Beth’s Blog

When I read that August 17 is National Black Cat Appreciation Day, my heart skipped a beat, and I immediately thought of our magnificent Leon Bear. Howard and I lost this 20-pound bundle of pure joy and sweetness to cancer on September 12, 2018. Looking back, I remember how dignified, regal, confident, and intelligent he was, with his lustrous coat and his wise golden eyes. To us, he meant just the opposite of bad luck. We were so lucky to have known and loved him.

It may not be the best photo in the world (it’s a “screenshot” from a video), but when I saw this image on North Shore Animal League America’s Instagram account, my heart jumped for joy. That smiling face belongs to Eloise, an 8-year-old Beagle mix. On June 24, I reposted NSALA’s appeal to find homes for six senior dogs, including Eloise. A woman named Catherine saw the post, and five days later, Eloise was in Catherine’s car headed to her new home.

In a world that often feels divided by politics, religion, economics, race, and almost anything else you can name, it warms my heart to realize that some positive things unite us. One of these is our compassion for homeless dogs, cats — and rabbits!

Being an optimist is hard work. But deep down, and despite the heartbreaking emails waiting in my inbox every morning, I believe that for every cruel person in this world, there are countless others who are kind, caring, and compassionate. This is especially true in animal welfare, where so many good people stand together to fight animal cruelty in all its ugly forms.

The best things about volunteering happen in the quiet moments when you do something for someone and realize without being thanked or recognized that what you did made life a little sweeter, easier, and safer for another. Sometimes volunteers save lives; sometimes they enrich lives. But honestly, whatever you give is nothing compared to the satisfaction and sense of purpose you receive in return.

This is Pattycake. She’s a one-year-old beauty abandoned by her family. Her biggest quirk? She hates other cats, even their scent on me! In many ways, she’s a typical Tortie, which means she’s smart, opinionated, and stubborn. Some people call this “tortitude,” but I’ve learned from experience that “you can’t judge a cat by her colors.”

Besides being the month of love, hearts, and roses, February is also Responsible Pet Owners Month. And although it’s the shortest month of the year — even in a leap year —it’s full of reminders about how best to care for our animal companions. The most important of all these reminders is about spay/neuter because you cannot be a responsible pet person without supporting spay/neuter.

For me, the beginning of a new year means working even harder to help homeless animals find warmth, safety, and love for the rest of their lives. No matter what I’m doing, even when I’m having a fireside chat with The Moosh, I’m always looking for ways to save more lives. And with the help of my Animal League America colleagues and my IG community, I know that 2024 will be a year to remember.

For me, no month summons up more memories and emotions than December. It’s such a resonant season, whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, or Winter Solstice. December is the time when many of us look back on the past 12 months and forward to what’s next. So in that spirit, I’m taking a look at 2023 to share just a few of the moments that will stay in my memory forever.

She looked like she’d swallowed a bowling ball. From other angles, she looked like a kangaroo. No matter how she sat, lay, or stood, she could not get comfortable. She didn’t walk, she waddled. And she ate like she was feeding a football team. Then, after days of watching and waiting, her seven sweet nuggets arrived…and I finally got some sleep.