The Giving Season

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.

If you’ve spent time in New York City, you know how hectic and impersonal subways can be. Everyone’s in a rush, and the last thing you want to do is make eye contact. So when I heard that a building superintendent recently spotted a pregnant cat on the platform, scooped her up, and took her home so she could give birth in a warm, quiet place, it touched my heart. Not only did this person save the mama and give her three nuggets a safe start, but he also showed what it means to stop and help another being in need. I’m so happy this little family is in my program this holiday season.

A similar story involves three kittens from Turks and Caicos who recently arrived at North Shore Animal League America’s Adoption Center. They’d been found on the side of a road — alone, filthy, and with crusted eyes. The woman who rescued them couldn’t leave them behind, so she took them to our shelter partner, the Turks and Caicos SPCA.

Once they were strong enough to travel, we brought them to our Long Island campus, where we discovered they had feline eyelid agenesis, a birth defect in which the eyelid fails to develop correctly, causing hair to rub against the cornea. It’s excruciating and can lead to irritation, ulcers, and even vision loss.

Our skilled veterinarians will perform corrective surgery once the kittens are a bit older, and the prognosis is good, although one kitten will lose an eye to this condition. Although I’ll never meet that good Samaritan to say thank you, I’ll always be grateful to her. What if she’d just walked away and left them? I can’t imagine how they would have suffered and possibly even gone blind.

Now that they’re safe, my NSALA colleagues are looking for a foster home for these babies. Their care is simple: daily eye lubricant and lots of love. You know how I feel about fostering. It is just SO important, and it really doesn’t take a lot. All you need is a small room you can close off to keep your foster safe. Not a closet, of course, but a small clean room: a small bathroom with natural light streaming in is the absolute best.

Right now, I’m fostering an adult named Polly Promise, whose owner passed away, leaving her alone in the apartment. She didn’t eat at the shelter and had to be hospitalized for supportive care. I picked her up and brought her to a cozy bathroom, where she’s beginning to eat a little and starting to come out of her shell.

Promise is a perfect example of why fostering matters, because some cats and dogs don’t do well in a shelter environment, especially if they’ve been loved in a home. Fostering also frees up space for another pet to be saved, which is especially critical now that shelters are so full.

Like Promise, way too many of my fosters come to me after their owners die without having made plans for them. In my experience, children often tell their parents they’ll take care of the animals, but when the time comes, they don’t want to be bothered. In the past couple of months, I fostered and found homes for four adult Florida kitties — Luckie Lou, Perlie, Candie, and Tuxie — who were in this heartbreaking situation. I dread to think what could have happened to them in a municipal shelter.

The lesson here is that everyone should find someone willing and able to take on that responsibility. Howard and I recently had this discussion. What would happen if something happened to me? We now have a plan.

As you explore your options, please consider North Shore Animal League America’s Safe Haven Surviving Pet Care Program^®. It’s open to pets nationwide, offering peace of mind to those who, for any reason, can no longer care for them.

I’m in Florida now, happily reconnecting with friends and rescue partners —often one and the same — like my friend Kelly (@kellysfostersflorida). When I was here in March, Kelly introduced me to Gabby and Romeo, two 10-year-old dogs who’d been taken to a shelter in Florida to be euthanized because they “got too old.” Kelly pulled them from that shelter, and as soon as I met them, I fell in love. The good news is that a wonderful family saw them on my Instagram post and adopted them in May. These two gentle, loving dogs were dumped at a kill shelter simply because they were old. Just thinking about this makes my blood boil. Grrrr!!!!

Romeo and Gabby in May with Kelly and me, and in December, on their way to getting pup cups with their wonderful family. Look how happy and excited they are. My heart is full.

I’ll never know, but I think dear Gramma Winnie might also have been abandoned because of her age. She’s likely about 14 years old and was dumped at a Bronx police precinct in October. It’s just so sad…after all those years. Perhaps there was a reason for it, because Winnie was clearly cared for, but I can’t imagine doing that to her. She is a total lap cat and a champion purr-er, and we formed a special attachment from the first moment I saw her. One night, when I came home late from a holiday dinner, I slept in her room, and she spent the entire night snuggled against me. All my fosters are special, but there is just something about Winnie. So while it’s bittersweet to let her go, I’m thrilled we’ve found her a perfect home in Connecticut.

I believe there’s a loving home for every one of my fosters, and adoptions like Gramma Winnie’s only reinforce that belief. So, I just know there’s a family waiting for 5-year-old tri-pod Stevie, too. I last highlighted him in June, and I want everyone to know that he’s still eager to find his forever home. He’s been in my program for over a year, arriving with a painful, badly damaged leg that his owners had ignored. It was so severe that he had to have had his leg amputated. He recovered from surgery beautifully and is playful and as agile as any four-legged cat. He is also FIV-positive, but that’s not a dealbreaker, because FIV-positive cats can live long, healthy lives.

He’s been with a foster friend in Massachusetts who hoped to adopt him, but it didn’t work out. Stevie got along with the family’s cat, but not with their dog — despite the dog’s best efforts. Clearly, Stevie has been through a lot. He’ll be returning to New York after Christmas, and we already have another foster home lined up for him. With his cute nub tail and his pink nose, this adorable guy has a special place in my heart. I will do everything I can to make 2026 Stevie’s year!

Looking back, 2025 was a time of great happiness and great sorrow for us. In the space of two months last summer, we lost three of our precious resident cats: our beloved 19-year-old Walter Stern, then sweet hospice kitty Lucy Stern, and finally, our dear Bud Stern. Three family members…gone! The ache is still so strong.

We definitely needed to heal our hearts, so later in the year, we welcomed a new bunny to the family, goofy little Earl. He’d been dumped outside, where he was injured by another animal and required extensive medical care. When Stephen Heavensent and Sunnybunny readily accepted Earl, we knew it was meant to be. We love Earl, but honestly, we wish he and Sunny would poop in their litter boxes like Stephen. I’d hoped he’d be inspired by our two recent bunny fosters, Josie and Melvin, who are also perfect in their boxes.

These two puff balls recently went home with a wonderful couple who’d adopted my foster Honey Bunny in 2022. Sadly, Honey passed away in July.

Heartbreak and healing… both are part of my life in rescue, and part of life for everyone who loves animals. Opening your heart again means letting love in, with all its complications and joys.

Happy holidays to all.

xo
Beth

P.S. Winter celebrations can be dangerous for pets. NSALA has put together a helpful tip sheet to keep your pets healthy during this busy season.

A few things I want to emphasize: Doors! Guests coming and going can mean pets getting outdoors and getting lost. So be extra careful. Tinsel! Please do not use tinsel on your tree. So many vets tell me they treat way too many cats and dogs who eat tinsel, which can get tangled in their organs, leading to emergency surgery. Christmas tree water! Don’t let your pet drink from the Christmas tree water. Cover it well. Glass ornaments! Not a good idea if you have a cat. We learned the hard way. Artificial Trees! Pine needles are toxic to cats. Why take a chance? Get an artificial tree this year.

P.P.S. I recently taped the Great American Rescue Bowl for the fourth time! I am so excited to invite you to join me on Super Bowl Sunday, February 8, on the Great American Family network for this classic. Every year, I think it can’t be more adorable and inspiring than last year, and then it is! Mark your calendar for what is always the best game of the year.