Over two million animals who are admitted to shelters every year are euthanized. Most of those unfortunate cases are cats. Kill shelters are far too commonplace in the United States and abroad which leaves many people complacent with this treatment of these animals. One shelter that stands above the rest and is paving the way for animal advocacy and quality of care is North Shore Animal League. North Shore is located in Port Washington, New York and has saved over a million lives in their 75 years of existence. They are a leader in the no-kill movement and create a positive environment of empathy and nurturing for any animal that comes through their doors. As well, they work to combat negative or dismissive stereotypes about certain animals or breeds through their work with Mutt-i-grees. Mutt-i-grees is working to elevate the status and promoting the acceptance of mixed breed animals. North Shore's vision is this: a future in which all companion animals find responsible, loving homes where they are free from abuse, hunger, hear, and loneliness and receive the care and respect they deserve.Their mission of advocacy manifests itself in four main avenues of service: rescuing, nurturing, adopting, and education.
Last summer, I had my own experience with North Shore and their staff. When a tortie kitty had a litter of five kittens in my backyard, I worked hard to make sure that they had a place to go once I had finished fostering and socializing them. I had found two families that each took one kitty each, but I was left with three other babies. The woman who I had adopted one of my own cats from connected me with North Shore as a possible source for help. I contacted them and the several staff members I spoke to were nothing but kind and concerned. We made a plan for me to come drop off the kittens to them and they would get them vaccinated, spayed/neutered and put them up for adoption. All three are now in homes and well taken care of. They accepted them even in the middle of summer, the most busy time when kittens are being born in every park and neighborhood. North Shore made room for them.
On the more medical side of things, one of my cats, Jolie, went to North Shore for a delicate eye surgery to remove her eye tissue that would become consistently infected due to past neglect. All of the technicians and the vets were dedicated to giving Jolie the care she deserved. The surgery went smoothly and she healed wonderfully. Working with North Shore has been a pleasure and I would not hesitate to go to them again should any animals I come across need help.
No comments:
Post a Comment