Stefanie has always had a love for the welfare of animals and has been a foster for an Animal Aid receiving rescue for the last couple of years. She and her husband Sam have 3 babies: their fourteen-year-old son, Jack, and two rescue furbabies Abbey (Road) and Penny (Lane). Penny came to her as a foster. She was rescued in Georgia from a hoarder and had a lot of trust issues to overcome. The best things in life are never planned such as being a “foster fail” with Penny. Stefanie’s receiving rescue trusted her and family with a very special foster puppy almost two years ago – Valentine. Valentine received injuries to her eyes after being given away in a parking lot. She was fortunate to come in to rescue through Animal Aid and had surgery to remove the grossly injured eye. As a blind puppy, Valentine remained with her family for almost two months until the perfect family was found. Through Valentine, rescue friendships were formed deepening her desire to do more than just foster. In working with Animal Aid, she has taken many rewarding trips to Georgia each year to assist with transporting puppies and dogs from Georgia to New Jersey. Experiencing the facility in Georgia, the dogs waiting for transport and all of the amazing volunteers has been life changing. She will be ever grateful to Karen for opening the door to participate as a team member on transports.
As a teacher, currently 2nd grade, she educates her students about the rescue program and how to be a responsible pet owner. They often discuss how important it is to consider the commitment needed to properly care for a pet before getting a pet. Stefanie finds that educating people on the commitment they are making when they acquire a pet is vital to reducing the number of pets that need rescuing. Her co-workers support her rescue efforts by donating items needed to take on transport.
