Last Hope to celebrate 35 years

Volunteers and supporters of Last Hope Animal Rescue will be celebrating the nonprofit’s 35th anniversary at a gala . The event will be held at the Coral House in Baldwin at 6 p.m. on Oct. 27. 

Through its many programs, Last Hope volunteers said that they are attempting to reduce the cat and dog overpopulation problem on Long Island, encourage responsible and affordable pet ownership and transform the public image of the typical pound animal. The group has a dog and cat adoption center on Beltagh Avenue in Wantagh, and Outreach Coordinator Joanne Anderson noted that many of their volunteers hail from the Wantagh-Seaford area. 

All are welcome to the anniversary celebration; tickets cost $85 per person and can be purchased via Pay Pal at www.lasthopeanimalrescue.org, or by check (mailed to Last Hope, PO Box 7025, Wantagh, NY 11793). 

During the event, Last Hope leaders will be honoring four distinguished guests: William Abbott, CEO and president of Crown Media Holdings; Janine Dion, the executive director and founder of Pet Peeves, Inc.; Joseph Greco, a member of LI Vettes; and Elizabeth Rye, an investigator at the Nassau County district attorney’s office.

Janet Brasco and Gerry Walsh founded Last Hope in 1981 and began saving abandoned and abused pets by fostering them in their homes. Over the course of three decades, Last Hope gained the support of more than 600 volunteers who rescue, nurture and place more than 600 cats and 250 dogs in homes each year. 

All animals Last Hope takes in receive medical care, spaying/neutering and necessary vaccines before they go to new homes. Leaders explained that Last Hope dogs come from Long Island town shelters, and cats are also taken in from alleys behind shopping centers and under decks.

Outreach work is also vital to Last Hope’s mission, Anderson said. To reduce pet overpopulation, Last Hope helps owners undergoing hard times with free spay/neuter for their pets. The group also hosts free rabies vaccine and trap/neuter/return clinics, and has altered more than 18,000 cats through their “fix-a-feral” program. 

The group will also raise funds at the gala through auctions and raffles. For more information about the organization, how to get involved and the upcoming anniersary event, visit www.lasthopeanimalrescue.org.