After 35 years teaching middle schoolers, Suzanne Sutley wanted to direct the skills she had honed during her career to a new purpose. In 2020, she found the perfect outlet when she began volunteering at our Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center. What Suzanne didn’t realize until later was just how much cats and eighth graders have in common.
Anyone meeting Jossie will be immediately struck by her infectious positivity and energy. Happily North Shore Animal League America has had the benefit of her time over the past year and Jossie is the first to say it has had a positive impact on her life off our campus as well.
After spending his career working in the county court system, Tom Audette knows how to keep things running smoothly, and deeply appreciates the advantages of being around canines. “What’s not to love about this?” Tom commented as he snuggled an adorable pup in his arms. “When I was working it was definitely therapeutic to be around puppies on a Saturday!”
The rescue team at the North Country Initiative Adirondack Cat Adoption Center (NCI) in Warren County, NY, does not shy away from a challenge. When they were informed of a large population of cats living in a salvage yard who needed their help, the team leapt into action. The environment, however, presented some unique challenges.
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.
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.
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.
Helping local communities care for their community cats has long been an important tenet of North Shore Animal League America’s mission. As the Community Outreach program continues to grow, it was only natural to have a headquarters for these efforts located within our Port Washington campus where people can access related information and supplies.
After three years of waiting and postponements, sentencing was handed down in the animal abuse case of Ellie Knoller. Knoller had previously pled guilty to three counts of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, after brutally beating to death two puppies he adopted (Tucker, from North Shore Animal League America, and Cooper, from a breeder) and causing permanent physical damage to a third, Bella, whom he also obtained from a breeder. Presiding Judge Teresa Corrigan called it the worst case of animal cruelty she has ever seen.