Chappell Roan sure has had a busy year. Along with selling out whirlwind tour dates, breaking festival records, and speaking out about causes she cares about, it’s never been more important for the “Pink Pony Club” singer to de-stress.
This became even more evident in recent weeks, when she had to back out of a recent festival performance, citing the need to prioritize her health.
The star has been very vocal about her mental health, including sharing details about her experience being diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, per a recent interview with Rolling Stone.
Living in the spotlight has proven difficult, but she has found ways to manage. Like… snuggling up with rescue animals.
Prior to a show in Council Bluffs, Iowa last week, the singer spent some time with a handful of local animal rescue organizations — and their adoptable furry friends.
Jayna Sanders runs a small rescue nonprofit called No Dog Cleft Behind, which helps cleft puppies get adopted in the Midwest.
“Chappell requested a rescue bring in puppies and kittens before the show, as she feels it’s therapeutic for her and the band to snuggle pets while they are on the road,” Sanders told Good Good Good.
“Chappell and her crew were absolutely amazing. Very normal and down to earth. We were there for two hours and they were so grateful for the snuggles. The entire crew spent time with the puppies and kittens and inquired about adopting.”
Another small rescue, Corbin’s Cathouse, supports exotic cat breeds, and also joined in on the cuddle party.
“It was so touching, I definitely teared up,” founder Jessi Corbin told Good Good Good. “She seemed so comfortable and relaxed while holding the cats and was truly interested in the issues exotic cats (especially Sphynx and Sphynx mixes) are having.”
Roan’s mom is a veterinarian, according to both Sanders and Corbin, so it’s only natural that the “Good Luck, Babe!” songstress is passionate about animals, too.
Despite some rumors circulating online, Roan did not adopt a new pet during this visit with the animals, according to Corbin.
But she was interested in bringing home a Sphynx cat of her own.
“She did talk about it and was definitely interested in the future,” Corbin said. “She talked about possibly reaching out to learn more about some that are available, but I'm sure that's not a definite thing.”
The group was also joined by folks — and animals — from the American Rescue League of Iowa.
“We had a great time hanging out with Chappell and her team and talking about our mission, and the kittens had so much fun that they didn’t want to leave,” ARL shared in a Facebook post. “We loved being able to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.”
This is far from the first time Roan has invited animal rescue organizations backstage before her shows. In May, she cozied up to some adoptable animals from Richmond Animal Care and Control in Virginia, and Corbin reiterated that Roan seems to support a myriad of animal rescue organizations.
And while the cuddle time seems to benefit Roan (the singer even snagged a kitten to join her on a conference call, according to Sanders, who added, “she said it helps calm her”), her role is influential for the animal rescue crews, too.
“Honestly, just getting the word out helps so much,” Corbin said, adding that people don’t always know how much work it takes to own an exotic cat.
“The bigger of an outreach we have, the more we can educate and hopefully find these cats wonderful homes,” Corbin added. “Even if 10 more people know about us, that is 10 more people we can help. So, her just giving us the time of day has already impacted us. We’ve had an increase in applications!”
Header image courtesy of Jessi Corbin
