Bianca’s Furry Friends Campaign
Nearing Completion
UPDATE: May 10, 2019
The exterior of the Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center (BFF), is moving towards completion. The beautiful, two-story, glass entrance is in place. Several walls in the new lobby will hold donor plaques. People can select gifts at different levels to honor a person, animal, occasion, or as a memorial for a loved one.
The 12 free-roaming cat areas are coming together and feature plenty of shelves and perches so that the cats have vertical space to roam. Lots of natural sunlight pours through the exterior windows and visitors can watch cats play, snooze, and interact through the interior curved-glass windows.
The floor also features a food prep room, a grooming room, three adoption counseling areas, a family room, offices, a medical suite, and storage areas. The medical suite includes exam rooms, a surgery suite, and a respiratory/isolation area.
A highlight is the special nursery designed for new mother cats and their litters. Located in a central corridor, the nursery has a large viewing window so the public can watch the moms and kittens as they grow and thrive.
Excitement is mounting as we draw closer to the opening of this state-of-the-art facility this year. It will enable us to save even more animals and continue as a leader in the no-kill movement, which we’ve pioneered since our founding in 1944. What a wonderful way to also celebrate our 75th anniversary!
Continue to check back for more updates on the progress of this exciting new addition to our Long Island campus.
Career & Volunteer Opportunities
As Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center nears completion, we have several new career opportunities and adult volunteer positions in this new feline focused facility. Available career positions include Senior Staff Veterinarian and Front Desk Receptionist. Additional volunteer positions include feline care, socialization, meet and greets, and helping out with adoptions.
Bianca’s Furry Friends Room Naming Opportunities
We are currently offering a limited amount of naming opportunities for the rooms in this beautiful new facility including the new nursery, family room, free roaming rooms, and more. Naming opportunities begin at $50,000. For more information please email tributegifts@animalleague.org or call the Gift Planning Office at 516-373-3635.
Progress has been steady on Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center (BFF), one of the most ambitious construction projects in our 75-year history. And we’ve managed to conduct our lifesaving work with minimal disruption.
Most recently, workers installed windows and glass panels, ductwork, exterior drywall, staircases, plumbing, and security cameras. A state-of-the-art, 120 ton HVAC roof-top system was put into place that will provide clean, fresh, hypoallergenic air throughout the facility for the animals. Crews are continuing to work on framing for the interior curved glass walls along the main corridor. Also, the staff is beginning to make decisions on flooring and décor elements like shelving and color schemes.
Of course, there is still much work ahead, but as the building takes shape its transformative potential is truly inspiring. For our cat team, BFF will be a game changer. “The cat team absolutely cannot wait,” said Dorit Shevach-Shani, Feline Enrichment Manager. “The new cage-free environment will offer our cats a more natural setting where they can settle in a calm atmosphere. It’s going to allow them to blossom and will lead to happier, more social cats and quicker adoptions.”
The cat team is not alone in its anticipation. In fact, everyone on campus — from kennel staff to veterinary technicians to volunteers — is excited about the progress and eager to put the building’s state-of-the-art features to work. They’re sure the felines, especially the older ones, will greatly benefit from its cage-free environment. So on their behalf, we thank you for your generous, ongoing support.
For three-quarters of a century, we’ve continued to innovate because friends and donors like you have never stopped believing in our no-kill mission. When we open the doors to BFF this summer, we’ll celebrate our long history and our unwavering commitment to the future.
UPDATE: September 10, 2018
Construction on Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center has been in full swing this summer as we move closer to the completion of the 14,000-squre-foot facility. Our Port Washington, N.Y. campus is abuzz as the state-of-the-art building begins to take shape.
Construction crews have been taking advantage of the nice weather, working tirelessly to lay the concrete foundation, form elevator shafts and stairwells, and connect steel support columns to the existing structure. Brick by brick this lifesaving facility is taking shape right in front of our eyes. It won’t be too long before this beautiful new building is filled with even more adoptable animals than ever before.
All of us here at the world’s largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization couldn’t be more excited, and we appreciate your ongoing support.
UPDATE: May 9, 2018
It’s an exciting time here at the world’s largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization. Spring has sprung at last, and construction has officially begun on Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center!
If you happen to visit our Port Washington, N.Y. campus you’ll notice bright orange construction netting around several areas of the building, fences encapsulating the visitor parking lot, and scaffolding atop the roof; all signs pointing towards the beginning of renovations on this highly anticipated project. This state-of-the-art feline focused adoption center will not only provide more fulfilling lives to all of the cats and kittens who inhabit it, but free up space in other areas of our campus so we can continue to save the lives of more companion animals from both near and far!
UPDATE: November 29, 2017
North Shore Animal League America National Spokesperson, Volunteer, and Foster Parent, joined her colleagues to break ground for Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center. This state-of-the-art facility will allow us to rescue many more animals by adding a second floor to the existing shelter that will house a cage-free, natural living environment for felines.
“It’s a dream that’s coming true,” Beth said. “It’s been four years of hard work, fundraising, working with architects, and just believing that this day would actually be here – and here it is!”
Every year, North Shore Animal League America rescues, nurtures and finds loving homes for thousands of homeless, ailing and neglected animals. But our shelter facilities are always operating at full capacity; as much as we’d like to take in every precious animal that needs our help, space limitations are an enormous problem.
We have a solution! Bianca’s Furry Friends, our proposed state-of-the-art Feline Adoption Center named in honor of Howard and Beth Stern’s beloved best friend, will enable us to rescue many more animals by adding a second floor to our existing shelter.
This feline-focused Center will help us save the lives not only of cats and kittens, but also dogs and puppies, as it will open room in our existing facility.
The bottom line: More lives will be saved because of your generous support.
Fast Facts on Bianca’s Furry Friends:
- 14,000-square-foot facility
- Cage-free feline surroundings
- Exam Rooms, Feline Behavior Department, Grooming Facilities
- Kitten Adoption Facility
- 24-hour-care Nursery
- Respiratory Ward, Surgical Suite & Recovery Room
Bianca’s Furry Friends will help us:
- Save more lives
- Increase our capacity to provide more adoptable animals to the public
- Enhance our ability to further our no-kill promise
- Continue to be the premiere Rescue & Adoption Organization in the world
Please join Beth and Howard Stern and be a lifesaver to animals in need.