09/05/2024
YHSSPCA Volunteer of the Month September 2024, Dottie Mazzarella
Every day, kind-hearted individuals help our shelter care for animals in need of a loving home. This September, our Volunteer of the Month we are celebrating is one very special team member who helps us honor our mission, Dottie Mazzarella. Without people like her, we wouldn’t be able to save the lives of the many homeless animals across our community.
Dottie is a 3rd generation of Dorothies who loves animals. It showed by the many pets she recalls in a family she describes as “always crazy about cats” in her upbringing in Niskayuna, NY. Dottie’s list wasn’t even complete when she shot off many names such as Sara, Pricilla, Moochie, Sgt. Pepper, Daisy, Ophelia and Ebony. Then once she lived on her own, she had Tyler, Lyla, Skyler, Chester, Tabitha and we couldn’t forget the special standout canine, her “very cool for cats” dog Bailey. Today, Dottie is the proud cat mom of Clara, Anthony, Gino and Annabelle, each with their own special history and personality.
Clara, her beautiful 10-year-old Maine C**n was found as a lucky kitten hiding in a car engine and as Dottie explains “thankfully someone heard her meow and rescued her before starting their car!” Her colleagues have become accustomed to seeing Clara assisting Dottie at her desk when working remotely and “she is in the office with me from the moment I sit down until I shut the light at night.” Having a devoted assistant is always a great thing!
Anthony, another of Dottie’s cats fondly named after her grandfather, is a handsome long-haired 9-year-old who resembles a rare Nebelung. Dottie hasn’t done a DNA test to see what his actual bloodlines are because to her, Anthony is more importantly a special survivor from difficult days as a kitten. Rescued off the streets of Troy, NY with critical wounds that required skin grafting, he miraculously survived and became a stunning cat with a beautiful coat. Dottie is sure he knows how special he is as “he rules the roost. I have never seen such adoration to another cat as Gino and Annabelle show to Anthony.” We learned how Anthony adores Dottie too as he is always in her presence and no matter how she sleeps, he must always be directly facing her keeping a loving watchful eye on her.
Before moving to Florida, when Dottie lived in NY, one of the shelters she used to help in Schenectady, had a rescued young cat, Gino, who initially lived in a local colony but was so affectionate, they believed he could become a pet. Their local CBS TV affiliate provided pet adoption segments with visiting shelter cats and dogs who nearly always were soon adopted. As the holidays were approaching, Dottie noticed how Gino didn’t receive any interest from his TV spot for two weeks, and that’s when her good heart stepped up to make his Christmas wish come true. She admits that coming from a colony probably impacted his behavior as “he is a bit odd. I can cuddle him all night long but once I am up, he becomes timid. He is often on my desk with Clara or Anthony, if I am sitting, however, once I get up, he is instantly shy. I am sure it is because he only grew up surrounded by cats. Thankfully each year he trusts me more!” We’re grateful Gino has his own small colony at home that keeps him happy and an owner who gives him unconditional love.
Lastly, and just as special, is Annabelle, adopted during the peak of the COVID pandemic where NY animal shelters were closed to volunteers. Dottie shared that “Annabelle already had stolen my heart, so when I called the Volunteer Coordinator and inquired about her, I learned that I was the only one who could pet her, she is aggressive to anyone else. And in the week that I didn’t work my volunteer shift, she regressed.” The shelter kindly made an exception to help Annabelle, allowing Dottie to see her. You can guess how this turned out with Dottie’s good heart. She saw how Annabelle needed her, so Dottie’s furry family grew once more. Annabelle’s job is to sound the dinner bell alarm and let Dottie sneak in a quick scratch behind the ears when supper is served.
Dottie’s career requires her to travel frequently and work long hours, yet when time is her own, she gives her treasured day off to our shelter’s cats. This is her quiet time with no cell phone, focusing on them. “I absolutely love them all. It inspires and energizes me for the week ahead. I also love the staff and appreciate their hard work and dedication to a wonderful organization.” Dottie’s enthusiasm about volunteering is contagious as she shares that “anyone who loves cats and dogs should volunteer at YOUR Humane Society SPCA! Even after a hard week when everything seemed to go wrong, I walk through the Catty Shack door and instantly feel better. There is always a beautiful cat that needs some love, which suddenly makes me forget whatever problems or stress I was thinking about.”
Wonderful memorable experiences are plentiful when shy pets gain confidence, injured ones heal, and lonely ones find a loving family. Dottie mentioned one such time when she helped one of our shelter’s campus cats find a loving home as she said “there is nothing better than seeing a cat get adopted. It is what makes it all worthwhile one kitty at a time – but better yet when someone adopts at least two at a time!” And to add to the great memories, she also helped one of our shelter cats, Asher, find a home with her mom.
While feeding the cats, cleaning litter boxes, sweeping and mopping are not the favorite parts of her time with the cats, they are her labors of love followed by fun cuddling, brushing and playing with them. As if she’s not busy enough, Dottie also helps at various fundraising events including being one of the Co-Chairs of our shelter’s 1st Annual “Fore Paws Golf Classic” Tournament (go.YHSSPCA.org/ForePaws) on Nov. 15th at Harbor Hills Country Club.
Thank you to all our volunteers and a special “thanks” to our September 2024 Volunteer of the Month, Dottie Mazzarella! We always welcome more animal loving members to help with a range of needs such as animal care, administrative help, fundraising, Humane Education for local youth, and more. If you, or your friends and family, are interested in volunteering, complete an application at yhsspca.org/apply-to-volunteer/ or contact us at [email protected].
