Journals > Shelter Makeover > View Entry

I was there on the day that Zootoo came to JFK to see Bobbi & the Strays. I am with Bobbi 3 years. This area is way off the beaten path. People don't know we're here. At Atlas Mall, where space has been donated to Bobbi, the animals get adopted so quickly. That's because there is so much foot traffic. It also makes it convenient for there to be many volunteers; especially teenagers from the neighborhood who can walk over.

Getting back to the vetport at JFK, it is rat infested. I have had a rat run a couple of inches in front of me. And, on many occasions, when other workers had to get something off of a shelf, a rat was there to scare them to death. When and if we do have those rare people who find their way to the vetport, no one wants to be in this type of environment.

The dog kennels are abutted to a very large horse stable. The stables have nothing to do with Bobbi. Right outside the dog runs, where prospectice dog owners would come to look at a dog to adopt, there is a gigantic pile of horse manure piled right next where our customers would be sitting and getting to know the dogs.

It is not a pleasant site, as there is usually a very huge garbage container that is filled with horse manure. When the nice weather comes along, you can bearly stand being outside there. And the horse flies are totally impossible to deal with. We try to sit with the dogs in the runs outside, but you keep getting bit all over yourself by all the flies from the horse stables.

And those stables are massive. I love horses and one day when there was a shipment of horses myself and a friend went in to look at them and admire them. We counted about 40 horses in that stable.

So it's so difficult with the rats running all over the place to get people to sit down and come and visit a dog until the dog and the person form a bond. These poor dogs are so isolated at JFK airport. At Atlas Mall, people can sit down inside in a comfortable chair and make themselves at home. This helps to get them to know the animals and the animals get to know them. And most often than not, there is a human and a dog/cat falling in love, and an abandoned dog/cat who lived in a 2 x 3 cage for six months, is getting a new lease on life.

At the vetport at JFK Airport, since the dogs hardly see anyone except the kennel workers, they are not getting socialized properly. We do not get any volunteers at the vetport since it is so rat infested, smelly from the horse manure outside, and very uncomfortable from getting bit non-stop by the flies from the horses.

Bobbi's workers clean out the cages twice a day, inside and outside, to keep her area as sanitized as can be. But it is not her fault that we are connected to a horse stable where they throw out their waste material right outside out sitting area outside.

When we get a volunteer they won't come back anymore. And there is no place for a prospective dog owner to be comfortable and warm to bond with the dogs.

And Bobbi is notorious for taking dogs that could use major socializing. They need to be around people. Some of the dogs will roll on their backs for you or lick you unceasingly, but around strangers they act like they're aggressive. When all the dog is doing is being protective.

We have so many dogs that have to get more attention. There is no way they will get the attention they need where we are now. We need to be in a heavy populated area where it will be convenient for us to get the volunteers we need. And to make it possible for people to bond with the dogs who long to be with someone.

If we would have turned away these dogs, they would have been euthanized by now. But as soon as they get familiar with you, they are the most loving dogs i've ever seen. sometimes it takes a week or two of the dogs' seeing you and then one day they're your best friend.

Of course, there are many dogs who are already socialized and they are very friendly, but we could get homes for them so much more quickly then it is possible to do now in the situation we are in.

I took a dog home from the vetport . He was there over 6 months and his health was not holding up well. He got kennel cough, a heart condition and a kidney problem. He would bark at strangers and even get a hold of their pants. After I nursed him back to health, he went to Atlas Mall instead of bringing him back to the vetport. Ater 4 weeks, he is now in his own home. That's because one of the volunteers bonded with him and he with her.

The mice/rat droppings get in the cages and some of the smaller dogs or older dogs don't have the immune system to ingest that. Sometimes, at night, before the staff leaves the vetport, we give them treats. We don't like to leave anything that will attract a rodent, but sometimes just a few crumbs left from a dog biscuit will be enough to find rodent droppings visiting

I've been reading all of the shelter journal entries written by Topcat and have noticed a difference between other shelters' situations and ours.

Many of the shelters are situated in smaller communities. Towns where people connect with each other. Places where everyone jumps on the bandwagon to support a cause.

Here we are, a small shelter in a city of millions, and despite the fact that New Yorkers don't generally get involved with causes, leaving it to the other guy to do something, we still managed to get enough support to wind up in the top 20. The support we received wasn't in massive numbers of people who signed up, but in the amount of work those individuals who did, put into the competition.

It's that dedication and drive that will not fade away once the competition ends and for that we are thankful, but we really do need a new place. We've been hoping that we could purchase something with the grand prize. I hope Zootoo will see fit to help us make our dream come true.

The competition is coming to an end and we haven't gotten a new building yet, but our struggle to find one continues. Sooner or later we will have one, but it would be wonderful if we had a guardian angel like Mr. Bagby step forward and come to the animals' rescue.

Poor Bandit has been at the Vetport for years, not because he is a bad dog, but because he needs to build a relationship with you before he trusts you and people aren't willing to come on a daily basis for weeks in order to build that relationship. Because of this it seems likely that Bandit will be with us for a long time to come. We really need to have a new place up and running before our lease at the Vetport expires so that Bandit will continue to have a home.

Please help Bandit and the other long-term dogs in Bobbi's care to finally have a comfortable home with windows, fresh air and sunshine, and cages large enough to comfortably stretch out in.

Thanks!

Dear Fellow Zootooer's,

Many of you have viewed the video of Bobbi's facililties at the Vetport and have probably thought "Wow. That's a really small place." Well, it's even smaller than you think.

Only the blue room and the outdoor dog runs are Bobbi's. The yellow and red room and the lobby area belong to the Vetport. In emergencies we rent a cage or two in the yellow and red room, and are allowed to sit in the lobby when someone comes to adopt a dog.

Some of Bobbi's dogs have lived in that little blue room, with its concrete cages, for years. We have to have a new, better place for them before our lease is up.

Real estate prices have soared in Queens, as they have throughout the country, but in this area it will cost about a million dollars to purchase and renovate a suitable commercial property.

If you can find it in your heart and budget to help us purchase a new home, please click on the donate for good button on Bobbi's website: www.bobbicares.petfinder.org

Thank you for your support, words of encouragement and prayers for the animals.

Susan

That was then-
I moved to New York three years ago. That is around the time when I rescued my first dog in NY. Her name was Mala (which means mean in Spanish.) I immediately changed her name to Molly. She was a mutt who’s owner passed away so the tenants decided to lock her in a dark, smelly basement for a few months. When I found her, her collar was embedded in her neck, she was tied to a doorknob and she slept and ate in the same horrific place where she went to the bathroom. She was so terrified I could not even get close to her in the beginning, I took her home and started the rehabilitation process immediately. After a month or so she was doing a lot better so I started to contact shelters in New Jersey, New York and even Connecticut. I was willing to drive for someone to help us get her a well deserved home. I went on petfinder.com and called almost all the shelters in the tri-state area and I am not exaggerating. Can you believe that every shelter was full and no one was willing to help us? It was about the fifth day of me trying to contact shelter after shelter for long hours when I called Bobbi. By that time, I was so discouraged because I knew I had to get rid of her soon (I am only allowed to have one dog according to my lease and my landlords lived five blocks away from the house.) Bobbi answered the phone and she told me she was going to help me out. I thanked her continuously and promised to volunteer and help out as much as I could. Bobbi was the only person in all of the tri-state area that was willing to help us out. Isn’t that unbelievable? No one else cared about Molly like she did. A few weeks later, we found an amazing home for her and she has been happy ever since. When I called Bobbi I was so close to giving up and that is why I feel like she was sent to me from God. Not only did she help me get her a good home, but she gave me tips on training, taught me how to find her a good home as well as how to help other animals in need.

This is Now-
Since then, I have been a different person. I would not be who I am today if it wasn’t for Bobbi and for that I thank her greatly. I have been volunteering and fostering dogs for Bobbi ever since. Thanks to her, I even changed my career and am going to be doing what really makes me happy. Work with animals and hopefully one day, I will make a lot of money so that I can help Bobbi get her own facility so that she doesn’t have to pay rent at the Vetport in the JFK airport anymore. For the past three years, I have been fostering dogs for her. I started with Molly, then came Marshy, Luna, Bella, Muffin, Nicky, Dino, Nico, Nate and hopefully God will continue to allow me to rehabilitate the dogs that need it the most. Thank you Bobbi for affecting my life in such a positive way. I have never met such unique, hardworking and incredible people like Bobbi and her volunteers. Someone that works to achieve their goals every hour of every day. Bobbi never stops, never and that is what I love about her the most.

Moral of this story-
You must always help those in need because you never know where it is going to take you and what comes around, goes around. Helping Molly, lead me to form a great friendship with Bobbi who changed me as a person. I have met a lot of amazing people (from Bobbi & the strays) who all have the same goal in mind: help as many animals as possible.

Bobbi and the volunteers put their whole heart and soul into the care and adoption of the rescues. They recieve all medical care and grooming regularly. These dogs are walked 4 times a day to help relieve the stress of being in cages. They are put into runs while they wait their walks and rotated in the three pens to run off some energy and interaction with them. It would be so good if they could get the space for a makeover. Space where they don't have to be in small cages. Bobbi and the Strays does so much to make sure the animals in their care are as well socialised, groomed and loved. If they don't find space for the make over or within the year and a half before JFK Vet Port shuts down; Bobbi and the Strays will have no place to go and have to shut down. What a sad day for animals that would be if it happens. Please help us find out new home soon. Thank You

We were MORE THAN thrilled to meet Richard and the Zootoo Crew, along with the gals from the HSUS, on their visit to Bobbi & The Strays. Though there may not have been alot of fanfare, Bobbi & The Strays, along with thier volunteers, have more compassion, fortitude and hearts, bigger then any marching band!
Immediately after the Zootoo vist, before the Zootoo crew even left the Vetport, we formed a building committee, to find a new home for Zootoo to make over for Bobbi's strays. It has been an uphill battle, and the bulding commitee has been furiously making phone calls, searching websites, and pounding the pavement, day and night, searching for a furever place for Bobbi & The Strays to call home. Unfortunately, we do not have too much time left to find Bobbi's new stray/homeless sancuary, and still be in the running for the Zootoo makeover. With that said, those folks rooting for Bobbi & The Strays, PLEASE keep spreading the word that Bobbi & The Strays needs a new facility. AND WE WILL HAVE ONE!
We want more then anything to win the Zootoo Million Dollar Shelter Makeover!
I think all of the shelters who competed, whether they made the top 20 or not, should be commended, for the tireless work that each one does for the sake of the animals.
Thank you Richard, for Zootoo, and this most wonderful experience, opening the eyes of so many to the essential needs of rescues and shelters across the country.
Kudos to you!
Safe traveling on the rest of your shelter journeys.

Bonnie Folz
Proud volunteer for Bobbi & The Strays

If only Bobbi and the Strays had a wallet as big and full as their heart. Bobbi works tirelessly and endlessly against the odds to rescue and save homeless animals. Her devotion to the cause and level of caring and nurturing is just not humanly possible - yet it is possible - just ask anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting or knowing her. She gives of herself, her own funds, her heart - completely and wholly to rescuing those less fortunate that no one else is willing to help. She does not know the meaning of the word "No" - with Bobbi, she always finds a way to help. She makes do with a space that should not be fitting for a rescue operation but makes it as comfortable as possible - and makes it work. However, she deserves better and the dogs and cats in her care deserve better. The location at the vetport is not easily accessible. I firmly believe a new location would not only help her with an increase in publicity and much needed donations but also would help her garner more volunteers - making her rescue operation even more efficient and capable to help more needy strays. With a makeover, there is no telling how much good Bobbi would be capable of - the sky's the limit. Just look at how much good she has done (for SO many) with so little. If I were writing the check, this would be the easiest decision of my life. I sincerely hope that Bobbi and the Strays win this makeover. There are countless homeless animals that would beg of you to name Bobbi as the winner if they knew what was at stake. Thank you.

Bobbi & The Strays do so much for the animals in need in Queens and indeed, all of New York City. They work with so little to make a difference and it's amazing what they have accomplished!!! Bobbi and her volunteers are God's gifts to the homeless animals and they could do so much more if they had the resources. All of my 7 dogs and 2 cats have been rescues and I thank God everyday that there are people out there who care and who make a difference. I implore you to pick Bobbi & The Strays as the million dollar makeover winner so that they can continue their good work and better the world of the homeless dogs and cats. There are so many more needy animals that would greatly benefit from their winning. Please find it in your heart to help them help the animals. Thank you so much!

i am an animal rescuer, mainly dealing with trapping feral cats and i have come across bobbi and her volunteers at their adoption events at the pet supplies plus parking lot in oceanside. the volunteers are so loving towards the animals, it breaks my heart to see these dogs and cats without a loving home and GOd bless bobbi and her crew for giving their all to these critters.......of all the rescue groups i have met bobbi and the strays are the most dedicated.....please help her help the animals she takes in off the streets, give them the shelter makeover so the animals can have more space, haven't they suffered enough? please vote for bobbi !!

I adopted my Shih-Tzu, Murray, from Bobbi a few months ago. Upon entering the shelter, I was taken aback by the living quarters of the animals. The facility is old and needs repair. The cages are not large enough to accommodate the animals. However, what the shelter lacked in resources was made up for by the love and support of Bobbi and the caretakers. I could tell that they genuinely care for the animals. Please makeover Bobbi and the Strays.

sweet thats awesome!!!!!!lov u people who donate

Such a deserving shelter! The dedication and hard work that the people at Bobbi and the Strays continue to do day after day is a success story in itself. Awarding them the makeover would make their dreams come true! Please see them as the winners they are!!!

I hope that you had a great time with the staff of Bobbi and the strays and I hope that you pick them to win the SHELTER MAKEOVER which they so richly deserve. Their dedication to their cause is unflappable.

ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I HOPE AND PRAY ZOOTOO CHOSES BOBBI AND THE STRAYS TO WIN THIS MAKEOVER. THEY ARE SUCH HARDWORKING AND DEDICATED PEOPLE. THEY GIVE SO MUCH LOVE TO THESE ANIMALS AND IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES WHEN I GO TO THE SHELTER AND SEE THESE POOR SWEET SOULS IN THESE OLD TINY CAGES. THEY NEED BIGGER CAGES FOR THESE BABIES TO HAVE SOME MORE ROOM. PLEASE MAKE THEM WIN THIS, THEY TRULY DESERVE IT AND THE SWEET ANIMALS THAT THEY RESCUED AND TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF DESERVE IT!

I SEE BOBBI & THE STRAYS AT PETCO ON CROSSBAY BLVD ALL THE TIME. RUNNING ADOPTION WEEKENDS AND GIVING ADVISE ON CARING FOR PETS. MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE INVOLVED. I HAVE 2 DOGS, ONE I ADOPTED FROM MY VET AND THE OTHER I FOUND AS A PUPPY RUNNING AROUND THE AIRPORT WHEN I WORKED AT JFK. I BELIEVE WHEN YOU ADOPT A PET YOU FIND A SPECIAL KIND OF LOVE. I WISH BOBBI ALL THE BEST IN HER ENDEAVOR TO GET A BETTER PLACE FOR HER FRIENDS.

I've known Bobbi for almost 6 yrs. now and the woman has worked tirelessly
to try to make the best of a C rated shelter. She has employed wonderful
and caring people to take care of the dogs and cats. She has painted and repainted
medications for the sick dogs and cats, endless fundraisers all to support the animals.
If anyone deserves a shelter makeover it is Bobbi and the Strays. Millions of Kudos
to Bobbi and her volunteers!

Bobbi and the Strays needs this makeover. She does so much good for these dear animals, she truly is a wonderful person to do what she does for them and to find them furever homes. Their facilities would benefit from this so that they can help more animals in need.

For years Bobbi and the Strays has worked hard trying to give stray dogs and cats a second chance. After reading stories on Petfinder.com of some of the animals her volunteers have saved, I found that they have taken in animals that have been found wandering aimlessly on the streets or on the side of highways. These animals had no one to love or care about them, and Bobbi and her staff is trying to give them a second chance. I visited their shelter at Kennedy Airport and found that some of the dogs are so large that they cannot even turn around in their cages. The cages are covered in chipped paint. The shelter is stuffy and old and definetly can use a makeover. If it were expanded and redone, the animals would not only have a second chance at life but they would have a nicer environment to stay in for the meantime. Some of the dogs have been there for a long time. If they have to stay in the shelter indefinetly, I think they should at least have the opportunity to spend their lives in nicer conditions. After all, they did not ask for humans to inflict cruelty upon them or not to love them. They deserve a second chance and they should have that chance, but in a nicer environment. Zootoo, please help Bobbi make the lives of these innocent animals a little brighter.

I think that they should win the makeover, because they provide a vital service for people who live near jfk airport. They need to enlarge the area they have & be able to showcase the dogs & cats they have for adoption.

I was one of the supporters at the Vetport, I've adopted two dogs from Bobbi, and would do it again. Bobbi is a big hearted, kind person and a saviour to all animals. She has such devotion and love for her animals, and makes 100% certain that the adoptive parents are kind and will love the animal unconditionally. She has saved countless animals from puppy mills and kill shelters, and one of those I fostered and later adopted. The Vetport is in a very hard to find location, and very limited to space, Zootoo please, Bobbi really and truly needs this chance to expand to a better facility.

Jo P.
adoptive parent to April & Minnie - the loves of my life.

I think Bobbi and the Strays definitely deserves to win the shelter makeover contest because they are in need. Like the article said the shining light is the people of Bobbi and the Strays. They need support too, working at a shelter is hard and Bobbi definitely stands above and beyond. Zootoo should let Bobbi know how important her work with animals really means.

If anyone deserves to win this "Shelter Makeover" prize, it is Bobbi Giordano and her shelter. She is a tireless and concerned person who takes an interest in all the animals that end up under her watchful eye. She never turns away or "puts down" animals because she 'doesnt have the room'. She has paid for vet bills, etc with money out of her own pocket. She found a home for a kitten that I had found on the platform of the "A" train...need I say more?

Bobbi and the Strays definitely deserves to win the shelter makeover. I know all of the good work that they accomplish. Bobbi and the Strays helps Humans too!

Bobbi and the Strays helped me by helping a stray i found. They fixed him up he had ear mites, an open sore on most of his tail and something funky going on with his chin plus they neutered him. Then he was placed into a foster home where he got lots of love. Then Bobbi and the Strays found him a most loving permanent home where the man and this cat were simply made for eachother. They now live happily ever after.

I heard that the man was very depressed and was rather lonely and this great little furball changed his whole life and outlook. So Bobbi and the Strays not only helped me and this poor stray kitty but also made a huge impact on the life of this man as well.

I am sure that there are many Happily Ever After stories because of the amazing work that Bobbi and the Strays does. They help out dogs, cats, and PEOPLE! Please help Bobbi and the Strays Zootoo!

i pray that zootoo finds it in their hearts to choose bobbi and the strays ...jean summed it all up by comparing bobbi to st theresa she is mother theresa of the lost causes the sick the unwanted the hungry the unloved animals ..bobbi never turns away i stray never asks for anything for herself only for the animals that she so loves ..bobbi is a example of being all that she can be ...she leaves me humble as i could never take on what she has...many few people can ...bobbi is a hero in my eyes ..she makes this world a little bit better ...please zootoo...choose bobbi and the strays ..

HELLO ...IM WRITING ON BEHALF OF BOBBIE AND THE STRAYS....BOBBI IS TRULY AN ANGEL WITH WINGS THAT SPAN THE WORLD FOR ALL THE DOGS AND CATS IN THE TRI STATE AREA....AND BEYOND...HER WORK IS ENDLESS....AND HER HEART BEATS TO EVERY ANIMAL OUT IN THE STREETS....DOORWAYS.....ALLEYS...WHERE ELES DOES ONE WOMAN COME TOGETHER FOR A CAUSE AND NOT ONLY FEED THESE CHILDREN OF GOD...BUT THROW A PARTY FOR 600 HUNDRED PEOPLE..AND RAISE SOOOO MUCH MONEY IN THE GRACE OF GOD....TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE IN LIFE TO LIVE AND FIND HOMES....AND LIVE IN PEACE....AND COMFORT....THE VETPORT IS IN NEED OF A MAKE OVER,OR WHERE EVER GOD HAS PLANNED FOR HER AND HER CHILDREN....OUR PATH WAS PAVED FOR ZOOTOO TO COME IN AND LAY THE RED CARPET.....WHERE ALL THE WINNERS IN LIFE SHALL WALK DOWN...EVERY DOG AND CAT ...WILL BE THE WINNERS....WITH HEADS HELD HIGH...IN THANKS......THE GRAMMY GOES TO ZOOTOO......YIPPIIIII YEAH....GOD BLESS ZOOTOO AND GOD BLESS BOBBI...OXOXOXOXOX

From the tour you can see that Bobbi needs this million dollar makeover the most. Zootoo I know that you care and will be able to help. You have to. Bobbi and the Strays needs any help that they can get. They are a small shelter and rescue group with big hearts but little pockets. That is why we need you zootoo - with a million dollar pocket to help out! You saw for yourselves how much Bobbi and the Strays needs to win. They just need to!

Bobbi & the Strays is a geniune "No Kill" Shelter with a BIG heart. They are one of the most deserving rescues I have dealt with. They never discriminate against any breed or age of dog. They take hard luck cases and difficult adoptions. The community in which they operate is flooded with pit bulls. Bobbi & the Strays does their best to help as many as they can. They also are tireless and vigilant in searching for great forever homes for all their foster animals. I can't wish them enough luck in winning the makeover. Many, many sad and abandoned animals will be fortunate (and alive) if they do.

I'm one of the people out there who have been supporting Bobbi and the Strays. I don't live in Queens and I've never met Bobbi, but I've been completely drawn into this project by the dedication and enthusiasm of this wonderful group of people. It's another example of how the world can be changed, step by step, if people will only open their hearts. And kudos to Zootoo for thinking this one up!

If I had my way and had mountains of money I would make sure that every last shelter in Zootoo's wonderful Shelter Makeover contest was a winner! I would build them all a spanking new facility or give them the wherewithal to modernize and beautifully rejuvenate their existing accommodations but sadly this is just wishful thinking....

Of course, all the shelters are worthy, but some more so than others, and Bobbi and the Strays HAS to be the most deserving of all. And for so many reasons.

As we have seen, Bobbi has such limited resources, that in lieu of a "traditional" shelter, Bobbi rents a small section of the Vet port at JFK International Airport--a haven for unwanted lost and homeless animals tucked into a cargo area of New York City's largest airport! It is obviously not an ideal location for a shelter and is cramped crowded dilapidated and certainly not an easily accessible place where good folks can come and visit and hopefully find a furry four-legged companion for life. And as threadbare as this safe haven is, Bobbi's lease will soon be up and where oh where will her animals go?

Bobbi and the Strays needs and greatly deserves a bright shining place, a place with light and space where her animals can live in comfort, stretch out and relax, move about freely until that wonderful day when they find that forever home.

For more than ten years this awe inspiring woman--this Ms Bobbi Giardino, has dedicated her life to animal rescue work. It is her passion, the fire that rules her life, her obsession if you will. She and her wonderful hardworking volunteers are Caring Compassionate and Committed. Please oh please make Bobbi and Company a big winner!

I can think of no better shelter to win Zootoo's grand prize. Bobbi and the Strays are so dedicated and their hearts are in the right place- finding forever homes for amazing animals. I am a volunteer with Mayors Alliance and have seen Bobbi and the Strays at numerous adoption events. It is plain to see how much this group cares for the animals in their care, they are protective and loving in finding good homes for them. If all was fair in this world, Bobbi and the Strays would have a beautiful and homey facility for their animals where they animals could stretch they legs, run around, or take a nice nap in some cozy corner. Sadly, the shelter at JFK cannot provide that. They deserve a shelter as big and warm as their hearts are.

Best wishes to Bobbi and the Strays on your plight to find a permanent home for your shelter and shelter animals. Good luck with the contest and best wishes. No matter what the outcome never give up and keep saving those animals one by one.
Janet (The Voorhees Animal Orphanage)

When it comes to Bobbi, I have to compare her to Mother Theresa. Bobbi is the Mother Theresa of animals. Mother Theresa saw the the deplorable conditions in which people lived and she gave up a comfortable teaching position to go out blindly, no financial support but with determination to take care of the poorest of the poor, the unwanted and the outcasts. Bobbi, also has given up a comfortable career to dedicate her enitre life to helping the sick, abused and unwanted animals. She also went out blindly and with no financial support, but also had the determination.
These animals are her life. She certainly has made a difference, and I commend her for what she has accomplished. I mean this from my heart, that I don't know of anyone more deserving than Bobbi, of winning the makeover. The care, love, time and dedication is unreachable. As you saw, Petport is cramped, crowded and dilapidated. The first time I saw this I was shocked. But, at least it is a place where the larger dogs are taken care of. What is going to happen to this babies when they
have to leave soon. Bobbi has worked so hard and she is nervous as to where they will be going. Thank you for the contest which has opened many peoples' eyes as to what is going on out there with animals. I know have learned a lot also from Zootoo.
I love and feel for all the animals and shelters. But, if you can find it in your heart, after seeing Vetport, please give Bobbi her life's dream of having a safe and comfortable haven for her strays!!!... Thank you again.

Of all the videos from the site visits so far, the one of Bobbi & the Strays affects me most deeply. I was not prepared to see the delapidated state of the physical facilities, the VetPort, that is serving as the shelter. It takes great strength, and great love for the animals, to work under those conditions. I applaud the volunteers of Bobbi & the Strays for carrying on with their work despite the physical limitations. And to Bobbi, she sounds like a truly amazing woman, and I would love to meet her in person one day!

Zootoo! Zootoo! Zootoo! First of all, I would like to say how wonderful it was to meet you last Tuesday at Vetport. It was the highlight of the year for most of us who could be there. I have worked with Bobbi in the Fundraising end of rescue for quite a few years......We are always striving to help more animals year after year and have increased our adoptions over the years but we need to win this contest so we can save even more animals. So we can have a quarantine room, a separate cat room, an office, a place for people to interact with the animals, more space to house the animals. Yes we need to win this contest because we have a sincere desire to grow and save more and more. A pretty place is not what it is all about as you saw when you came to visit us. You see the sincere group of volunteers that we have. Together we can move mountains. Give us this makeover and we will show you just how we can do it..........We a mightly little group with great big hearts....Thanks for the time you spent with us and thanks for this great opportunity to show the world what we can do.....Ginny Tokar

i know it must be very hard to pick a contest winner with all the deserving shelters vying for the prize. i just gotta add my 2 cents worth. i have know bobbi for many years. she is, without any doubt, truly one of the best people GOD ever created. the work she and her volunteers do in aiding the animals is nothing short of awe inspiring. tireless and unselfish in their efforts on the behalf of the animals they help. bobbi and the strays deserve to win. please, give them the recognition they've earned through their good works...sincerely, theresa m fantazzo.

It brings tears to my eyes when i look at this clip and see how much Bobbi does for these animals and she tries so hard to care for them with the little bit she has. Bobbi is known to everyone who lives in this area when it comes to love of animals and trying to find homes for them all. I have some from her already. She needs as much help as possible...If she had more to work with she can do soooo much for these animals. She needs the help from this makeover ...God bless Bobbi and her foir legged family!!!!

I’m so glad you visited the Vetport. As you saw, the conditions could definitely be improved upon. The large dogs that are kept there are in cramped quarters for about 22 or 23 hours a day. That’s a lot of time and no space for them to even stretch out. Thank God for Bobbi’s volunteers who not only walk the dogs several times a day, but give them some love and play time and training and of course treats. And it shows in the behavior of these great dogs. They are so well behaved, it is amazing. Walls and floor are tile and concrete and offer barely any comfort for them at all. If this contest was based on hours put in and dedication, there is no doubt that Bobbi would win hands down. Bobbi starts her day before 6 A.M. and ends her day sometimes past midnight - most days she cleans cages, floors, takes the animals to the vets, feed them, and does all the laundry. Plus she is constantly on the phone trying to get these animals into good homes. Her volunteers help with some of these tasks. But she has to see that it is all done and she does so much of it herself. There is no laundry facility at the Vetport. If there were, her job would be a little easier for her. In between all these chores, she handles the adoptions and house checks. She doesn’t just give an animal to anyone who wants it. She must be satisfied that both the new owner and the animal are compatible and that the dog or cat will be placed in the right home with the right owner. Several days a week, in addition to all of things mentioned above, and Saturdays, too, she will be at her adoption center at the Shops at Atlas Park, doing her best to get the cats and smaller dogs there adopted. Hopefully due to the exposure that you have given her on zoo too, perhaps she can find a benefactor to give her a building or land so that she could have cats and dogs taken care of under much better circumstances. These animals are in dire need of a new shelter. It just breaks my heart. They are innocent and yet they must remain jailed until someone will adopt them. Due to the location of the Vetport, not too many people come out to adopt these larger dogs. Many have been in a cage for over a year. What a pity for the dogs. The cats also live out their lives in cages until they get adopted into loving homes. They sure could use a cat room where they could roam freely and socialize. If anyone reads this and is in the position to help, please open your heart and support Bobbi and the Strays in any way that you can. She needs a building or some land so that she can give these dogs and cats a better life until they are in their forever homes. Her lease is up soon and then what happens to these dogs at the Vetport?

Mr. Thompson.
Bobbi! Bobbi! Bobbi! Zootoo! Zootoo! Zootoo! Has a nice ring to it – doesn’t it? Just imagine how much louder and how much more widespread it could be if Bobbi and the Strays wins this contest! Bobbi has the best group of volunteers and they need this. It is sad when you visit them because you see how hard they work to get the dogs and cats taken care of. They do a great job too!

Richard Thompson! Richard Thompson! Richard Thompson! Bobbi! Bobbi! Bobbi! Zootoo! Zootoo! Zootoo! Bobbi! Bobbi! Bobbi!

Bobbi and the Strays need to win the grand prize in this contest. A few thousand dollars is great. But BOBBI AND THE STRAYS NEEDS TO WIN THE MILLIO N DOLLAR MAKEOVER. So far, from watching the videos of other shelters that you have visited, everyone can clearly see how much Bobbi and the Strays really need this. All shelters need help because they do not get enough of it, clearly. But a lot of other shelters have many more resources and a lot more funding. Bobbi hardly has any resources and virtually no funding. You have visited the shelter and could see for yourself. And yet, look what Bobbi and her volunteers are able to accomplish!

If anyone can help Bobbi – I know that ZOOTOO CAN! So please help!

Thank you for listening,
Deavon

Dear Mr. Thompson,

I hope that you can find it in your heart to help Bobbi and the Strays. Bobbi is such an amazing woman and her volunteers do so much with so little. She tries to help so many animals but is unable to help as many as she would like because she has no space and no real shelter where people can easily come and adopt from.

Bobbi is a modest woman. She works very hard every day to take care of the dogs and cats. Please Mr. Thompson, Bobbi really needs any help that you can give to her. I hope that she is able to win this contest. If not, please help her in any way that you can.

Sincerely,
Marisa

I have been lucky to be one of the people who Bobbi and her dedicated staff have helped to find a beautiful pet. Oliver (his new name) was found on the streets by a construction worker, no collar, tags or chip, and the construction worker remembered Bobbi, who is now a legend in Queens, and turned him in. How this little 10-pound fluff-ball survived on the street for even a day in the cold weather a year ago we'll never know - and we spend many hours speculating about the life that he may have had - but he has turned into an amazing, loving little guy who, at the moment that I'm writing this, is snoozing on top of his daddy's clean laundry on the bed. For years we had wanted to adopt a dog from a rescue situation, but wanted to wait until our situation would ensure that someone would be home most of the time. We looked at dogs in a few other shelters, but we were most impressed by Bobbi and her dedicated volunteers. They have been helpful to us as we have needed advice, referrals to obedience training, a groomer, etc., and we are very grateful. My husband had been out to the Kennedy A

Bobby and her group are amazing they work hard with what they have and really deserve a break to make their shelter a bit more comfortable for the animals.I know we as supporters will continue to help out.I would like to see the day when all her animals have forever homes.

Bobbi goes beyond and above to care for strays and to place them in good homes. I know the volunteers at Bobbi & The Strays are great because several are my friends. It's all about love of animals and this make over would allow Bobbi & The Strays to continue their effort and level of committment to care for the strays on a larger scale then what they already do. Please help Bobbi. Thank you.

There are alot of groups of well-meaning people doing great work for stray animals out there. What especially impresses me about Bobbi and the Strays is that they took their group from one person doing great work, built up a volunteer base and then actually CREATED a physical shelter from nothing. We all know of animal rescuers that run their own show because they are great with animals but not with people. There is none of that at Bobbi and the Strays. They have proven that they are a committed bunch of people that take what they can get and transform it into hope for the animals.

BOBBI AND THE STRAYS NEEDS A MIRACLE & THEY DO HAPPEN...BOBBI IS PROOF OF THAT AS SHE PUTS IN ENDLESS TIME TO CARE FOR & PROVIDE ALL THE BARE NECESSITIES THAT HER BEAUTIFUL STRAYS REQUIRE SHE HAS A GIFT THAT IS OF KIND HEART & SPIRIT THAT OUTPOURS INTO THE MANY LIVES OF HER RESCUED ANIMALS...I PRAY THAT SHE REQUIRES THE SPACE [BUILDING] THAT SHE EVER SO MUCH NEEDS ...

Over the years my wife and I have found several stray dogs and brought them home and found them homes. But last fall we found a stray that we couldn't keep or foster because of our own newest addtion...a pure bred Kishu from the kill shelter who is very dog agressive. So.....my wife made a desperate call to Bobbi & The Strays. They were great! They asked us to hold the little guy one more day and they would find room for him. We did, they did and today he is very much pampered in a wonderful forever home. This is one of the happy endings all shelters strive for and thanks to Bobbi & The Strays he is one of them. My wife volunteers now for Bobbi and she tells me the stories about the dogs and how they came to be rescued by Bobbi and the stories would break your heart. Bobbi has got to have the biggest heart in the whole world and her volunteers also who work long hours and care for the dogs and cats and endlessly seek homes for them. All in spite of having full time jobs, families and their own pets. I can't think of anyone or any shelter more deserving of this makeover than Bobbi & The Strays. They already do so very much with so very little and a makeover would give them the opportunity to help many, many more animals. Please, please, please help Bobbi & The Strays to do more!!!

Dear Mr. Thompson,

Bobbi has been rescueing strays in our neighborhood and finding homes for them long before she had any type of shelter except for her own home. Not only was she doing that on her own, but she was always a phone call away if a person had a question regarding an animal that they had found. Her phone number has been in my personal phone book for that many years. Although I had not personally met her until a few years ago, I actively used that number. She has become very well know in the surrounding neighborhoods for her love, hard work and dedication to finding her strays good homes.

For a city as large as ours, you would think there would be more rescue shelters for animals but, unfortunately, there are not. Bobbi and her volunteers work long and hard, doing their best with what they have, but it would be the "bestest gift ever" for them, the strays AND the surrounding neighborhoods if their rescue shelter was picked for the Shelter Makeover!

Thank you, Zootoo for giving our Bobbi and the Strays a chance at making their dream come true!

Bobbi deserves to win this contest.

They have no celebrity endorsements, they have no rich benefactors, they own practically nothing, they are based in Queens - and yet Bobbi and the Strays does SO MUCH!

All shelters and rescue groups could always use more - since it is always an area that is severly underfunded. So this contest will hopefully help a lot of people and animals.

But Bobbi and the Strays needs it the most! Please, please, please HELP Bobbi. They NEED THIS!

Thank You,
Eddie

There are very few no kill shelters around in NYC - nevermind Queens! - and Bobbi does a great job of caring for these animals and finding them good homes. She needs our help!

NYC is so big and yet we have very few no kill shelters and no state or city funding for those few that we have. Shelters depend solely on volunteers and donations. You have seen what Bobbi & The Strays does with the little that they have....now imagine what they could accomplish with a makeover? There are so many more dogs and cats that need and deserve a chance. Won't you please give Bobbi the chance to help them?