Beth’s Blog

Whatever you celebrate this month — Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, or Winter Solstice — December is pure magic. The lights on the trees, the light from the stars, and the candlelight — it all feels precious during the darkest month of the year. Memories feel precious, too, especially the memories of all my sweet 2024 fosters. I wish I could list each one, but believe me, they’re all in my heart. Here are just a few of the bright little lights from 2024.

When I saw this picture of Mango, I imagined him patiently waiting for that phone to ring with the best news possible: a new family to love him, a new lap to snuggle on, and a fresh start for his golden years. Mango’s story and his tender amber eyes spoke to me. A senior kitty whose life has seen too many dramatic twists and turns, Mango could be the poster boy for senior pet adoption. And since November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, here is his saga.

This photo says so much. On one side of the door is our Cocomelon, safe and sound in our house. On the other side is Bud, a handsome feral Tuxedo we’ve been working with for months. He wants to join us — you can see it in his face — but he’s hesitant and frightened, caught between his desire for food and comfort and his fear of the unknown. It’s so sad. But you know me: I love a challenge!

September 16-22 is Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week, one of the most important weeks on my calendar, mainly because of our Bella. When she came into our lives 11 years ago, she was definitely one of the “less-adoptables.” She’d been found blind and pregnant, walking around a junkyard. She was about to be euthanized at a municipal shelter when North Shore Animal League America scooped her up and brought her to safety. That was her new beginning.

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.”