This past Sunday, August 13th, Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Rockaway Beach) took her cat Sugar to the “Cause for Paws” fundraiser for the Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue in Rockaway Park, NY. The Rescue was founded in 2015, and is described on its Facebook page as: “We, as members of Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue NY, vow to do everything in our power to: protect, foster, rehabilitate, and ultimately find adoptive homes for all orphaned, neglected, abused, abandoned, and homeless animals of the New York area. We have been inspired to form this rescue group by the rescued and fostered pets that have already touched our lives. It is in their honor that we vow to advocate for the humane treatment of all animals by helping control pet overpopulation through our direct rescue efforts, foster home placement, spay/neuter of all of our rescued animals, and through participation in trap/neuter/release (TNR) programs for feral cat colonies in the New York area.”

Sugar was declared the champion of last year’s competition, and was ineligible to compete this year. But Pheffer Amato thought it was important that both she and her cat show up and express appreciation for the incredible work done by Noah’s Ark. “This group occupies such a special place in our community, and I know Sugar is a fan of people who go out of their way to care for animals,” said Pheffer Amato. “Rescues like Noah’s Ark make sure animals are treated humanely, that they get spayed and neutered, and that, wherever possible, they find loving homes where they can live a normal and happy life. We just wanted to come back to say thanks, and here’s to many more years of caring for our best friends!”