four dogs but will always consider Cat Depot a special place. 

“Obviously, it has a really, really special place in my heart,” Perez said. “He is the love of my life.” 

Send for backup

With the arrival of the holiday season, the Sarasota Police Department was in need of temporary backup. Hailing from the North Pole, Officer Elf on the Shelf returned this year to help.

Officer Elf on the Shelf was sworn in by Chief Bernadette DiPino Nov. 30, in a ceremony at the SPD headquarters.
The tiny officer will report for duty immediately until the end of the month looking for naughty and nice children. He’s already been spotted helping out officers on patrol and even blaring the occasional siren.

Watch Officer Elf on the Shelf on duty on the Sarasota Police Department’s Facebook page for updates.