On Monday, March 20, at 5:24 p.m., EDT, spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere. For me, the first day of spring is both wonderful and daunting: flowers, sunshine, and birdsong — a fresh and beautiful new start. And then, of course, there’s kitten season. All that adorable new life…and all those sweet babies needing forever homes.
What would I be able to do if my neighbor trapped my cat and abandoned it somewhere unknown?
Saved as part of a National Mill Dog Rescue mission in February that included 50 small breed dogs, young Tillie had already proven herself to be a survivor. Life in a commercial breeding facility, like the one Tillie was rescued from, typically means inhumane conditions where dogs are treated solely as commodities. We were thankful to have this sweet Silky Terrier girl in our care, and shortly realized her condition was more complex. Though barely a year old herself, Tilly was pregnant. Given her young age and diminutive size, we knew that it was possible she could struggle with delivery.
World Spay Day started in 1995 to call attention to the problem of homeless pets across the country, and to promote spay/neuter as a way to prevent pet overpopulation as well as save animals’ lives. Homeless animals living on the street can reproduce in record numbers every year. Many of those will have to search for food, water, and shelter, and are likely to die needlessly from malnutrition, disease, and exposure to the elements. Some may find themselves in overcrowded shelters where millions of otherwise healthy companion animals are euthanized every year, simply because there just aren’t enough homes.
It’s February, the month of hearts. They’re everywhere: in advertising, on greeting cards, and all over my IG page. They’re even on Cocomelon’s toy mouse! I often say that my fosters and resident cats “have my heart.” What I mean, of course, is that I love them. But also that they give me purpose and the strength to do the work I love so much.
As the temperatures dipped into single digits for the first time this year, our dedicated volunteers awaited the arrival of 50 small breed dogs — including Yorkies, Maltese, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers and Corgis — who were rescued from commercial breeding facilities throughout the Midwest.
Thanks to the ingenuity from our North Country Initiative Adirondack Region Cat Adoption Center (NCI), we are excited to announce a new part of the Mutt-i-grees® Curriculum that will help us save more lives — the Mutt-i-grees School Cat Foster Program.
Growing up in Texas, Animal League America donor Mary Marecek always had animals around, whether they were dogs, cats, or horses. It was the bond she forged with her cat, Trilby, however, when Mary was only six years old, that really started her appreciation for the unconditional love from pets and the depth of the human-animal connection.
The fate of five puppies scheduled to be euthanized in an overcrowded Texas shelter on Christmas Eve hung in the balance. Fortunately, North Shore Animal League America knows that there are no holidays for animal rescue. Our Mobile Unit was already in the area, working with Paws4Life, to pick up 35 dogs and puppies that had been recently saved from shelters throughout Louisiana and Texas.
At North Shore Animal League America, we are specialists in healing broken hearts and spirits. For ten-year-old black Labrador Kimber and her new adopted family, finding each other made this holiday season especially joyful.