It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio. Welcome to Maria's MutS and Stuff and with me. I am so thrilled to finally have her on the other end of an interview and chat with her. It is Joeann Johannan, who is the SVP of shelter Operations at north Shore Animal League America. So thank you, Joanne for taking the time and making time to talk to me today. Oh, you're welcome, Maria. I'm so excited to be here, and I'm thrilled that we finally made the connection. I
know how busy you are. We both are. Yes, this is just so important and such a really wonderful time for north Shore Animal League America. So thank you for having me. Absolutely, and I mean this is the big thing for you for north Shore. It's that eighties yearniversary. That's amazing. So when I think about it, eighty years ago was I mean World War Two was still going on? So tell me how did north Shore Animally America start? So in nineteen forty five, a small group of grassroots animal
lovers decided they wanted to save the lives of the animals. We've always been no kill and it was a small operation. And then as the years went by, Elizabeth Lewett and her husband Alex became involved with this group and supported this group, and they had the opportunity to provide animal control services on Long
Island in the town of Staid, but chose not to. They wanted to continue with the tradition of saving as many lives as they could without being dictated to as to which animals they have to take when they have to take them, and not giving them enough time to find homes. So we remain true to that mission. So eighty years is a really long time to be able to sustain the goal of staying focused on rescuing, nurturing, adopting, and
educating people about the animals that we have available for adoption. Sure, I mean, and that is it's incredible, And you think eighty years, I mean, it really is a long run. And for those I'm sure there are most people who are listening right now, they know and have heard of North Shore Animalague America. But for those who haven't, it is the world's world's largest and longest running no kill rescue and adoption organization. And I think
you've saved more than one point one million animals. Is that that's pretty correct? Yes, that's correct. Oh my goodness. I'm sure it's probably much more than that if you add in the natal programs we created, like Global Petadaptithon, like transport, like Tour for Life. The one point one million animals are actual animals that came through our doors and we were able to find homes for I think it's so amazing and I'm so proud to be a part of it. Sure, Oh my goodness, of course. And so let's
that brings me to you? How did you get started? How how long? First of all, how long have you been with north Shore Animally America. I've been with north Shore for twenty eight years. Wow, congratulations. Yes, No, that's amazing. It is, and it's really interesting the way it came to be. I started working for the ASPCA in New York City probably around nineteen seventy eight. And at the time, the ASPCA was
providing animal control services for the City of New York and Maria. You know, in the late seventies and right into the eighties and even part of the early nineties, population control was at an all time high, using euthanasia as
that means of population control. So it was pretty bad. And honestly, the system for collecting data and understanding the actual numbers of animals dying in the shelter system was really difficult because we literally would have like a handwritten log book that would start at number one at the beginning of each year, and maybe she had six puppies, it would count as one unit. So that means those six little lives that were euthanized did not count. It was counted as
one union. Wow. Yeah, So the one hundred and fifty thousand animals that we think were euthanized during that time as a means of population controlled, and that was just through the ag It was probably more like four hundred thousand if you wanted to count the kittens and the puppies and you know, not count them as units. So we were in a really, really bad place. So fast forward, I mean, here we are in the twenty twenties
and everybody has really supported animal welfare. Tide of animal welfare has changed since that time, and it's been you know, we've evolved through the past three decades and if you look at where we were then and where we are today, so many strides have been made, and I'm so thankful to have been a part of that. So, you know, things that we do here
now other organizations are doing. You know, we were heavily criticized for transporting animals from the South and bringing them up here, or for even taking animals from the ASPCA. That's how I got to know your animal. I was a shelter director at the ASPCA for many years and nat Show would come in and they would take animals that were going to be euthanized, and I was so excited. And of course we did silly things like you know, cross out the sneezing or the goup in the eyes, you know, get a
tissue and clean it up right. Term is just amazing. They would come in and they would take these animals, and then through the years the idea of transporting animals became mainstreams. So today you've seen many even smaller groups, grassroots groups, everybody. It takes the village working together to save lives. Why should these animals die if there are good families waiting to adopt them in different parts of the country, of course, of course, Yeah, that's
been an exciting evolution through the years for men. No, absolutely why do you think why were people critical though of that? I think they didn't understand the bigger picture. I think it was because they felt that there were animals here already. Why aren we bringing more in? But if you look at what we had, there were a lot of not the way it is now. You see even more now. And you know, I love pitbulls. They are a marvelss breed. I have one, as a matter of fact,
mix of a pit bull. But there were a lot of pit bulls at that time, a lot of chow chows, a lot of dominant breed dogs that families were afraid to adopt. And so yes, we would get some of them adopted. But that can't be all you have, because if it is, people end up going to the pet store, and we all know where those animals come from. Yes, so if there are homeless animals whose lives could be saved through transport, and I truly believe that now people
understand. It took time. You know, people aren't great when it comes to change. You know, humane organizations. Me myself, when I started working at north Shore, I mean I came here with the intention of figuring out what the heck it is. They were doing what kind of scam a they run? There was no skin run. I wanted to know how any organization can do twenty thousand adoptions in a year. And I learned so much being here, Maria. It was just amazing that not Shore actually advertised animals
and the paper, you know, that was the way to go. Sure, social media, I remember that, Yes, I remember those ads very well. Yeah, they were everywhere. You could open the TV guide. My age is showing you could open the Yellow Pages. I'm with you. Yes, that's right, it would be ads U Yeah, And I thought
to myself, Wow, this organization is promoting the adoption of animals. We all thought that was kind of crazy because we all thought that it would encourage spontaneous adoptions that weren't well thought out, resulting in returns, which we all came to realize was wrong, or I came to realize was wrong. How are people to save lives if they don't know what's going on and they don't know what's available. Sure, so it really worked out well. Yeah,
and how big is your staff now? You probably have? I mean, I know you have a lot of volunteers. We do. We have over three hundred paid employees. Between part and full time. But we probably have close to eight hundred volunteers, and we could not do the things we do without our volunteers. They are amazing, amazing, Maria, absolutely. I mean I've been at your events, I've seen your volunteers. They are amazing. And you have you probably have adoptions. I know you'd have them every
weekend, and you probably have them almost seven days a week. It seems like we do. We're open for adoption seven days a week. And the only time that changed was during the pandemic, and only for two short weeks while we caught our breath and regrouped. And I have to tell you, we did a capital campaign. I know you know this, and we expanded
our adoption center. We added the second floor called Bianca's Fury Friends. And what that is is a fourteen thousand square foot cage free environment for our cats and kittens. And what that did was, aside from providing this phenomenal stress free environment in which the cats thrive until they go home to their permanent loving families, but it also opened up room downstairs on the first floor or for additional life saving work with dogs and ruppies. Right though, the fact that
it opened November. BFF opened November twenty nineteen. It was almost like a gift, yes, that we got all of this extra space right before the pandemic was full swing. Yeah, yeah, that's true. Yeah, yeah, as a result of having fourteen thousand additional square feet upstairs, and the cats are ecstatic because now they don't have to hear barking dogs, which is of course loving it. Yeah, we were able to open. A lot of organizations couldn't or didn't or you know, was unable, were unable to.
But we were able to open and continue with our rescue and continue with our adoptions because we had upstairs and we had downstairs, so there was plenty of room for us to distance ourselves and to wear the masks and continue rulling
on with adoptions. But it was wonderful having that space then, and it's even greater now, you know, going back to what I said about the tide of animal welfare change, and we get a lot of older animals, geriatric animals, animals in need of care, so they stay with us is a little longer than it has been in past years. So having the ability to provide such an enriching environment for a longer stay is truly a gift for the animals. Absolutely, and you know, that's always one of my biggest
pet peeves. People always want puppies and kittens, but you know, and I always say, oh, but there are others. Get young adults or or adopt a senior because sometimes, you know, sometimes people die and they don't make plans. It happens all the time. You know it better than I do. And there's not you know, and there's nothing wrong you're going to get. You know. First of all, another big pet peeve is there's nothing wrong with animals that wind up in shelters. They're not damaged,
there's nothing wrong with them. They just happened to sometimes the failure of people or not who didn't spay or newter their animals and they wind up in a shelter. Okay, So it's like win win to adopt, you know, And I just you know, and like you said before, when you know, animals come from stores. The store can tell you anything that they think you want to hear. But the bottom line is those animals came from puppy mills. So absolutely right, and it doesn't matter somebody's like, oh no,
it's a special breeder. Just for the store. No no, no, no, that's not true, you know, and special breeder they're usually
backyard breeders. Yes, there are some really really good breeders out there that have very high standards, and those breeders usually have waiting lists for their animals, and they usually screen their potential buyers, you know, and they usually will take their animals back if it doesn't work out, whereas the backyard breeder is just looking for volume to increase profits, and so the care of the animals is not at the forefront of what they're thinking about when they're doing this.
So I'm with you. I think that adopting an animal from a shelter or a rescue group, or taking from somebody who can no longer keep an animal and preventing that relinquishment in the first place, really is the way to go. And life happens, you know, sometimes, like people pass away, people end up in assisted living or nursing homes. People get divorced. Yeah, people move to places that don't allow pets. I personally wouldn't but
you know me too, me too. I know you can't judge. You can't judge, right, right, we are cut from the same cloth with that because I'd be like, well, I'm not going to move there if I can't take my pet. You know, it's not a couch. But okay, yeah, exactly, it's part of the family. Yeah, I think that many Americans are very proud of the pets they rescue and adopt. Yes, I think that the whole mindset of having to have a specific breed
dog, not because there's anything wrong with breed specific dogs. You know, we get those here too, but I think that whole mindset has changed, and I think that people just look for that connection and they really yeah, they want to embrace that human animal bond. It's not necessarily all about what the dog looks like anymore or the cat looks like anymore. Right, I
agree with that. I think it's definitely changed. I think especially you know, you think back like our grandparents and they had dogs, and yes they were in the house, but it was different. You know, they probably ate what the people ate, and you know, they took care of them. There are other people that just left their dogs in a doghouse outside. But now I think and over the years, I mean I've seen it. I know you have dogs and cats are and yeah, I mean it applies
to both of them. They are part of the family and they are you know, and when it comes to their healthcare and how they sleep and how they eat. And I think I'm very grateful that the you know, it's the tide has changed for it. Yeah, these two we've come a long way, like I said, still have a ways to go, you know, until organizations like North Shore are no longer necessary. Maybe then we become a medical center and a boarding facility in a grooming shop and you know,
right right like that. But until such time, is just good to know that we have the ability to help so many animals. Absolutely, Yeah, Proud that I'm able to do a little stuff thing to add to that. Absolutely, And it's a big something, it's not little, Joanne. You need to own that. You're like a pioneer in this whole situation. So
I hope you realize that. Well, thank you for saying that, because I look back at my younger days and when I started at the ASPCA in nineteen seventy eight as a young girl and going to work was like, oh my god, we got to give as many animals out of here as we can. It was just so much euthanasia happening. And as the years went by and I got to know notth Shore Animal League, I was so thankful
and so thrilled. I knew Missus LeWitt personally. We used to call her bad Bet and I would always ask her, I remember this one dog. We had a pregnant dog and the rescue van she was on was full. But I knew that if they didn't take this little brown dog, that they were going to put her down. And she was pregnant. Maria and I looked at Missus Leeward and I said, do you think maybe you could take this dog? And she looked at me and she knew I was upset,
and she said, Joanne, there's always room for one more. All these years, I never forgot that. And she promptly took that little brown dog and put the door with astray, put the dog on her lap. She was on the passenger side of the van, and off they drove. I was so happy, of course, that that dog's life was saved. And you know what, that wasn't her first litter, because about two weeks later
when she came back again, that little brown dog had eight puppies. Oh my goodness, Yes, And when the litter is that large, you know that you know it's probably her second or third litter. But she also let me know when the dog was adopted. So I have so many wonderful memories of Babbat and so many wonderful memories of not sure coming in and saving so
many lives. But I also have many memories etched in my heart of animals that warn't saved Maria, and I think that that's what motivates me to stay focused, yes, and do as much as I can for as many as I can. Exactly, I was just actually you're reading my mind. I was just going to say, Joanne, that's what keeps you focused for all the animals that warn't saved, but the ones that still need to be saved.
And that's where you, you know, and North Shore Animal in America come in every day, every night, working so tirelessly to you know, to get these animals saved and adopted, working tirelessly. I have to say, we were talking about BFF and then you know, when we talk about animals, it's it's so it's so easy to go from topic to topic because there's so much to talk about. Yes, but I've got to tell you, bet Star. Well, yes, John, I have to ask you.
Yes, I was going to actually bring her up because we were talking about Bianca's furry friends, and I was like, we must talk about Beth and the name of Bianca's so please tell me Beyonca was Beth and Haward Stern's dog, and sadly, Bianca died in twenty twelve, and Beth wanted to do something meaningful in memory of Bianca, and so I thought, you know, Howard does some artwork, and he's really quite talented. He is,
He's very good. Yes, yeah, I would get these Christmas cards from them, and the year that Bianca passed away, there was a watermark of her on the back of the card. So my idea of big we were at We were at the location I don't remember, but it was twenty twelve. It was right after Sandy. The venue we had in Chelsea's Tears was
flooded, so we couldn't go there. We had to quickly organized the gallap it might've been the Waldorf Astoria. Whatever, it was put together very quickly, and Beth and I were sitting at the table, so I said to her, oh, you know, maybe Howard could come up with a line of specialty cards and we could use that watermark. And she said, well, that's a good idea, but I was thinking something bigger, you know, maybe like an adoption center for cats. And we just started talking.
She took her little makin she was drawing pictures on there, and I said, well, you know, I don't know if we can do this, but I'm going to check with the town. Maybe we could add a second floor and that could be for cats and kittens. And you know, we were thinking about this together, right. One idea rolled into another. So she was going away. I said, when you come back, I'll have some answers to you. The short version is that we went to the town,
we were able to add a second floor. So when she got back, which was early twenty thirteen ten, it was full swinging fundraising and you know, finding a company that could do the sketches, getting the architect. I can't tell you how amazing she was. She and Howard actually, because he supports her tremendously with the rescue work that she does. There's always cats
and kittens, and she's a big lover of dogs. She's a big lover of a yeahs her, I'm pretty sure she's a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as well, and I have to say one of the most impressive things she's done aside from BFF, and it was so much fun working with it. On her she has made her and Howard adopting older animals like the in thing to do, and her Instagram reaches hundreds of thousands of people, so animals that would
normally sit for months at a time. Once she focuses on those animals and talks about them and does a quick video clip, we're able to find homes for them. So I can't even tell you how many lives that has saved.
Oh, not only directly here at Notchare, but across the country because she's got quite a strong followers she does yeah yeah, and you know, the people that follow her are big animal lovers and they share with their friends and it's just been really a whirlwind of lives saved as a result of her promoting of bets, promoting the cats, the kittens, and even some older adult dogs on her Instagram. So it's been an amazing run with her.
But she's always always been an animal lover. It's how I met her, and how did the two of you meet well, it's really funny, she was, Oh my god, it was so long ago, probably the early two thousands. We had a luncheon. I was not in this position. I was the manager of off offside events and offside adoptions and we were at the Garden City Hotel and it was the luncheon. She was one of I don't know four or five models, Maria one was more beautiful than Sunny.
Nobody had announced on them, and there it is. They're holding these puppies and they're modeling, and you know, we were doing some adoptions there. Beth wanted to make sure all the animals got adopted. And it was funny because when the cameras went off, and you know, the other models there was a couple of other models and they were all beautiful too, they were holding the puppies away from them. So the volunteers and the staff we went and took the puppies and I said, excuse me, miss, and it
was Beth. I didn't know her. Said I'll take the puppy. And she looked at me and she gestured with her hands like, oh, it's okay, right right, I said, but what about your dress? The puppy's gonna maybe the puppy's going to tear your dress or get hair on there. She jested again with her hand and said, oh please, can I hold him? So I said, of course, you can hold him, and then we just started talking. She told me her name was Beth. She said, if I could ever do anything for you, just let me
know. She gave me her phone number, and the rest is history because we did. Yeah. Yeah, and you know, the internet was kind of just starting out, our website was just starting out. But she was so darned pretty. Yeah, I said, Beth, you could make any old dog look fabulous, So would you mind modeling with a couple of our older, larger breed dogs. And she did, and they were adopted of
course, right right, Yeah, it worked. I mean as time went by, then hit in two thousand and six, and at that time I didn't even know she was dating Howard Stern, right, And it was the funniest thing because she said to Nija Wanne, I'm dating a radio DJ. Do you want me to talk to him about work you're going to be doing
in Louisiana? I said, sure, who's your boyfriend? She said, I'm dating a guy named Howard Stern And It was funny because I heard the name, but I was always so wrapped up in animal welfare that I didn't really listen to the show. I'm embarrassed to say. Okay, yeah, all right, there are a lot of the interviews. But anyway, he ended up talking about it. I think he was on AM radio at the
time, or it wasn't serious at the time. All I know is he was probably a k rock maybe, right, he's probably a k rock then, yeah, yeah, two thousand and six, Yeah, he was definitely a k rock. Yes, but he was also around the country too, syndicated around the country. But yes, yeah, he was a k rock. I'm like, wait, I'm trying. Of course in two thousand and six, Yes, that's funny. Well, he ended up talking about it
a couple of times on his show. And the donations, not just monetary donations, but we got a van, we got crates because we needed those partners, we got food, we got all kinds of donations. And then Beck just never left. She became a volunteer. She went out on rescue. I mean, she is the real deal. She is wanted to know what it was to go out and choose certain animals and have to leave behind other animals, and you know, all these years she has saved so many
lives and never wants to be recognized for it. I can't help but talk about it because I'm so appreciative and what she does is really wonderful. Of course, no, I mean she works tirelessly. I know. I follow her on Instagram and I always see her stories and the cats and the kittens, and sometimes Howard will be in a photo with her with like cats all in their heads. I mean, it's just it's adorable, you know, and you know it's true blue that when it's coming from Beth as opposed to
like the other models. Obviously they were there, oh they were doing a job, but it was like I really don't want, you know, I want to hold this puppy for as short a time as I can. But with Beth it was completely different because she's true blue. So you know, it's just so perfect. Yeah, it's so perfect. And you're right, she's like a doll to me because she's so gorgeous and she really when I see her at the galleys and how she's dressed, I'm like, oh my
god, she's like a doll. I don't even want to go, like I will always go and say hello to her and hug her, but I don't want to get her dirty, you know, because I feel like I don't want to mess you up. And you know what, the funny it is, she could care, she doesn't care, I know, which is even funnier. But that's just yeah, yeah, a natural beauty that comes
from within. I've seen Beth with absolutely no makeup on. She looks the same, of course, yeah, you know it just she's a good person and we're very very fortunate and the animals are extremely fortunate to have her. And Howard absolutely no, I agree. I agree so well. The big thing that's coming up, the eightieth anniversary, the gala that North Shore Animal League is happening is having rather on June fourteenth. That's going to be here
before we know it actually at the Tribeca rooftop. Speaking of Beth, right, she will be there, She's she will be there, yes, And I'm honored and I have to admit it because I'm honored and flattered that I will be hosting it this year. So thank you for that. Oh, I'm so excited that you're so thrilled to learn that you accepted. Oh my goodness, to be such a wonderful night. And the Rachel Ray Foundation is being honored with our Crystal Cholera Rewards, So Rachel Read and John Cusamano will
be there. There's going to be a performance by Taylor Dane. It's going to be an exciting night, and you just never know who else may be there. That's true. That's true. And for those who are listening, if you you can still get some tickets if you'd like by going to Animal League dot org slash Celebration of Rescue. But it's it's going to be a very great night. And I thank you for letting me host it, Joanne, because it's something I've wanted to do for many, many, many years.
And when I was asked, I was like, what yeah, yeah, Well it worked out for all of us because it's our honor to Maria. You yourself are an icon radio personality. So thank you, no, thank you, thank you, thank you. And you know, for those who are just learning about north Shore Animal League America right now, and I really want to put this point out because I I feel like north Shore is very, very lucky because there are many celebrities and you know, musicians and
artists, and they take photos with puppies and dogs and cats. But that doesn't mean that everybody donates, and that doesn't mean that north Shore doesn't need donations. And I'm not pooh poohing on the fact that there are a lot of celebrities that are very supportive, but they all don't. You know, I would say the majority don't give donations and help out. Am I correct on that. I would say we are very lucky because ours do. But
you're right about that. Some will pose for pictures and yeah, that's really about it. Let me give a shout out to the organization, But any of the celebrities that we've worked with, we've been very fortunate. But you know, we still depend upon our community and the generality of our donors because, as you know, Maria is saving life, saving lives very very expensive.
Yes, yes, and you know, the medical the level of medical care that we provide to each animal could be in the thousands, depending on what they need. Sure, And you know, I understand that not everybody is in a position to donate money, and that's okay. You know, you could volunteer, You could bring towels, right, you could bring blankets. There's so many things that you could do. You know, you could you could become an advocate to the animals through anipals and help us get long
term animals adopted, just by sharing on your social media pages. So you know, if you're not in a position to donate, I mean, every dollar counts. Don't think that a five dollars or ten dollars donation is not appreciated, because it is. It is exactly and that was my point about celebrities, is that five dollars is still appreciated and needed and wanted. Absolutely, yeah, because it all adds up and it allows us to do the work we do. Absolutely. So if you are listening and you can make
a donation, that would be pretty amazing. Or if you can volunteer if you're in the Tri state area, that would be great too, Or make donations of towels and just get all the information you need and you can get it at Animal League dot org. So yes, if they're outside of New York and they want to volunteer, they can visit our website Animal League dot
org and check out our shelter partners. There are shelters that everybody's community across the country and rescue groups that are just a desperate need of volunteers so that you know they could do that as well. That's and that's amazing, that's amazing to do it. Please do it. I love north Shore Animal League
America. I have for many, many, many many years, you know, growing up on Long Island, so it was always I knew what north Shore was and so uh, it's just it's so wonderful to be affiliated with the organization and with you, Joanne, and you know, I thank you for all that you do, because like I said, you definitely are a pioneer and north Shore Animally, I mean, eighty years is incredible. It's
really incredible. I hope you're around and north Shore Animal League America is around for another eighty years, saving lives like you do, and all the programs. I mean, we could talk for hours, but there are so many different programs. You have m degrees and uh Tour for Life and the Humane Relocation. There's so many different programs that north Shore Animal League has and you
can ye so many because degrees that just really quickly. Yeah. That is a curriculum that was developed with Yale University School of the Twenty first Century and North Shore Animal League America, and it's in over five thousand schools and libraries across the country. And it's a wonderful program. It's not traditional in the sense where we just bring puppies into a classroom and explain kindness. Full program
that focuses on the whole child. It's social and emotional learning and teaching children empathy and how to become good citizens, including the Animal Advocates of tomorrow. Beyond that, just being good neighbors, good caretakers of the earth and one another. It's a program whose time has come, and we are the only
organization that continues with humane education because we feel it's that important. Other major organizations have stopped their programming because it's not programming that is necessarily supported by donations. But we just think it's that important that we continue on with it. Mm hmm. Absolutely. And for those because I know there are listeners who have been listening to Maria's mutts and stuff for many years since it first started
in twenty seventeen. I believe it might have been twenty eighteen when I had Jane Vitalion talking about mudigrees. Actually, she came into my studio and we did an interview about muddigree. So you can actually go back on the iHeartRadio app or iTunes wherever you get your podcasts, and you can learn about mudigrees from way back when. Yeah, perfect, perfect perfect. Oh and the last thing I want to add is I love Q one O four I really do. Three. I've been listening to it since I was a teenager.
I love it. I just love it. Well, thank you, Joanne, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you do. Of course, thank you for listening to Q and O four point three. I love that, but thank you for all you do and all your hard work for twenty eight years and he's to twenty eight years more. And I appreciate you and all your information. And of course north Shore Animal League America.
And as I've said, and I can't tell you over and over are enough times that if you can help out and make a donation or or just to learn more, you can go to Animal League dot org. And you know the big thing is too, when you said earlier about not needing to have north Shore Animal League America around, I believe if you spay and neuter, if everybody spays and neuters their pets, that will help in that mission because that's another pet peeve. Absolutely, and you know we have the first national
platform still going strong. Spay USA is ours. Yes, we have across the country spade and neutered literally tens of thousands of animals, So we definitely agree with you. Yes, and that is very important to us as well. Absolutely, so get your rest. Thank you on and Joanne, Johanna and I really appreciate you and your time and all you do, and thank you so much to you and North Store Animal League America. Thank you. You're welcome. Have a good day, Rader operator, and just see you
Rader. Mommigator