Cats make wonderful pets. They can be less demanding and can easily adjust to a variety of lifestyles and living spaces. Every cat is a true individual, so it’s important to take the time to choose the friend who’s right for you. A cat’s personality and age, as well as the kinds of pets you already have at home, are all things to keep in mind when making your selection.
Spring arrives this year on March 20, at exactly10:46 am EDT. For those of us in the Northeast, it can’t get here soon enough. It’s been a hard winter for many, including homeless pets and wildlife who endured days of freezing temperatures and two major storms, one a record-breaking “snowmageddon.”
When a powerful winter storm swept across Long Island overnight Sunday, February 22, into Monday, February 23, it left an unforgettable mark on the region. By morning, more than two feet of snow had blanketed the area — the most intense local blizzard in almost a decade — transforming Port Washington into a landscape of towering drifts and buried streets. While much of the community hunkered down to ride out the storm, our Snow Emergency Team geared up for what was ahead, preparing cots to stay overnight at the shelter since the roads would be impassable for anyone else trying to reach our campus.
March began at our Port Washington, NY campus as we welcomed a very special group of new arrivals — over 50 puppies, including a litter of 9 along with their extraordinary mom, Mama Mia. Their journey to safety was made possible thanks to the remarkable teamwork and compassion of our rescue partners Paws 4 Life and That Crazy Dog Lady.
February is widely recognized as American Heart Month, a national campaign to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease in people. But it’s also the perfect time to focus on the hearts beating quietly beside us every day — our dogs and cats.
Did you know that a cat’s heart is about the size of a small apricot and, depending on the individual cat, weighs no more than 20 grams? That’s less than a double AA battery! For my Florida foster, Cora Valentine, it’s even lighter because Cora was born with a hole in her heart… a minuscule imperfection that threatens her life, and all I want to do is fill that hole with love.
In the early morning hours of a bitterly cold morning, North Shore Animal League America’s Mobile Rescue Unit pulled into our Port Washington campus carrying precious cargo — 50 dogs rescued from commercial breeding operations across the Midwest. Take a look inside our first commercial breeding rescue of 2026.
Want to ride along on a rescue mission? Our social media specialist, Bob Borden, captured the entire journey of our first rescue of 2026 with our partner, National Mill Dog Rescue. Join our Mobile Rescue Team from the moment the truck is loaded to the safe arrival of 48 dogs and puppies rescued from commercial breeding operations across the Midwest.
Mark your calendars: January 24 is National Change a Pet’s Life Day. But if you’re like me, you don’t need a calendar to remind you to help homeless animals. In fact, I bet a day rarely goes by when you’re not doing something, big or small, to improve their lives. Maybe it’s signing a petition, volunteering, or encouraging everyone to “adopt, don’t shop.” I’m grateful for every opportunity I get to make a difference, including a recent chance to change the life of a lovely Siamese kitty named Willow Rose.
Shortly before Halloween, a tiny black-and-white kitten was found wandering the streets of New York City. Only seven weeks old, he arrived at North Shore Animal League America through our longtime shelter partner Animal Care Centers of NYC. Affectionately named Phantom Fluff, this kitten needed urgent, expert care.
The term “good Samaritan” is one of the most beautiful in the English language. Its simplest definition is “a person who helps a stranger in distress.” But, gosh, it’s so much more than that. Being a good Samaritan means taking a chance, stepping out of your comfort zone, recognizing your connection to another, and giving of yourself. And when that empathy reaches across species, well… it’s even more beautiful. Most of my fosters are the result of good Samaritans rescuing them from the streets — or, in the case of Mama Chrissy and her nuggets, from a subway platform.