Fall in love with our furry friends!
Behind every great team is a community of loyal supporters–and for many of us, that includes our beloved companion animals. They’re the ones who keep us company during brainstorms, remind us to take breaks with their playful antics, and greet us with boundless enthusiasm after a long day. In this blog, we’re pulling back the curtain to introduce you to our beloved companions who brighten our lives and keep our spirits high.
Alvin
Alvin was a senior adoptee from a county shelter in Virginia. The relinquishing family noted that “Alvin has a lot of love to give but no one to give it to.” They were right. Alvin is pure love and wears his heart on his tiny Chihuahua sweater sleeves.
- Liz Cabrera Holtz, Senior Campaigns Manager
Blueberry and Maggie
We rescued Blueberry (right) from a high-kill shelter in Georgia shortly after I graduated college, so he’s really grown up alongside us. He’s incredibly sweet, attentive, and a bit mischievous—his favorite game is searching for treats I hide around the house. Maggie (left), who we rescued from Louisiana, is full of energy and incredibly affectionate. During the workday, she’s always curled up under my desk. Together, the two make the perfect pair: Blueberry keeps Maggie grounded, while Maggie gets him energized.
- Emily Huggins, Philanthropy Officer
Cherry
Cherry is unmistakably cute and unapologetically menacing. She keeps us on our toes with her shenanigans, is the most playful pup I’ve ever known, and is an expert at mental enrichment games. We love taking Cherry on adventures! Just last year, we visited Canada twice, and her favorite place on Earth is a Lake Michigan beach. Cherry’s lavish and fulfilling life inspires me to continue working so all animals are free and able to experience as comfortable and fruitful of a life as she does.
- McKenzie Mak, Community Engagement Manager
Colonel
We adopted Colonel when he was five years old. He was marketed as a “gentleman chihuahua.” At 18 pounds and with a tendency to pee inside, he is neither. But we love his silly personality, loyalty, and affection.
- Liz Cabrera Holtz, Senior Campaigns Manager
Grey and Himmy
Grey and Himmy have been best friends since day one. They love snuggles, fresh laundry, and finding new hiding spots. Grey doesn’t allow her mom to be on video calls without her while Himmy judges from afar.
- Lindsay Oliver, Executive Director
Jabba
Jabba the Catt, a massive long-haired cat, is the head of the household and has maintained her top spot in the pecking order despite the arrival of two Chihuahuas, two additional cats, and two toddlers over the years. She rules with an iron fist. Prometheus, also pictured, is Ripley’s mother and also named for the Alien franchise. She found the love of her life when she met our older cat, Jabba. She spends most of her time sleeping curled up next to Jabba or enforcing Jabba’s orders to the other household members.
- Liz Cabrera Holtz, Senior Campaigns Manager
Lucy and Frankie
Meet Lucy (left) and Frankie (right)! These two rescue dogs are loving life in Tennessee. They’re both big fans of treats (and food in general!), walks, and cuddles. At 12, Frankie has the playful energy of a much younger dog and always keeps us laughing. He will “defend” the house and does his best to keep up with his sister—despite weighing just 14 pounds. Lucy is the sweetest, happiest dog you’ll ever meet. Her tail is always wagging, and her gentle spirit makes her a joy to be around. They balance each other perfectly and bring so much happiness to our home!
- Kirsten Ferro, Individual Giving Manager
Luna
We recently moved to California, and Luna is loving the (almost) daily dose of warm sunshine!
- Amy Squires, International Private Sector Engagement Manager
Mau and Benny
Mau (grey) came to me through the cat distribution system back in 2015, and I adopted Benny in 2022 to give her the sister she had always dreamed of. They love stepping on my keyboard, grooming each other (and me), fighting over the best sunny spots, keeping neighborhood watch, and taking naps as a family.
- Naomi Silverman, Senior Philanthropy Manager
Moon
Moon is a 75lb Husky/Lab/Pitbull/Australian Shepherd rescued as a baby from the streets of Texas. His skills include being smarter than his human companion, having an uncanny understanding of time, eating his meals out of puzzles, and finding the largest branch. He enjoys peanut butter, sleeping under a heated blanket, destroying his stuffed animals, the beach, and wrestling. His dream job would be sniffing out explosives for the government, as he can locate a tiny old chicken bone in a football field, but instead, he sniffs out all the wonderful odors of The Big Apple (he also likes apples).
- Meganne Natale, Communications Specialist
Penny and Cocobella
Penny and Cocobella (Coco) live in sunny Los Angeles and keep their humans on their toes nonstop. Penny is a typical pug who sleeps for 10+ hours a day and is obsessed with food. Penny will often ignore commands to “come” and “sit” but as soon as a chip bag crinkles, she is flying off the couch to start her begging. Coco was rescued off the streets of LA, and has settled in nicely to domesticated life. She is still scared and shy of other dogs but has given the seal of approval to her sister, often grooming and cuddling her, much to Penny’s dismay. Coco loves lounging in the sun and definitely has that chihuahua ego–where her bark is bigger than her bite.
- Liz Quick, Director of Development
Pinguino
Pinguino was thrown out of a car when she was just a few weeks old in Takoma Park, Maryland. Nursed back to health by a Good Samaritan, Pinguino was the first animal to join the household. Though she might be (more than) mildly dismayed at the new arrivals over the years, she is a loyal and loving cat.
- Liz Cabrera Holtz, Senior Campaigns Manager
Rhoda and Sparrow
Sparrow (8) and Rhoda (11) are rescue kitties with big personalities. Sparrow is a big (13lb) boy who loves to watch birds outside, open doors, and play hide and seek. Rhoda is a petite older lady, but that doesn’t slow her down–she loves to chase laser pointers and watch cat TV. In addition to a shared love of food, they also both drool when they are happy!
- Soren Ferrieri, Digital Marketing Manager
Ripley
Ripley, named for the hero of the Alien films, was rescued from a shelter in North Carolina along with her mother and siblings at just a month old. A survivor of panleukopenia, a highly contagious and often fatal disease in kittens, Ripley consistently lives up to her namesake as a fierce and brave cat who loves her family but is not opposed to occasionally trying to cause them to fatally trip down the stairs.
- Liz Cabrera Holtz, Senior Campaigns Manager
Valentine
Valentine, AKA Val, is a mushy, adorable, and lazy English bulldog. She enjoys long walks on the beach, lying in the sun, and snoring during Zoom meetings. Her daily workout is a lap around the backyard and then back to napping.
- Jeanne Turkeimer, Communications and Influencer Relations Manager