363 Derby Road
Middletown, NY, 10940

(845) 386-9738
– Dog Team: Ext. 2
– Cat Team:  Ext. 3

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Daily: 10 am – 4 pm (EST)

info@petsalive.org

Each year Pets Alive bestows our “Starfish Award”.  The “starfish” award is so named because of an old parable:

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one   by one.
Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”.
The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”
The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “It made a difference to that one!” 

We find great similarity between what we do, and that ancient story. As a result, our most prestigious award each year is called The Starfish Award and is given to someone who understands and exhibits how each person can make an impact on the lives of animals, and how one person can impact thousands.This year our award is given to John Sibley.
John does so much for animals each year, and so much for Pets Alive.
John takes our oldest and sickest dogs into his home to provide them hospice at the end of their lives.
He shows them love, affection and a “real life”.  He provides a care that they could not get, dying alone in a kennel run at a shelter. For that John has our undying gratitude and love, for when we fail to find an animal a home it weighs heavily on us all. The fact that they have John to care for them and see them through to the other side gives us all great comfort.
John is also an avid blogger. His animal blogs and writings about injustices involving animals, be it shelter systems, rescues, funding, or exposing issues to thousands of individuals – his blogs have gotten the attention of the ASPCA, HSUS, the CACC, and are     shared and reposted by thousands in the animal community. He has done so much to bring awareness to the issues that concern us all, and in effecting change to how animals are cared for and treated.
John has also done mass rescues with Pets Alive.  On his own time, and his own dime, he has flown to locations all across the country to help us assess situations and arrange to get the animals back to Pets Alive. He also often does transports from the city to Pets Alive and will go just about anywhere to pick up an animal and bring them to safety.
And even with a busy schedule and a house full of his own dogs to care for, every week John  makes it a point to spend  some quality time with the animals at Pets Alive.
He has truly changed the lives of many of the dogs in Westchester by matching them up in playgroups.  Most of those dogs had been labelled “dog aggressive” and had lived for many years with absolutely no interaction with other dogs. John put an end to  their lonely existence and enriched their lives tremendously.
To this end, and for so many more things we have no room to mention, John has our utmost respect and our eternal gratitude.Congratulations John and THANK YOU for all that you do for animals everywhere.

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