Q: How did you become involved in North Shore Animal League America?

A: First, I love animals, especially dogs. In fact, I’ve always had multiple dogs at any one time. So in 1986, when Alex Lewyt, president of the League from 1958 to 1988, reached out and asked me to serve as Special Counsel, I jumped at the chance. My background in nonprofit law was very important as we brainstormed new programs and approaches. I have to tell you a little about Alex — an incredible man, a self-made millionaire who invented all kinds of gadgets, including the clip-on tie! His most significant invention was the Lewyt vacuum cleaner, which sold millions in the 1950s. When he retired in the late 1950s, he and his wife, Elisabeth, also an animal lover, dedicated themselves to expanding the League. After Alex died in 1988, Elisabeth — or “Babette,” as she was called — became Chair of the Board of Directors and brought me onto the board and as General Counsel. Five years later, she championed my becoming President. She was a dedicated woman who served as Board Chair until her death in 2012.

Q: What were some of our innovations during those years?

A: Where to start? It was a very productive time. In 1991, we introduced our Humane Relocation Program, which was quite controversial. It was the first program that I know of that worked with overcrowded shelters in the South, bringing animals headed for euthanasia to our campus for adoption. This saved the lives of thousands of animals and was a huge success. Today, small groups and big organizations, like the ASPCA, emulate this program, transporting animals and saving thousands of lives from coast to coast.

Then, in 1992, we launched our Pet Savers Foundation with a revolutionary cooperative advertising program. We made grants to small shelters across the country so they could promote their pets locally. Advertising pets was also controversial because some people thought it would turn pets into commodities. Well, it did just the opposite. It let people know there were wonderful homeless animals ready for adoption at local shelters. Plus, it introduced us and our no-kill philosophy to communities across the country. In many ways, these were our first nationwide programs. The following year, we acquired control of SpayUSA, which today provides information and vouchers for low-cost spay/ neuter services across the country. It’s interesting that these once-controversial ideas are now part of animal welfare everywhere. We were ahead of our time, and eventually, everyone caught up.

Q: When did North Shore Animal League become North Shore Animal League America, and why?

A: We added that word in 2000 to reflect our growing influence as a national organization with programs like Global Pet Adoptathon, Tour For Life, Mobile Adoption Program, and our Cooperative Adoption Program, great resources for smaller groups that lack the ability to bring their animals to high traffic venues for adoption. Today, in this country alone, we work with more than 2,000 rescue partners in nearly 40 states, plus international partners from Australia to the West Indies.

John Stevenson and Elisabeth Lewyt at the ribbon cutting for the first Mobile Rescue Unit.

Q: Nevertheless, you’ve managed to keep the Long Island community front and center.

A: Absolutely. This is home, and we’ve always maintained a strong commitment to our community. For example, we’ve had an on-campus clinic since 1978 because we believed then, as we do now, in adoption with care and compassion. By 2000, that modest clinic had grown into our Pet Health Centers, which today include The Alex Lewyt Veterinary Medical Center, the Freed Special Recovery Center, and the Karen and Don LaRocca Pet Wellness Center. We offer comprehensive medical care — dental care, preventive medicine, surgery, nutrition counseling, physical therapy, aquatic therapy, and so much more. I’m proud that our medical services have twice earned AAHA accreditation, the most prestigious in the field. And our Centers are open to the public.

Another recent development is our affiliation with Long Island University’s four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program. Because LIU doesn’t have a teaching hospital, its students receive small animal clinical training at our facility, including internal medicine, spay/neuter rotation, shelter medicine, and community practice, a truly hands-on experience. We’ve been involved since the program began four years ago, which means this spring, the first of the students will graduate. This is a tremendous opportunity to influence the future of veterinary care, and I’m thrilled we’re able to make a unique difference.

Q: What are some of our other local projects?

A: Our Seniors for Seniors program matches older pets with senior adopters, while our Shelter Pet Outreach Team — nicknamed SPOT — brings staff, puppies, and kittens to nearby hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, and veterans’ facilities. The impact of these visits is astounding. Many of the patients and residents flourish with each visit and look forward to the next. For some, these are their only visits. It’s wonderful for the people, of course, but also provides socialization for our animals, preparing them for successful adoption into permanent homes.

Our Long Island campus has undergone tremendous growth, most dramatically in our one-of-a-kind feline adoption center, Bianca’s Furry Friends. This 14,000-square-foot, secondstory addition is a cage-free, state-of-the-art cat habitat that opened in 2019 with great support from Beth Stern, a board member and our national spokesperson, and her husband, Howard. We also completely refurbished our dog adoption facility — The Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Canine Adoption Center — thanks to the generous ongoing support of the Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust.

Most recently, we introduced our Community Cats Outreach Center here on our Long Island campus. This program supports people who care for community cat colonies on Long Island. We provide information and supplies and encourage TNVR, the Trap, Neuter, Vaccine, and Return approach. What’s interesting about this program is that we modeled it after another of our successful programs, the North Country Initiative, which we launched in the Adirondack region of upstate New York at the request of the Rachael Ray Foundation.

Q: Speaking of education, tell us about Mutt-i-grees.

A: Well, I coined the word Mutt-i-gree to counter the negative influence of the word pedigree. Who needs a pedigree when you can adopt a Mutt-i-gree? We know that mutts are the best, and I wanted to turn that word into something positive. We use it to describe any rescue pet who has been adopted or is still waiting for a home. The Mutt-i-grees Curriculum grew out of this idea. It was developed by Yale University’s School of the 21st Century and is now implemented in nearly 6,000 schools, libraries, and other educational centers. Teachers and parents love it.

But most important, kids love it! It taps into their natural affinity for animals, helps them academically, and involves them in hands-on animal rescue. We are the only national organization that continues to offer a structured and successful education program.

Q: As we celebrate our past, how do we maintain our excellence and move forward toward a no-kill America?

A: There are two keys to the future. First, we must realize the power of planned giving to support our organization’s longevity. We’ve always been in this for the long haul, and I believe our donors are, too. This makes me think of the LaRocca family, which has been involved in our work for decades. Don, a board member, and Karen, who both sadly passed not long ago, were dedicated financial supporters, and Karen was a wonderful hands-on volunteer, walking dogs almost daily. Besides the Pet Wellness Center, which I mentioned earlier, they also donated our dog park, which is so important for our dogs’ emotional and physical health. And now, their son, Donnie, who, like his dad, is a board member, is heading up our planned giving efforts in Florida, where he lives.

Q: You mentioned two keys to the future. Planned giving is one; what is the second?

A: Humane education, which is why our Curriculum is vital. In 2015, we announced the addition of the word Educate to our no-kill mission — Rescue, Nurture, Adopt, Educate — in recognition of our commitment to humane education and the evolution of the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum, which we think of as the intellectual path to a no-kill future. Young people involved in Mutt-i-grees today are the adopters, consumers, and animal welfare activists of tomorrow. Education is the future, and humane education means a humane future. Right now, animal rescue is at a tipping point. The last eight decades have laid the groundwork. Going forward, we will continue to expand our mission to Rescue, Nurture, Adopt, and Educate. Everything we do is aimed at just one goal: a no-kill future. Our vision, our dedication, and our wonderful donors are our strengths.