NASCAR driver Daniel Suarez and his fiancée, Julia Piquet, turned their recent Brazil trip into a heroic rescue mission. Suarez shared the heartwarming story on his Instagram account, revealing how he found a stray cat whom he named 'El Flaco,' and gave it a loving home.
Suarez currently drives the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He won the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2016. The 32-year-old is also known for his animal advocacy and recently joined PETA to promote better animal treatment.
Daniel Suarez recently shared a message on Instagram that read,
"Last night after having dinner with friends we were driving back home and I saw a cat literally in the middle of a pretty fast 3-lane street. I managed to park quickly on the side of the road and luckily he went to the side of the road as well without getting killed by cars."
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"He was obviously scared, but slowly he allowed me to get close to him until eventually he came to me, and I was able to bring him with me and Julia in the bus," he added.
They first took the cat to their temporary home, fed him salmon and water and named it "El Flaco," which in English means "The Thin."
But with guard dogs around, it was not safe for the cat to move freely. The couple then brought the cat to a horse riding facility, where Piquet was aware of a cat colony. There, El Flaco was welcomed by the resident cats. Daniel Suarez was thrilled and wrote:
"We arrived with El Flaco and like 7 other cats came to welcome him to the group and they all shared the salmon we brought. I couldn’t be any happier!! That made my week! El Flaco got his lucky night and a new family to live life in a safe place for him."
The post received plenty of positive feedback from fans. One person commented, "Thank you for stopping and helping him—saving him!" Another wrote, "So sweet of you to help the kitty."
Daniel Suarez Partners with PETA for Animal Welfare
Daniel Suarez, who was born in Mexico, recently partnered with PETA to promote better treatment and laws for animals. His compassion for animals was sparked by the fact that his father used to rescue stray animals back home. He now urges fans to keep their dogs indoors and never chain them outside.
“I can’t even imagine what it would be like for a dog to be living outside full-time,” Daniel Suarez said (via Peta).
Dogs that are chained outside frequently go without enough food, water, and shelter. Meanwhile, weather extremes, such as heat waves or cold snaps, claim many lives.
“That’s why it’s very important to educate people and to work with different states… to continue to push to have good laws.” he added.
