Help Our Furry Friends at The Feel-Good Fundraiser of the Season!
While The Moorefield Group is grateful to support so many wonderful charities in Jersey City, PAD Paws holds a special place in our heart. This downtown animal rescue organization is the passion project of three amazing local women. Their bravery and big hearts have saved countless four-legged lives over the past 12 years, along with birds, raccoons, and yes, even a turtle. We are so excited to do our part (while having a ball) by attending “Whiskers in The Warehouse” on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Held in the Modera Lofts lobby, there’ll be cleverly-concocted “cattails” (Moscow Meow, anyone?), appetizers, a raffle of luxury-loaded gift baskets, and Lulu’s consignment boutique, named in honor of a very special feline with a dramatic life story. The PAD Paws team first encountered her as a six-week old kitten. Stranded with her mom and brother in a loading dock where the Modera Lofts now stand, they were about to be closed in by cement before PAD Paws convinced the construction team to delay work. Today, Lulu is a closet-loving, clothes-obsessed mature cat living the life at the Mandalay with her owner, PAD Paws’ Laura Zaccardi.
“Having this event at Modera Lofts has such special meaning for us”, explains Natalie Stiefvater, founding member of PAD PAWS and a dear friend of The Moorefield Group. “When I moved here in 2006, there were so many abandoned buildings full of abandoned animals. The warehouse where Modera now stands had dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, and birds cohabitating. Most of these animals were very sick and injured, and times were very different in Jersey City. The Liberty Humane Society wasn’t like it is today, and there was no one from the City to call for help. That’s when I teamed up with Laura and Denise [Labowski], who were doing the same work in the PAD and along the waterfront.”
PAD Paws takes on a hands-on approach to animal rescue. “There are so many great animal rescue groups in Jersey City. We all support each other, and each of us have our niche”, Natalie explains.
“We focus on the PAD and the Waterfront. We also take a very hands on approach to our rescues. We trap the animals before bringing them to the vet, where they often stay for over a week. Most of the animals we rescue have severe injuries and sicknesses, and need to be vaccinated and neutered before we put them in foster care. Once they are in foster care, we are very involved in the adoption process and making sure that we find the perfect fit for both the cat (the majority of their rescues now) and the family. We also follow up after the adoption to make sure things are going well.”
When PAD Paws began, the team of 3 took on all the costs of their rescue work. As word spread, kind-hearted neighbors began contributing. Today, PAD Paws is a registered 501 3(C) with a Board of Directors and a team of committed foster parents. “The only issue is what we call foster failure”, Natalie says. “Many foster parents fall in love and end up adopting the cat in their care!”
Please, please join us Friday, December 7 to support PAD Paws. These women and their compassionate, inspiring work is what the Jersey City community is all about.
Event Details For “Whiskers in The Warehouse”