A Little California History & Pet Protectors League

Fifty-three years ago, when I joined a small group of people in New York who wanted to see better conditions for the animals in our local “pound” shelter, I never imagined it would become my lifetime career.

Then I saw an ad in our local paper that read: “If you are at all concerned with the conditions of dogs and cats in our local pound, please attend this meeting.”

I had always been an animal lover, raised in a home with two sisters and two brothers that seemed to take in every stray—dogs, cats, and sometimes even people. My parents taught us, “If you make a commitment, make sure you follow through.” I suppose I can honestly say that I did.

I attended that meeting, and ten other people showed up. That was the beginning of our group. At first, our focus was improving conditions at the shelter. At the time, animals were still being euthanized using gas, which we believed was inhumane. We worked with local town officials and our Congressman to have this practice outlawed and replaced with humane injections when euthanasia was necessary.

We operated out of small storefront locations, relied heavily on foster homes, and worked tirelessly toward our ultimate goal—building our own shelter. In 1983, that dream became a reality when we opened The Grateful Paw. The rest, as they say, is history.

As the organization expanded, we also formed a group dedicated to responding to the mistreatment of horses, along with humane officers who investigated cruelty complaints of all kinds. To say we were busy would be an understatement.

When I moved to California in 1996, I thought I would step back from rescue work for a while. I had just driven cross-country with seven cats and two dogs, which felt like more than enough to manage.

That break didn’t last long.

One day, my husband came home from Los Verdes Golf Course and mentioned that there were a lot of stray cats living there. Fortunately, I had brought a trap with me, and I thought, at the very least, I can get them spayed and neutered.

That’s when I met Diane, a fellow cat lover who was already feeding the cats. Together, we trapped 16 adult cats and rescued eight kittens who were young enough to be adopted. The clubhouse asked us to relocate the cats, as the Health Department wanted them removed from the area. Little by little, we moved the feeding stations farther up the driveway to the maintenance area, where the cats spent the rest of their lives—being fed every day and receiving veterinary care when needed.

One moment I will never forget was driving past the clubhouse during a wedding. As guests gathered for the cocktail reception, there sat Princess—the matriarch of the colony—calmly among them, as if she belonged. In many ways, she did.

In 1999, Diane and I took over Pet Protectors League from a group of women who had started the organization in 1985 but were no longer actively doing rescue. After decades of hands-on work and commitment to animals in need, I am now retiring and moving closer to my family, confident in passing the torch to a dedicated group of volunteers who will carry forward both my legacy and the mission of Pet Protectors League.

 Written by Donna Ciminera

Pet Protectors League Founder and President Emerita