North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), established in 1944, is the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, as well as a familiar site to many Port Washington residents. The Animal League works to both save and find homes for thousands of cats and dogs, and is striving to further expand its facility in order to provide more room for rescued animals.
This expansion project, known as Bianca’s Furry Friends Campaign, is seeking to add a 14,000 square foot second story to the existing building, which will serve as a cage-free, feline-focused habitat. Here, cats will have the space to roam freely and a new kitten adoption facility and feline behavior department will be built to further support and promote the health of all cats living within the shelter. The renovated area will also include new examination rooms for sick animals, a specialty respiratory ward, surgical suite and recovery room, 24-hour care nursery and updated grooming facilities. This project will allow the lower floor of the building to gain increased space for rescued dogs. This plan will enable the Animal League to accommodate even more animals than the current limit of 300 to 400 that are housed at any given time. And, as NSALA’s Director of Communications Kathleen Lynn stated, “When you rescue an animal, you save two lives, the animal you adopted and the animal that can now live in the spot that has been freed up.”
Bianca’s Furry Friends Campaign will commence with a Gala at the Pierre Hotel on Friday, November 20, featuring honorary chairpersons Howard and Beth Stern. Beth Stern works as the Animal League spokesperson, serving as an advocate for the animals by focusing national attention on helping shelter animals. Stern has also helped NSALA by assisting in bringing animals from North Shore’s Mobile Adoption Unit to the campus’ medical facilities. Kat Dennings, star of CBS’s 2 Broke Girls will also be honored at this event for her work in rescuing animals and promoting the adoption of pets.
NSALA’s mission is to provide a home for as many animals as possible. Most recently, on July 25, the Animal League rescued 90 dogs from a puppy mill in Oklahoma. All animals rescued by the shelter are groomed, spayed or neutered and checked out by a vet to ensure physical as well as behavioral health. These rescue missions happen consistently, and allow the shelter to save countless lives as well as provide people with the joy of owning a pet. NSALA is located at 25 Davis Avenue. To adopt a pet or donate to NSALA, visit www.animalleague.org.
