adoption - North Shore Animal League America

ISSUE 4, 2014
70
YEARS
of
adoption
see pages 4 & 5
A Newsletter of North Shore Animal League America
World’s largest NO-KILL animal rescue & adoption organization
Helping Seniors, Both Human and Mutt-i-gree®
A MESSAGE FROM
THE
PRESIDENT
Dear Friends,
Every time I look out the window lately, I think, where did summer
go? Kids are back in school, the days grow shorter — and then there
are all those falling leaves. If you ask me, summer didn’t “go” — it
vanished! And here we are, approaching the final months of our
70th Anniversary year.
According to the old saying, time flies when you’re having fun. We
at North Shore Animal League America would like to revise that to
read, time flies when you’re very busy; and summer 2014 was an
extremely busy and productive time for us, for our Mutt-i-grees®,
and for our friends and supporters.
Although everything we do for our Mutt-i-grees brings us great
satisfaction, nothing is more rewarding than seeing our dogs, cats,
puppies, and kittens leave us for new, loving homes. That’s why
we’re here: to rescue, nurture, and ultimately, adopt. It’s also why
we’ve dedicated our last issue of Pawprints 2014 to adoption, the
“last word” in our no-kill mantra: rescue, nurture, and adopt.
As President of North Shore Animal League America, I’m proud
of the way we conduct our adoption procedures. Every adopter
undergoes a screening process. The process takes time, because
we need to be sure every animal in our care finds the perfect home.
We interview, we check references, we make phone calls, and we
carefully observe pet/human interactions — we make sure! And we
offer post-adoption support through our trainers, behaviorists, and
other experts.
I’m equally proud that, as pioneers in the no-kill movement, North
Shore Animal League America has created the best, most innovative
adoption programs in animal welfare today, bar none. From Pet
Adoptathon® to the Cooperative Adoption Program (CAP), from
our Mobile Adoption Program (MAP), to the Tour for Life® — all
of our programs have one goal: loving adoptions for all of our
Mutt-i-grees. And not to forget our senior pets, we developed the
Seniors for Seniors Program. Originally funded by the Laura J. Niles
Foundation, and now supported through the generosity of the Olga
Graham Fund, this program promotes the adoption of senior pets.
And now we come to the crown jewel of the League’s adoption
initiatives, the Mutt-i-grees® Curriculum. Besides being the
intellectual path to no-kill, the Curriculum is also the scholarly
road to pet adoption. As it grows in popularity and application it is
opening the eyes of future generations to the importance and the
pleasure of adopting a new best friend from an animal shelter.
We have the ability to rescue and we have the compassion to
nurture; our challenge since the beginning has been to get the
word out, to let people know that shelter pets are the best pets.
In the 1980s, we began heavily advertising the availability of our
pets and watched adoption rates climb. To expand the concept,
2
P A W P R I N T S
we introduced a major advertising program in 1992, to help other
shelters advertise and raise awareness of their homeless pets. Back
then, many saw the advertising of pets as revolutionary. And it was.
We awarded large advertising grants to animal control facilities that
had extremely high-kill rates, like Los Angeles, and before long they
saw their euthanasia rates fall significantly. Shelter advertising did,
indeed, revolutionize adoption, so much so that today all animal
welfare groups use some form of advertising.
But nowadays, putting an ad in the paper isn’t enough. People get
their information from all kinds of sources, at all times of the day and
night — and we have to be there with the story of our Mutt-i-grees.
We use social media – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram – you
name it, we’re there. But it’s not enough. As we continue to develop
our rescue programs and increase our support for felines, we must
also expand our efforts to tell the public about all the great animals
at our shelter.
We deeply appreciate our media and corporate supporters
who donate radio time, for example, for our public service
announcements. And we are forever indebted to our spokesperson
extraordinaire, Beth Stern, whose passion and celebrity have
brought priceless attention to our Mutt-i-grees and generated
countless adoptions.
And still, we must do more. Advertising is critical to furthering our
mission, and advertising is costly. That’s why, as 2014 comes to a
close, I urge you to consider making a year-end donation to the
League to support our ongoing efforts to promote our beautiful,
brave, loving Mutt-i-grees. This newsletter provides you with both
the why to give (all those wonderful animals you’ll read about) and
the how to give, including major gifts, Legacy Gifts, matching gifts,
and more. This year, you can even donate when you go shopping,
via the 2014 Champions for Charity® Holiday Shopping Benefit.
We’re proud of our Mutt-i-grees; they’re the best friends anyone
could ask for. And you are their best chance at a happy future.
Seventy years ago we made a no-kill promise. With your generous
support, we will continue to keep it. Together, we can add many
more lives to the million we’ve already saved.
Thank you, and have a wonderful fall and a happy holiday season.
Warm regards,
When it comes to enjoying
animal companionship, age
should never be an obstacle.
The right dog or cat can bring
joy, love, and comfort at any
time of life. They inspire us,
give us purpose, and improve
our health and state of mind in
countless ways.
Our Seniors for Seniors
Tiger and Karen,
Program helps people age 60
a perfect pair
and older to adopt the perfect
companion. The program was
originally funded by the Laura J. Niles Foundation and is now
supported though the generosity of the Olga Graham Fund.
Trained adoption counselors select wonderful adult animals for
this program, helping each adopter find his or her match. The
program also provides qualified seniors with special benefits to
help them care for their new best friends, including waiving of
the adoption fee, various discounts on products and medical
services, and two complimentary wellness exams and grooming
sessions every year. Because these are older pets, we take an
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In addition to these services, we are proud to offer seniors
access to the Olga Graham Fund, which enables a limited
number of qualified seniors living on fixed incomes to receive
even more lifesaving help with pet care, providing they meet
the eligibility guidelines. Because these funds are limited,
participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Here is a recent example of how the generosity of the Olga Graham
Fund can save lives and ease the minds of worried seniors:
Tiger is a six-year-old white Terrier mix who desperately
needed dental care, including extractions. Because Tiger’s
senior companion, Karen, lives on a fixed income; she wasn’t
sure how she could manage to pay for Tiger’s care. Still, her
beloved Mutt-i-gree needed help, so she brought him in for
the procedure anyway, hoping for the best. When we realized
the financial details of Karen’s situation, we used the Olga
Graham Fund to cover the cost of Tiger’s dental cleaning and
extractions. Karen was very grateful for our help and delighted
to have Tiger back home and healthy once again.
2014
Gala
70 Years of Saving Lives
It will be swanky. It will be glamorous. But most of all, it will be
inspiring — a night to honor our pioneering past, to celebrate
our compassionate present, and to share our vision for an even
more innovative future.
Howard Stern announced our capital campaign for Bianca’s
Furry Friends Feline Adoption & Wellness Center. Named in
memory of the Stern’s beloved dog, the feline center will be a
14,000-square-foot addition to our campus.
Please join us on Friday, November 14, at The Plaza, in
Manhattan, where North Shore Animal League America will
culminate its 70th Anniversary with our major fundraising event
of the year, Gala 2014: Celebrating 70 Years of Saving Lives.
A state-of-the-art facility, Bianca’s Furry Friends will enable us
to rescue, nurture, and adopt many more animals by adding a
second floor to our existing shelter, designated exclusively for
felines. The new center will feature a feline behavior department,
grooming facilities, kitten adoption playrooms, and medical
treatment and wellness services specifically for cats and kittens.
As usual, it will be a night to remember. We’re delighted that
Beth and Howard Stern will once again serve as honorary chairs
of this festive, pet-friendly event. This year, we’re pleased to
welcome designer and author Nate Berkus as our host for the
evening. In addition, our special honoree will be Goldman,
Sachs, and Co., which for several years has provided us with
many volunteers from the ranks of its outstanding employees.
We also want to thank our sponsors for helping to make the evening a
success; at press time they include Canine Company, IBM, Wells Fargo
Advisors, eBay Enterprise Marketing Solutions and RR Donnelley.
J. John Stevenson
President, North Shore Animal League America
aggressive preventive approach and monitor them closely.
At last year’s Gala, we made League history when Beth and
P A W P R I N T S
As with last year’s Gala, the net proceeds from Gala 2014 will
support the ongoing development of this exciting addition to
our mission and our services.
So please support our event. We look forward to seeing you on Friday,
November 14, at The Plaza’s Grand Ballroom. The cocktail
reception will begin at 6:30 and the dinner and program at 7:30.
For more information about reservations and sponsorships, please
visit animalleage.org/2014gala. You may also contact Janet
Ciminelli, Manager of Events, at [email protected], or call
516-883-7900, ext. 279.
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3
70
YEARS
of
adoption
Adopt. It’s the last word in North Shore Animal League America’s
lifesaving mantra: rescue, nurture, and adopt. For 70 years, the
League has helped to make that transformative moment happen
for more than 1,000,000 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens — and
the lucky people who have given them loving, lifelong homes.
But take our word for it: adoption doesn’t happen by chance,
even if it often feels like a minor miracle. In fact, each
successful adoption is the product of hard work, generosity,
and collaboration. It could never happen without the incredible
kindness of our donors, the dedication of our adoption partners
near and far, and the vision and leadership of people on our
campus who know what it takes to create an environment in
which that special moment can occur.
In our spring Pawprints, we told you about our successful rescue
programs. The following issue explained how we define nurture.
In this, our year-end edition of Pawprints, we cover adoption, the
happy ending each of our precious animals absolutely deserves.
Today, our adoption headquarters in Port Washington, N.Y., is
one of the busiest spots on Long Island. In 70 years, we’ve grown
from a handful of idealistic volunteers working out of a garage
into the world’s largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization.
In our comfortable, welcoming shelter, adopters can meet and
greet their new best friends, with the expert assistance of our
trained adoption counselors. Our shelter is open 365 days a
year, and there are always special adoption events and other
festivities happening on our campus.
We’re still idealists, and we’ve kept the no-kill promise we made
back in 1944, but we’ve definitely changed with the times.
Nowadays, we use everything from social media to Mobile
Adoption Units to make adoption accessible to thousands.
The fact is, we’re everywhere: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and
Instagram. If you’re online and looking to adopt, you’ll have no
trouble finding us.
We’re also hard to miss on the road, thanks to our fleet of eight
Mobile Adoption Units. Each is designed to hold up to 50 pets
in comfort and allow potential adopters to meet our diverse
Mutt-i-grees face to face. We thank our longtime friend and
animal advocate Rachael Ray and her group, Rachael’s Rescue,
for donating a brand new mobile unit to the League in July. Like
all of our units, this beauty allows us to accomplish a wide range
of adoption goals, including those of our Cooperative Adoption
Program (CAP) and our Mobile Adoption Program (MAP).
Perfect Adoptathon 2014 match made at the League
Photo by Lori Cannava
There’s a moment when it happens.
Sometimes, it’s love at first sight. Eyes meet, a paw reaches out
to touch you, a head lowers and gently rubs against your hand.
Rachael Ray and Joanne Yohannan, the League’s SVP of Operations,
celebrate at the ribbon cutting dedication of the new mobile unit
Other times, it takes a while. At first, nothing clicks. Yes, she’s
a nice dog; sure, he’s a sweet cat, but…no magic. And yet you
return to the shelter to look again, and bang! Out of nowhere,
it happens. A link forms between you, some empty place inside
is filled…and guess what: You’re in love. Once you’ve met your
match, there’s only one thing left to do: adopt!
Since 1995, our Cooperative Adoption Program has made
our mobile units available to small rescue groups and shelters
throughout the region, transporting their pets to local shopping
centers and other high-traffic spots to raise those shelters’
visibility and to encourage off-site adoptions, saving thousands
of lives annually. Together with our shelter partners, we’ve found
loving homes for more than 60,000 pets!
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P A W P R I N T S
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Equally
effective
is
our Mobile Adoption
Program, which takes
adoptable pets into the
community. Established
in 1999, this program
is responsible for more
than 19,000 adoptions
to-date!! In August, for
example, we joined with
Bergen County Protect
& Rescue for the fourth
annual Bark in the Park,
held at Overpeck Park in
Ridgefield Park, N.J. The
Deborah Yankow of Bergen County
Animal Shelter and Anthony
event was sponsored
Angioletti, the League’s Director of
by WABC Radio and
Offsite Adoptions
hosted by WABC’s talk
radio
commentator
Mark Levin. More than
7,000 people and their dogs showed up to mix and mingle,
while enjoying music, vendors, food and doggie games —
and in many cases, to find new canine friends! We adopted 12
dogs during the event, including a Beagle named Doug, who
recently came to us from a puppy mill rescue. We’re proud to
quote Deborah Yankow, Shelter Manager of the Bergen County
Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, “The League inspired us
to acquire our very first mobile unit.”
Obviously, our mobile
units are essential to the
success of the annual
Tour for Life, our largest
event in our Cooperative
Adoption
Program.
This year’s nationwide
adoption extravaganza
sent four mobile units
across
the
country,
covering 17,000 miles,
visiting 52 cities in 26
states, plus Washington,
D.C., and collaborating
A blue ribbon winner at
with more than 150
Bark in the Park
shelters
and
rescue
groups — all between
March 12 and May 16. In
that short time, more than 2,500 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens
found loving homes because of the Tour for Life. But besides
saving lives, the Tour also reinforces the value of adoption and
helps local shelters and rescue groups promote themselves
in their communities. This year, the Tour added a humane
education element to the journey by working with the Mutti-grees® Curriculum to coordinate Mutt-i-grees Pack Parties
at schools and libraries in host towns from coast to coast. The
League is grateful to our Tour sponsor, PURINA®. And thanks
to Warner Bros. for their partnership in producing “Pack Parties”
and letting us bring Scooby-Doo as the official mascot.
In 1994 we launched Pet Adoptathon®, now the world’s largest
pet adoption program. Beginning as a two-day local event,
Pet Adoptathon has mushroomed into a month-long global
extravaganza. Pet Adoptathon 2014 reached more than 2,000
shelters and rescue groups in the U.S. and abroad, from Australia
to Brazil to China, leading to more than 30,000 adoptions.
P A W P R I N T S
Adopted sweetie at the Abilene stop of Tour for Life
Beth Stern:
Ambassador
for Adoption
Beth with her beloved Yoda
Photo by Howard Stern
Beth Stern is an unwavering advocate for shelter animals, as
well as a proud parent to six Animal League America cats:
Walter, Apple, Leon Bear, Charlie Boy, Bella, and Yoda. Beth
has graciously used her celebrity status to help focus national
attention on the plight of shelter animals, through media
appearances, social media, and simply by word-of-mouth.
Beth is not only the League spokesperson, she has also been
a volunteer for more than a decade and has assisted in our
Emergency Rescue and Humane Relocation efforts. She even
completed the ING New York City Marathon as a member of
Team Animal League. Beth and her husband, Howard, have
generated several adoptions through their websites and via
Howard’s Sirius radio show.
In 2012 and 2014, the talented couple collaborated on two
charming calendars for the League. These highly successful
keepsakes featured Beth and a darling array of kittens and
cats. Howard, a gifted photographer, was in charge of the
images, and the result was a pair of charming calendars that
proved to be very successful fundraisers for the League.
As if this weren’t enough, the Sterns have opened their home
to our kittens and cats as dedicated foster parents, caring for
more 60 felines in the past couple of years. They also personally
approved the fortunate families who ultimately adopted their
fosters, assuring that all will be cherished forever!
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5
DONOR
SPOTLIGHT
Daniel and Rosemary McCarthy
Dreams and Wishes —
and the Donors Who Turn Them into Reality
As modest as they are kind, Daniel and Rosemary McCarthy have
supported our no-kill mission in many ways, including adoption.
At the moment, they live with four League Mutt-i-grees: Abbey,
who has a heart condition managed with medication; Ester,
who’s come a long way, but still bears the emotional scars of
past abuse; Shiloh, a beautiful, loving, and good girl; and the
most recent addition to their pack, a darling Dachshund named
Peanuts, whom the McCarthys adopted in June. According
to Jill Burkhardt, Vice President of Major Gifts, the McCarthys
have a particular soft spot for our mill dogs — Abbey, Ester, and
Peanuts are from mills.
In the last couple of years, the McCarthys have gravitated
toward the most pressing needs on our wish list, donating
funds for medical equipment like puppy and kitten incubators,
orthopedic supplies, and a smoke evacuation system to protect
our medical staff during minimally invasive surgeries. They’ve
also given generously to our Hurricane Sandy relief efforts and
to our Special Recovery Center. And as esteemed members of
our Pet Protectors Society, they have kindly included the League
in their will.
Peanuts
Ester
North Shore Animal League America is participating in the
2014 Champions for Charity® Holiday Shopping Benefit at over
70 participating AMERICANA MANHASSET stores & select
WHEATLEY PLAZA stores. 3 Days Only! Thursday, December 4,
2014, Friday, December 5, 2014 and Saturday, December 6, 2014.
Shiloh
Abbey
To learn more about how you can support our lifesaving mission with a gift, please contact Jill Burkhardt
at [email protected] or (516) 883-7900, extension 833.
Help us mark year 71, day by day!
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P A W P R I N T S
Question: I thought “estates” were for royalty? How does
that term apply to me?
Question: The attorney drafting my will asked me if I want to
leave a “bequest” to North Shore Animal League America.
What is that?
“It’s unbelievable what this group has accomplished,” she
continues, “and what it still strives for every day. We donate
to other organizations, too, but thanks to League employees
like Eric Lieberman, we can see how our money is being spent,
especially when we purchase much needed ‘wish list’ items.”
The calendar will also look back at all that we’ve accomplished
since that day in May 1944, when a group of compassionate
people banded together to save lives and change the
direction of animal welfare forever. It was their foresight and
your generosity that have made us the world’s largest animal
rescue and adoption organization — with more than one million
adoptions, and counting.
Answer: A “planned” or “legacy” gift is something that you
arrange so that a charity receives funds after your life. The most
common form is a gift from your estate through your will.
Answer: The term “estate” is used generally to describe those
assets that, following a person’s passing, will be distributed
according to the terms of his or her will, regardless of the
amount of that person’s wealth.
For the McCarthys, the satisfaction of helping is clearly reward
enough. “Being able to give to helpless animals and bring
them good fortune at this stage of our lives is wonderful,” says
Rosemary, who has nothing but praise for the League. “We feel
Animal League America really cares for animals, and the animals
are so giving and loving and happy to be safe.”
Each month, you’ll meet a Mutt-i-gree we’ve had the privilege
to rescue, nurture, and adopt into a loving home. Feline, canine,
kittens, puppies, and seniors — all will have benefited from the
support and kindness of donors like you.
Question: What is a “planned” gift?
“The League has only concern for the animals at heart,” says
Rosemary, “whether rescuing, providing medical care, or following
up after adoption. That’s their quality control department. We will
continue to donate and support the League.”
“The McCarthys are true advocates for our animals,” says Jill.
“They enjoy donating in a quiet way, but we just had to tell
you a little about their generosity, their adored pets, and their
sincere kindness. We are honored to know them and to have
their support now and in the future.”
North Shore Animal League America proudly announces
publication of our 2015 calendar, celebrating 70 years of our
no-kill mission.
Leaving Your
Legacy: A guide
to understanding
planned gifts
CALLING ALL SHOPPERS
TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
So join us in this dayby-day celebration
of small but mighty
miracles. The fullcolor calendar makes
a lovely keepsake
and a thoughtful gift
for all those people
on your holiday
shopping list who
care about animals
as much as you do.
Order your 2015 North Shore Animal League America calendar
today by visiting animalleague.org/calendar2015 — and help us
save the lives of even more innocent animals.
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1: Register for your complimentary CHAMPION
CARD at championsforcharity.org or by calling
800.818.6767
2: Select North Shore Animal League America as your
charity of choice
3: Go shopping! Present your CHAMPION CARD
and 25% of your full-price pre-tax purchases will
be donated to the League’s lifesaving mission!
Thank you.
Americana Manhasset Champions for Charity® Holiday Shopping
Benefit will take place on December 4-6, 2014. Select North Shore
Animal League America when registering for your CHAMPION CARD.
Help support North Shore Animal League America by doing your
holiday shopping at participating Americana Manhasset and select
Wheatley Plaza stores. Champions for Charity® is a holiday shopping
benefit where 25% of your full-price pre-tax purchase will be donated
to the charities you select. To register for your complimentary
CHAMPION CARD or for more information, visit championsforcharity.
org, call 800.818.6767, or visit the Americana Manhasset Concierge
Store. When it’s time to make a purchase, simply present your
CHAMPION CARD with any form of payment. Donations will be made
on full-price merchandise only, subject to individual store policy.
Your purchases are not automatically eligible. Your CHAMPION
CARD is required to allocate your donation and MUST be presented
at the time of each purchase. Donations on participating store gift
certificates and special order merchandise are subject to individual
store policy. For questions, please contact Jill Burkhardt, North Shore
Animal League America, at (516) 883-7900, extension 833 or
[email protected]
P A W P R I N T S
Answer: “Bequest” is a technical term for any gift from a will
or a trust. Such gifts usually take one of two forms: 1) A specific
cash amount listed in your will or trust, such as “I leave $5,000
to North Shore Animal League America.” Or 2) As a bequest
this may also be a percentage of what remains after estate
expenses are paid and all of the specific cash gifts mentioned in
the will or trust are satisfied. This “leftover” amount is called the
“residue,“ and may be donated as follows: “I leave 10 percent
of the residue of my estate to North Shore Animal League
America.”
Question: Besides “bequests,” what other Legacy Gifts can
I make?
Answer: If you have a retirement or brokerage account, a life
insurance policy, or even a simple checking or savings account,
you can easily name North Shore Animal League America as a
beneficiary of any or all of them. All you need to do is contact
the company that administers your account or policy and ask
for a Change of Beneficiary Form. Simply add North Shore
Animal League America’s name, address, and Federal Tax ID
number to the account — and you’re done. The technical terms
often associated with these arrangements are POD (Payable on
Death) or TOD (Transfer on Death).
Question: I’m ready to arrange for a Legacy Gift to help the
animals. What information will I need to give my attorney or
financial planner?
Answer: Our full name, address, and Federal Tax ID number,
which are:
North Shore Animal League America, Inc.,
16 Lewyt St., Port Washington, NY 11050
Federal Tax ID number: 11-1666852
For more Information or to let us know that you’ve already made
North Shore Animal League America the beneficiary of a Legacy
Gift and want to be recognized as a member of the Pet Protectors
Society, please contact: Eric N. Lieberman at (516) 812-7218 or
[email protected]
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7
MORE WAYs
Give the most important gift,
the Gift of Life…
TO GIVE
MATCHING GIFTS
Your employer’s Matching Gifts Program may double (or even triple!)
your gift. If your employer has a Matching Gifts Program, your human
resources department can provide you with a matching gift form and the
directions for requesting a match. Thank you for making the extra effort;
it goes a long way toward helping pets in need.
GIFTS OF STOCK
Donating to North Shore Animal League America by using appreciated
securities, including stocks and mutual funds, can offer donors additional
benefits. For example, you may be able to avoid capital gains taxes if
the securities have been held for more than one year, while claiming
the maximum tax deduction for the full market value of the gift. Before
making a gift of appreciated securities, please consult your financial
planner or tax adviser to determine how the potential tax advantages
apply to your specific situation.
If you would like to donate securities, please contact Valerie Fields, Senior
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, at 516 883-7275, or email at
[email protected]. or Jill Burkhardt, Vice President Major Gifts,
at 516-883-7900, extention 833, email [email protected].
Make your gift-giving easier than ever before... and all for a life-saving
cause. Sponsor a special-needs Mutt-i-gree® as a gift for someone
you love through our Monthly Giving Program, dedicated to pets with
special needs. A heart-warming and extremely rewarding experience
awaits both of you.
These innocent and deserving pets are given a second chance at the
best quality of life possible through monthly support from kindhearted
and committed individuals like you. Whatever medical conditions or
physical disabilities they face, Animal League America pledges to take
care for each and every one of them for the rest of their lives.
Your gift recipient will receive a welcome packet that includes a
personalized membership certificate and a letter in their honor from
you, along with a color pet photo of their new “best friend.” Other
program benefits for you and your gift recipient include pet progress
updates, Animal League America’s newsletter, Pawprints, address
labels, plus other exciting promotions throughout the year!
Order online at animalleague.org/giftsponsorship2014 or call
1-877-BE-MY-PAL (1-877-236-9725). Limited Time Offer! Order by
December 11, 2014 to ensure guaranteed delivery by December 25, 2014.
Young and on a Mission!
TRIBUTE GIFTS
Add a Memorial Brick to our Campus Walkway. Your personal message,
paying tribute to a beloved pet or person, will become a permanent
part of our walkway, while helping us save the lives of the many rescued
animals in our care.
Add a Tribute Tile to our Shelter Gallery. The Tribute Tile Gallery is a
dedicated area where donors who wish to commemorate a beloved pet
can add a permanent, customized, 6” x 6” ceramic tile that features a
full-color photo along with a personal message.
For information, please contact us or go to our website:
www.animalleague.org/tributegift.
DONATE A VEHICLE
Turn junk into lifesaving treasure through our Vehicle Donation Program
— and earn tax credits, too. We accept almost all vehicles and the
process is fast and easy. You’ll receive all the required tax documentation,
and your vehicle will be towed for FREE, even if it’s not running.
Call 1-855-MUTT-I-GREE (1-855-688-8447), or visit www.muttigrees.org.
To appreciate how your donations are put to great use,
see our online Annual Report:
www.animalleague.org/2013annualreport
Pawprints is a newsletter of:
Francesca Gallo is a bright, kind, and
generous 13-year old who attends St.
Joseph School, in Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
Four years ago she began her own
lovely Christmas tradition by visiting
North Shore Animal League America
in Port Washington to deliver cash and
in-kind donations she’d been gathering
since the summer. Clearly, Francesca
loves animals, and she’s not afraid to let
people know she expects their support.
In fact, she launched her career as a
lifesaving fundraiser when she was just
nine by collecting a “fee” from friends
who wanted to swim in her pool. She even donated her allowance to
boost the bottom line.
From then on, she was a girl on a mission, spreading the word to
family and friends that she was collecting donations to help the
League save innocent lives. Every fall, Francesca asks us what the
animals need most — and then the holiday networking begins! Each
year the contributions grow, and in 2013 the family car arrived at the
League packed with food, treats, blankets, towels, sheets, bowls,
and toys. In addition, Francesca’s friends and family made cash
donations directly to the League at Francesca’s request. Francesca is
so dedicated to the welfare of animals that this year she may need a
second driver to help her transport her gifts!
As you know, Francesca, there’s a man named St. Francis who is said
to have loved animals a lot, too, and you and he have almost the
same name. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. In any case, on behalf
of all the dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens at the League, we thank
you for all you’ve done — and will continue to do — to help us with
our lifesaving work.
North Shore Animal League America, 16 Lewyt Street, Port Washington, NY 11050
1.877.472.8373 • www.AnimalLeague.org
NL-4-2014