Author: Sydney Teitelbaum

Animal Care and Protective Services is a Jacksonville City-run, pet-based animal care facility and shelter. Their mission is to be the pioneer in fostering a culture of kindness and service that protects the welfare of both people and animals. The Animal Care and Protective Services team is built of professionals and volunteers who care for the shelter’s animals and are responsible for handling over 30,000 service calls each year, ranging from rescuing stray and injured animals to looking into cases of animal abuse and neglect. They offer resources for people looking to adopt a pet, such as information about the specific dog or cat for veterinarians, emergency treatments, emergency kits for the pets, spay and neutering appointments, and resources to license your pet in the City of Jacksonville, among other incredible resources for the future owner to feel comfortable when adopting and caring for their furry friend. They also hold events at their shelter, such as the Dogs Around Duval program, which allows for the dogs to be adopted for a day by a Jacksonville civilian and taken on an adventure outside of the shelter. They have about five hundred animals up for adoption and take in between six and eight thousand animals annually. Animal Care and Protective Services is located in Downtown Jacksonville.

Author: Kyle Railey

The new Artist Walk Riverside Skate Park is the latest addition to Jacksonville’s skating community. Located under the Fuller Warren Bridge, the park opened to the public in early August and has since drawn skaters from all over Jacksonville, including Arlington, Fernandina Beach, and Orange Park. The park’s centrality has allowed the skating community to grow and bring in new or old skaters back to their passion. 

The skate park’s unique location and design have attracted local skaters, believing the skate park is full of jumps, ramps, and ledges that can capture a skater’s creativity.

“The amount of creativity you can have. They put ledges and stuff you can grind on all over the sides from the ramps. You can do anything you want here, just like it just matters what your mind can do and you want to do,” local skater Taj said when asked about the park’s design and creativity. 

Jacksonville is not new to the skating community as it has multiple parks, including the South Beach Skate Park, Orange Park Skateboard Park, and the Kona Skate Park. Kona in particular has played an important role in Jacksonville’s skating community with its historic “Vert Ramp,” which many legendary skaters, like Tony Hawk, used during its peak. These developments have allowed Jacksonville to create and cultivate a flourishing skating community that sees continued support from both locals and the government through the development of the new Artist Walk Skate Park.

Author: Olivia Batchelor

Two feline-inspired cat cafes, The Caffeinated Cat in Jacksonville Beach and The Witty Whisker Cat Café in Saint Augustine, are more than just cozy places to enjoy a latte with a cuddly cat. They are safe havens for adoptable cats looking for their forever homes. While these cafes have successfully facilitated countless adoptions, one troubling trend remains to be true with all cat adoption places: black cats often linger longer than their more interesting-colored counterparts.

The Caffeinated Cat provides visitors with a chance to sip coffee while interacting with its playful feline residents. Their cozy setup and welcoming staff make it easy for cats and humans to connect. Similarly, The Witty Whisker Cat Café offers a cat-friendly atmosphere with delicious pastries and coffee to complement their cat room that is bursting with cat energy. Patrons can get their caffeine fix and maybe find a new feline friend.

Both cafes work with local animal rescues and offer immediate cat adoptions on their premises. Angeli Rodriguez, the owner of The Witty Whisker Cat Café, said about the purpose of cat cafes, “Cat cafes are the future of cat adoptions. This is the way people can sit, have coffee, and play with cats in a no-pressure environment.”

However, despite these welcoming environments, black cats face an uphill battle when it comes to adoption. Known as the “Black Cat Syndrome,” this phenomenon describes the tendency for black cats to be overlooked due to superstition and negative stereotypes. And the newest reason people aren’t looking to adopt a black cat is that they are harder to take pictures of for social media. Even in a setting as friendly and inviting as a cat café, these adorable and affectionate cats often wait longer to be adopted than their tabby or calico counterparts.

Black is a dominant gene, so there are so many more black cats than any other color of cat. And as Halloween approaches, it is the perfect time to dispel myths and appreciate the beauty and personality of these often-misunderstood felines. Though some rescues do not adopt out black cats during October to protect the cats, they always take applications, and you can get your dark feline friend by November.

Next time you are in Jacksonville Beach and Saint Augustine, stop. By for a cup of coffee and meet many wonderful black cats waiting to brighten someone’s life. After all, the perfect cup of coffee might just be complemented by the perfect companion.