North Shore Animal League America

Pet rescue and adoption: North Shore Animal League America operates the largest "no kill" Animal adoption venter in the world. We successfully adopt into loving homes almost 10,000 orphaned dogs, cats puppies, and kittens per year from our port Washington, ny headquarters. The League conducts an international pet adoptathon where shelters across the world join us in staying open for 36 consecutive hours to adopt as many animals as possible and a tour for life where mobile units rescue and adopt animals from shelters. The League has adopted out over 1 million animals across the country since its inception in 1944. The mutt-i-grees initiative was implemented nationally by the League as a key element in increasing shelter pet adoptions in an effort to elevate mixed breed dogs to a higher status in the eyes of potential adopters. Our adopters are asked to add their newly adopted pet as well as any other shelter rescue pets that they have own to our mutt-i-grees registry. This included them as part of the mutt-i-grees community, which elevates the value of all mutt-i-grees (shelter and rescued animals) to reduce Animal cruelty.

Humane education: the League conducts humane education through a multifaceted approach. Education material is provided via direct mail, website , and through various media including newspapers, magazines, radio and tv. The mutt-i-grees curriculum is an innovative program that builds on children's affinity for animals and highlights the unique characteristics and desirability of mutt-i-grees, or shelter pets. The goal of the mutt-i-grees curriculum is to enable children to grow up to be calm, confident and caring. The curriculum teaches social and emotional skills and is unique in its bridging of humane education and sel is a process by which children learn to manage their emotions, get along with others, have empathy and compassion, and discover essential teamwork skills, these skills are important in life, but also in academic achievement. Studies show that children do better in school when they are socially and emotionally competent. Most importantly, the curriculum is viewed as a social and intellectual path to a no-kill nation, a path that will lead to the adoption of a dog or cat from a shelter as the only responsible choice for young adults to make.

Veterinary care and spay neuter: the on site medical center is staffed by veterinarians, technicians, volunteers and administrative personnel. This full service hospital provides 24 hours care for all pets who are sheltered by the League each year. Low cost veterinary services are provided for pets in need of such care. Spay usa, a program of the League, is a nationwide network and referral services for affordable spay/neuter procedures.