Liz Mostov is one of those altruistic people that make you believe in angels.
Well she
is a New Yorker! She’s been out to volunteer to the Best Friends sanctuary while she was on vacation. She helped out at Dogtown at Old Friends, and volunteered with the special needs cats. She loved helping make a difference and was in awe of the setting in Kanab, Utah! But this is par for the course, for this woman that has gone on volunteer-vacations for the last five years. She’s gone as far as Africa to help out where help is needed.
It was this kind of spirit that brought her out to Middletown, New York when she heard about the original crisis at Pets Alive. As soon as she learned of animals in need her first question was “how do I get up there”? Turns out trains and buses are both available to get you from Manhattan to Middletown! She started going up the first week of May and hasn’t stopped. She is a concierge at a tony hotel on the Upper Westside where she gets Wednesdays off. Every Wednesday she is a fixture at Pets Alive, working harder than she does at her day job! She walks the dogs and then goes and helps out with the cats. She’s even helped out with the pigs. It’s obvious why Liz has been a member of Best Friends for years!
“I’ve been working with animal rescues in New York for years. But the city shelters were getting me too depressed. Then a back and knee injury limited what I was able to do (she was a professional dancer). I’ve volunteered with a cheetah rescue in Namibia – I like helping wherever I’m needed,” Liz shared.
And boy has she been helping! While she can’t walk the big dogs, she’s logging many miles walking the smaller dogs. “I love the dogs from Pets Alive, I like helping the new puppy mill dogs too, but they’ve gotten a lot of attention. And don’t forget, many of the dogs that have lived at Pets Alive probably came from puppy mills!”
Traveling two hours each way is really a testament to Liz’s commitment to the animals! She’s only missed three of her scheduled visits! “If I can walk, I can make it up there,” she says with a smile.
“You’re their eyes and ears and if a dog or cat has something wrong, often it’s the volunteers that can see it first because they have more time to spend with the animals.”
And she’s got experience with that too! She had also been a wildlife guide at the Bronx Zoo and the Central Park Zoo. She’s also worked with an organization that created holist magnetic pet pads, which can help immensely for some arthritic dogs. Using magnets instead of taking pills and shots, it’s noninvasive and helps with circulation. She was even thanked by the famed designer Oleg Cassini for treating his dogs, well it was his assistant that called, but he told her to!
She was touched by the adoptions that took place through Pets Alive – and by one happy ending in particular. Bailey had to have his foot amputated. In many situations this would be a dog that would have no future, but at Pets Alive he was adopted out to a wonderful home! This is the kind of experience that every volunteer should have, and thanks to Best Friends there are so many different opportunities available to make a difference!
How You Can HelpVolunteerPets Alive will need volunteers as the months grow colder, and the hectic Holiday Season has many dedicated volunteers traveling. If you would like to volunteer, please get on the schedule for the next month and beyond. There are still many volunteers that show up on a daily basis, but it will start to peter out, and your help will be invaluable then! If you’re interested please call the main number at Pets Alive 845-386-9738 and ask for a Volunteer Coordinator!
DONATE Now that these dogs and puppies are in our care, we want to give them the best life we can. They deserve nothing less. Your donations are deeply appreciated.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT PUPPY MILLSPuppy Mill Frequently Asked QuestionsCommon statistics and general information about puppy mills.
by Denise LeBeau, Best Friends staffimage courtesy of Pets AliveShare this story: