They also dedicated a Tribute Bench, located directly outside our main adoption center. The plaque honors Mitchell’s childhood companion, a dog named Bridget, and speaks tenderly of the love in which the entire Mitchell family held that long-ago canine companion: “In Loving Memory of Bridget. No Stone Marks Where She Lies. Her Life Is Engraved In Our Hearts.”

Since 1988, the Harts have generously supported our no-kill mission through a variety of gifts. Then, in the fall of 2013, the Harts made memorial donations for Mitchell’s parents, Murray and Sylvia, who died just four months apart. In honor of Mitchell’s mother, they donated a much-needed cat-condo. The eloquent plaque reads simply: “In Cherished Memory of Sylvia Hart Who Loved Animals of All Kinds.”

For the Harts, these gifts represent a personal commitment to North Shore Animal League based on firsthand knowledge and a thoughtful respect for the work we do.

“I’ve made several visits to the facility,” says Mitchell, “and the care given to these homeless animals — and to the families who wish to adopt them — is first rate, supported by an enthusiastic, friendly staff. Of course, we’d all prefer to live in a world where no animal is homeless or abused. Supporting North Shore Animal League America is the next best thing.”

Senior Vice President of Development Jill Burkhardt praises the Harts as genuine friends. “I’ll never forget Mitchell’s passionate response to our Tribute Gifts Program. He was able to pay tribute to his parents’ memory, as well as that of his beloved childhood dog, with special gifts in their honor — gifts that had immediate impact on the pets in our care. The Hart’s continued support has not waivered, and we are extremely grateful.”

Clearly, the Hart family has discovered the power of Animal League America’s Tribute Gift program, which offers three personalized options to choose from when honoring a special person or pet. These include a Tribute Brick for our Memory Lane Campus Walkway, a Tribute Tile for display in our Tribute Tile Gallery, or a handsome bronze plaque for placement on benches, landscaped rocks, or trees on our campus. For additional information, please visit animalleague.org/tribute.