96 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • DECEMBER 2018
PETS4LUV:
RESCUE SEEKS NEW HOME
BY ALLISON MATOS
Long Island’ s many hard-working
animal rescue organizations often
work miracles with little public assistance,
but the local rescue Pets4Luv
especially needs help and needs it
quickly.
When David Bernacchi founded
Pets4Luv Foundation in 2008, his
primary focus was to rescue, rehabilitate
and rehome as many injured, ill,
disabled, and special needs animals
as possible. Pets4Luv became a no-kill
animal rescue organization located at
the Mall at the Source in Westbury
servicing hundreds of Long Island’s
homeless animals. But now the foundation
needs to find a new home.
“Our goal was to place animal rescues
in malls to educate people about
options other than shopping at pet
stores to find their next dog or cat,”
says Mr. Bernacchi. “Unbeknown to
most buyers, pet stores commonly
sell poorly bred, improperly caredfor
unhealthy and neglected animals.
The high visibility of being in a mall
environment gives us the opportunity
to provide information about rescued
animals to people who normally
would not visit an animal rescue or
shelter.”
With more than 500 successful
adoptions to date at
the mall, all was going well
until September, when
Pets4Luv was notified that
its space will no longer be
available come January.
Due to a recent acquisition
by Lesso Home, a Chinese
home furnishings, décor
and design company, the
mall will be renovated
without Pets4Luv.
“After 16 months of
promises and reassurances
that Pets4Luv would
remain in the mall after
renovations, the deal fell flat without
any explanation,” Bernacchi says.
As a result of the displacement,
Pets4Luv will no longer be able
continue its rescue efforts, and must
find immediate alternative homes for
their remaining 80 cats and two dogs.
Pets4Luv also offers several
community programs including a
reading program designed for young
children, volunteer programs for
the special needs community, community
service programs, and even
assistance programs for responsible
pet owners who can’t afford medical
care or food for their animals.
The nonprofit receives no government
funding; it relies 100 percent
on donations. It is asking for donations
to help cover the expenses
of finding forever homes for their
remaining cats and dogs and to help
them secure a new and permanent
home for the foundation. For more
information, visit gofundme.com/
pet-shelter-is-being-evictedsos.
View Pets4Luv animals available
for adoption on Petfinder.com and
Adopt-a-pet.com, and for additional
information at Pets4Luv’s goals
and mission, please contact the
organization at 516-860-7057 or
info@pets4luv.org.
PRESS PETS
Adopt Your Family’s New Best Friend from
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CENTER HOURS:
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RR006 Photo by Ellen Dunn
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