Long Island’ s many hard-working animal rescue organizations often work miracles with little public assistance, but the local rescue Pets4Luv especially needs help and needs it quickly.
When David Bernacchi founded Pets4Luv Foundation in 2008, his primary focus was to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome as many injured, ill, disabled, and special needs animals as possible. Pets4Luv became a no-kill animal rescue organization located at the Mall at the Source in Westbury servicing hundreds of Long Island’s homeless animals. But now the foundation needs to find a new home.
“Our goal was to place animal rescues in malls to educate people about options other than shopping at pet stores to find their next dog or cat,” says Mr. Bernacchi. “Unbeknown to most buyers, pet stores commonly sell poorly bred, improperly cared-for unhealthy and neglected animals. The high visibility of being in a mall environment gives us the opportunity to provide information about rescued animals to people who normally would not visit an animal rescue or shelter.”
With more than 500 successful adoptions to date at the mall, all was going well until September, when Pets4Luv was notified that its space will no longer be available come January. Due to a recent acquisition by Lesso Home, a Chinese home furnishings, décor and design company, the mall will be renovated without Pets4Luv.
“After 16 months of promises and reassurances that Pets4Luv would remain in the mall after renovations, the deal fell flat without any explanation,” Bernacchi says.
As a result of the displacement, Pets4Luv will no longer be able continue its rescue efforts, and must find immediate alternative homes for their remaining 80 cats and two dogs.
Pets4Luv also offers several community programs including a reading program designed for young children, volunteer programs for the special needs community, community service programs, and even assistance programs for responsible pet owners who can’t afford medical care or food for their animals.
The nonprofit receives no government funding; it relies 100 percent on donations. It is asking for donations to help cover the expenses of finding forever homes for their remaining cats and dogs and to help them secure a new and permanent home for the foundation. For more information, visit gofundme.com/pet-shelter-is-being-evictedsos.
View Pets4Luv animals available for adoption on Petfinder.com and Adopt-a-pet.com, and for additional information at Pets4Luv’s goals and mission, please contact the organization at 516-860-7057 or info@pets4luv.org.
