Spotlight Stories

Eric Greene chose to volunteer at North Shore Animal League America as a way to explore his interest in working with animals and was immediately hooked. “I’ve always loved cats,” he shared. “I thought it would be a great place to get experience, and once I started, I just really enjoyed it and stuck with it.” Eric joined the organization through the VolunTEEN program as soon as he was eligible and has remained a dedicated volunteer ever since. Now 18, he continues to spend his weekends in Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center (BFF), working closely with cats of all personalities, especially those who need a little extra patience.

Samantha Ketelsen began volunteering at Animal League America during a time of uncertainty, and it quickly became something she couldn’t imagine giving up. “I was laid off in 2020, like a lot of people,” Samantha shared, “and I was just trying to find something meaningful to do. My mom volunteered here before and had a great experience, so I thought, why not? And I just fell in love with it and never stopped going.”

For Alyssa Campbell, a love for animals has always been there, it just took time for the opportunity to catch up. She wasn’t able to have pets in her childhood home, so she found other ways to be close to animals. “I was always the person watching my neighbor’s dog when they went on vacation,” she shared. “I would go to shelters just to spend time with the animals. That was the closest I could get.”