About Last Hope

Our Mission

Last Hope is committed to tackling pet overpopulation on Long Island, promoting responsible pet ownership, and changing perceptions of shelter animals. Every animal adopted through us is neutered, ensuring they don’t contribute to overpopulation. Our key programs include:

Animal Rescue – Saving abandoned, stray, and death-due animals from Long Island shelters and overcrowded Southern shelters in partnership with shelters in KY, VA, GA, and TX.

Early Neutering – All kittens, puppies, and adult pets are neutered before adoption.

Feral Cat TNR – Through Fix-a-Feral, we offer free or discounted spay/neuter options and TNR clinics. Volunteers assist with trapping, and we provide trap loans and workshops on humane trapping.

Adoption Initiatives – We carefully place animals in caring, financially responsible homes.

Community Outreach – Campaigns raise awareness about overpopulation and the plight of shelter animals.

Low-Cost Clinics – Offering affordable rabies and other vaccinations.

Veterinary Assistance – Financial aid helps struggling pet owners care for their animals, preventing surrender or euthanasia.

Our History

Last Hope, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit, has spent over 35 years rescuing animals, growing from a small two-woman initiative in 1981 to an organization of 600+ volunteers at our Wantagh Adoption Center. Each year, we carefully place over 600 cats and 100 dogs in loving homes, working closely with Long Island’s municipal shelters to enhance animal care and adoption chances.

Our outreach includes free or low-cost veterinary care, spay-neuter assistance, and the FIX-A-FERAL program, which has spayed over 10,000 feral cats in the last decade. We are dedicated to controlling overpopulation by neutering every animal we adopt, offering low-cost spay/neuter for feral cats, and advocating for mandatory spay/neuter in local shelters. We’ve never turned away a stray or abandoned animal in need, staying committed to creating a future where every animal born on Long Island finds a loving home.

35+

years

600+

volunteers

10,000+

cats saved

Timeline

Founded by Janet Brasco & Gerry Walsh to rescue “death-due pound” animals. 1981

1980s

1982

Established as a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization.
Thrift Shop opens in Huntington to help fund rescue efforts.

1987

Organization becomes active in feral cat trapping.

Linda Stuurman becomes Last Hope president; forms a board of directors.1991

Begins to offer Low-Cost Pet Vaccination Clinics.1992

Starts work with PETCO stores; Dog Program begins to grow.1997

Opens Cat Adoption Center in Huntington; starts work with PetSavers Foundation.1999

1990s

1994

Launches Pet Adoption Days.

1996

Begins 24 hour showcasing of cats & kittens in two PetSmart locations.

Recruits 100 volunteers.2000

Begins 24 hour showcasing of cats and kittens at Pet Supplies Plus locations.2001

Opens expanded Cat Adoption Center in Huntington.2002

Celebrates 25 years of rescue and rehabilitation efforts.2006

Holds first free feral TNR spay/neuter clinic.2007

Hosts the Pit Bull Predicament conference at Suffolk Community College.2008

Offers low cost microchip clinic at Wantagh Park with help of the Mayors Alliance.

2000s

2003

Begins 24 hour showcasing of cats and kittens in Petland Discount locations.
Initiates the Fix-A-Feral program; 12,000 cats have been spay/neutered since then.

2005

Begins showing cats at PetSmart in Huntington.
Opens Dog Adoption Center at Basic Pet Care Animal Hospital in Lindenhurst.

2009

Receives grant from Pet Peeves, Inc. to hold free rabies vaccine clinics to public, and to offer free spay/neuter for pets of owners experiencing financial setbacks.

Provides free rabies vaccine clinics open to the public for their pets twice a year.2010

Celebrates 30 years of rescue and in June opens new Dog & Cat Adoption Center in Wantagh, leasing the first floor of the closed Bide a Wee facility.2011

Enlists the help and dedication of over 200 volunteers.

Presents the Bully Breed Brigade on Nov. 13 together with the Town of Hempstead Shelter.

Hosts screening of documentary-“Beyond the Myth” at Cradle of Aviation Museum IMAX Theater on Nov. 13.

Tradition of “Trees of Love” moves to Wantagh.

Last Hope’s kitten football team plays in the first “Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl”- a TV program designed to promote the adoption of homeless cats throughout the US.2014

“Last Hope Lions” play in the second “Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl” on national TV. They have “baseball-style cards” inside bubblegum packs.2015

Begins huge project to rescue, TNR, and, when possible, re-home the many cats left behind as the Frontier Trailer Park is demolished in stage in N. Amityville.

2010s

2012

Hosts second Bully Breed Brigade with Town of Hempstead Shelter. Tia Torres tapes an episode of Animal Planet’s “Pit Bulls and Parolees” during the event.

2013

Volunteer pool increases to over 350 people.

Holds 3rd Bully Breed Brigade with Town of Hempstead Shelter and the assistance of Rock n’ Rawhide bringing a showcase of bands to the event.

Places 700 cats and 300 dogs in loving, responsible homes.

Last Hope cat “Frankie”, guest of the Animal Medical Center, participates in closing bell ceremony at NASDAQ. His photo on Jumbo Tron projects over Times Square.

2016

Begins a proactive program issuing 350 free Fix-A- Feral vouchers at start of year before kitten season begins to curtail feral pregnancies in March; holds monthly free mass feral TNR clinics for public during spring; resumes discounted Fix-A- Feral vouchers in March.

Last Hope Lions return to the third “Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl” on national TV.

Implements generous grant from Pet Peeves to microchip pets coming to us not chipped, includes chipping kittens when under sedation for spay/neuter.

A group of Last Hope adult cats act as gymnastic judges in the “Hallmark Channel Kitten Summer Games” aired on TV same night as Olympics opening ceremonies.

“Henry” a 3-legged Redbone Coonhound begins therapy dog visits at a LI nursing home & dialysis center.

Celebrates 35 years of rescue, and now over 600 volunteers helping to fulfill the Last Hope mission

Board of Directors

Election held June 2023 | Term: 3 years

President
Linda Stuurman

Chairman of the Board
Terri Rizzi

Vice Presidents
Letty Canals
Doreen Simonson

Treasurer
Phyllis Noon

Outreach Coordinator
Joanne Anderson

Advisory Board
Christine Bayha, DVM
Stacy Ferrara, CAFTP, CFTBS

Members at Large
Veronica Amato
Laura Cook
Melanie Lazarus
Lauren Postolove
Victoria Perlmutter

We’d Love to Hear From You!