First thing you might notice about four-year-old Calico Aja is her beauty, but make no mistake. Aja has the fight to survive. Rescued from homelessness in West Virginia, this stunning cat was pregnant when she arrived to us. We didn’t know how critical being in the safety of Animal League America’s Nursery would be for her. Aja’s delivery was complicated when one of her six kittens became stuck in her birth canal.
The mission of North Shore Animal League America to rescue, nurture, adopt, and educate is saving lives every day in the Adirondack region through the establishment and operation of North Country Initiative (NCI) — a no-kill adoption center in Warren County, NY. The NCI Adirondack Region Cat Adoption Center offers protection for felines in need, whether they are struggling to survive outside, or victims of injury or neglect.
Linda has an innate drive to help others, evidenced by her 37 years working as a nurse. Her desire to nurture and protect does not stop with people, however. Linda is busy caring for the feral cats in her neighborhood and beyond — and changing their lives for the better.
Former marine Sunny Singh discovered just how much animals can teach us during an incident with his first dog, King. King was repeatedly getting into the garbage. Sunny lost his patience and reacted more angrily than he should have. “I was overly harsh with him,” Sunny recalls. “And the first thing he did was come up to me slowly and lick my face. My understanding of compassion began in that moment — with that one lick.”
North Shore Animal League America lost a caring, compassionate friend and a valued member of its Board of Directors when Roger Weeks passed away on March 27, 2021 in Colchester, United Kingdom. Roger was appointed as Director for North Shore Animal League America in 2008.
Having grown up in a family where pets of many varieties were always present, sisters Bailey and Chelsea fell naturally into volunteer work at North Shore Animal League America. We are so thankful that both our dog and cat Adoption Centers benefit from the passion that Bailey and Chelsea bring to their service on behalf of our animals.
Ivonne Attard began volunteering as a dog walker, and since then continues to expand her knowledge about pet behavior and training. “As volunteers, we are the closest thing to family that these dogs will get until they get a home. I feel like it’s like our obligation to help them understand that humans are good people.”
Leonard and Jackie have been loyal and engaged supporters since adopting their dog Eva in 2013. North Shore Animal League America is as fortunate as Eva is to have the compassion and heartfelt care the couple have brought to us. They feel that if there was no Animal League America, they would not have Eva in their lives. She certainly has become a vital member of the family and has brought such love into their home.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, North Shore Animal League America, like other shelters across the country, experienced a wave of people wishing to foster or adopt dogs and cats. However, we also noticed that there was a shift in which types of animals were getting adopted faster — wonderfully, it was those who were often overlooked because they had special needs.
On March 9, 2021, North Shore Animal League America had the honor of hosting a Purr-fect Party to celebrate five-year-old cancer survivor, Cassidy. Cassidy is an ambassador for Stop & Shop’s Help Cure Childhood Cancer campaign, which raises money for the Pediatric Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “Cassidy is such a special little girl, and so full of empathy for others,” said Maura O’Brien, Stop & Shop External Communications and Community Relations Manager. “We wanted to make this day memorable for her, and her whole family.”