May: It’s Everything!

I love May. The blossoming trees, the tulips, the lilacs, and even the rain, which makes everything new again. This year, May is extra special, because on May 5, I launched my new book, “Coco and Stephen, Together Forever,” about the unlikely friendship between two of my sweetest fosters, a cat and a rabbit. And because May is also National Foster Care Month, well…it’s everything!

Howard and I have fostered nearly 3,000 animals during the past decade. Right now, I’m caring for about 35, including seven nursing mothers and their kittens. This is my life, my passion and purpose… and my joy, because every day, 24/7, I have the thrill of witnessing magic!

A sampling of my current crop of kittens

And the magic that sparked between Coco (a special-needs kitty) and Stephen (an abandoned bunny) was absolutely amazing, and something I had to share. That’s why I wrote this book and why I’m donating my author’s proceeds to North Shore Animal League America to help other Cocos and Stephens.

Coco and Stephen, truly together forever. 

This is my fourth book, the third for children, and it was the easiest to put on paper; the story just told itself. I hope it encourages children to think about rescue and adoption, to be open to all kinds of friendships, and to understand how important it is to help animals, both wild and domestic. I want this little book to inspire them to stop and help if they see injured or abandoned animals, and to realize they can make a lifesaving difference.

I was lucky. I grew up in a home full of rescues… dogs, cats, bunnies, guinea pigs… so I learned the value of fostering early on. I’m grateful that my life with Howard now lets me express this part of my spirit, because fostering is so important and SO rewarding.

Here I am with my brothers, Dave and Doug,
and our beloved Suzie Dog.

If you’re an animal lover and have a spare bathroom, which is way better than a cage at a shelter, please consider fostering. The shelter or rescue group usually provides the necessary supplies, and you can most likely choose who you want to foster: a senior kitty, a mama cat and her litter, or a medical case who needs special attention.

Fostering opens up space at the shelter and provides the animal with a home environment where he/she can thrive and get ready for adoption. The hardest part of fostering is handing over a foster to a forever family. My solution to this heartbreak: go to the shelter and immediately choose another who needs you!

You’ve probably heard the term “foster fail,” which describes what happens when love turns a temporary foster into a forever home. This has happened to me with some of our permanent residents, so I prefer to call it a “foster gift,” because it’s actually a wonderful outcome. The animal is settled and is already a part of the family. For the adopter, you know the pet inside and out and love every quirk.

Foster gifts are especially good for hard-to-place pets like our plus-size supermodel Miss Petunia Ann Stern (left), who came to us as an abandoned, injured, traumatized former house cat. She spent her first six months with us atop her cat tree, coming down only at night to eat and use her litter box. Today, she’s an affectionate, charming lap cat, and we adore her.

May is also Responsible Animal Guardian Month, and the most important thing about being a responsible pet parent is commitment. No matter how you adopt an animal, you must know in your heart that he/she will need you for the rest of his/her life. Just the other day, I woke up to three emails from people who are moving and asking me to rehome their pets. My heart breaks every time I read these.

Besides keeping a lifetime promise, being responsible means having time to love and nurture, and the resources for proper medical care. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a life and a full-time job; it just means you have to make that pet a priority. As for medical care, there are many wonderful pet insurance programs out there to help, including Fetch Pet Insurance, one of North Shore Animal League America’s generous partners!

Responsible pet guardians also make sure to microchip their pets. As May is also Chip Your Pet Month, I decided to do a little research. Did you know that microchipped pets are much more likely to be reunited with their families? According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, “lost dogs with microchips are returned to their owners at a rate of 52.2%, compared with just 21.9% for those without. For cats, the difference is even more striking: Microchipped cats are reunited with their owners at a rate of 38.5%, compared with only 1.8% for cats who are not microchipped.” So keep your microchip information up to date!

Unfortunately, like everything in life, May has a downside, and it’s called kitten season. Frankly, I don’t think kitten season ever really ends, but it really intensifies when spring’s longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures send feline reproductive cycles into overdrive, and the next thing you know, there are helpless kittens everywhere. The answer? Spay/neuter. Spay/neuter. Spay/neuter. 

The most beautiful foster gift I ever received arrived as a pregnant, abused, blind Calico. Howard named her Bella, and over the next 14 years, she became my soulmate kitty. She knew my moods and where I was in the house at any given time, even when I was napping and had tried to sneak in some alone time. Anyone who has had pets can understand that “one special one.” For me, that was Bella. When she died on March 30 at the age of 19, she took so much of my heart with her. I miss her so much it hurts, but I will always cherish our time together. Thank you, Bella, for being my perfect gift.

xo
Beth

P.S. As National Spokesperson for North Shore Animal League America, I invite you to join me on Friday, June 12, at the iconic Plaza Hotel in Manhattan for our Rescue Gala. I’m thrilled to be the honorary chair of this elegant event, which will highlight our leadership in the no-kill movement and our plans to create a world where all homeless pets have the homes they deserve. The evening will feature cocktails, dinner, entertainment, auctions, and the chance to meet some of the incredible animals whose lives you’ve saved.