This is the sweet face of just one of 293 dogs and cats who traveled nearly 12,000 miles, from Kabul, Afghanistan, to Washington, D.C., seeking safety and hope on our shores. Twenty-six of those precious felines found their way to North Shore Animal League America late on the evening of June 5. Our mobile team, led by the incredible Karla and Teddy, drove to Dulles Airport to meet them and bring them to Long Island. And we are so proud and grateful to welcome them all.
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!
In your own neighborhood right now, many hardworking people are making a daily difference for animals. Perhaps you’re one of them! Others are on the far side of the world. But wherever they are, their dedication is the same, and the animals who benefit have no passports, no national identities, and no idea what a border is.
One of those organizations is in Kabul, Afghanistan. Called Kabul Small Animal Rescue, it was founded by an American woman, Charlotte Maxwell-Jones. Over the years, she has helped countless animals, including military dogs left behind as the war there ended, often reuniting them with their soldier handlers. For the last several weeks, she and her staff and volunteers have worked around the clock to coordinate all the paperwork, logistics, and hands-on care required to make this effort a success.
Of course, animal rescue in places like Afghanistan is perhaps more dramatic than elsewhere, but it’s really not that different. And that’s the link that connects us: doing what we can, one life at a time.
The 293 animals who made the trip are now in shelters across the country. Imagine the hopeful future these pets are looking at. It is amazing. And since June is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, I’m certain we’ll find these little ones great homes.