The volunteers who commit their time to Zani’s Furry Friends rescue group may share their devotion to animals, but they themselves cannot be pigeonholed. 

They come on Sunday mornings, bags in tow, to the PetCo on the Upper East Side. They assemble and stack crates, pull cats from meowing, thrashing bags and set up camp. They bicker over which cat goes where and who gets what blanket until everything is meticulously in place.

Michelle, a regular volunteer, ties ribbons around the cats’ necks. She calls it the “beautification process.”

“The ribbons can be controversial,” she says. “I think ribbons are the least of these cats’ worries.”

Then they spend the day trying to get the cats adopted.

They are an NYU professor who speaks six languages, a trained psychoanalyst, a CEO of a high finance company and students struggling to afford college or even make it into the city to volunteer their time. One woman works in fashion, another works in a government office, one is a hospice nurse, one a former journalist. They worry about their children and have passions unrelated to animals, they discuss the significance of astrological signs and planetary activity, they pride themselves on being good judges of character.

One volunteer, Jacqui, who regularly shows up in heels, smelling of honeysuckle or jasmine, says: “I can’t paint or draw, so I dress up.”

But don’t ever ask these women how many cats they own at any given time; they won’t tell you. They’ve learned the hard way. When you’re in rescue, you don’t tell people how many cats you have packed away at home, rotating in and out of the fickle system.

You get strange looks, people shy away and the neighbors in your co-op start to wonder. As one woman says, when you work in rescue — with groups like Zani’s, which take pets off the euthanasia list — you do not choose which pets to adopt. You adopt the un-adoptable.

And yes, for the most part, these volunteers are all women. Several note they got involved at a point when they felt they needed a change in their lives.

Tiffani, a 17-year-old volunteer with Zani’s who commutes from the Bronx, explains: “There are a lot of volunteers who come and go, but no guys. I think we freak them out.”

She adds: “I saw a guy volunteering one time. I came back and he was out the door.”

Valerie, Zani’s expert on cat behavior and nutrition, explains women tend to be more drawn to cats in general.

“Women, especially older women, get into cats, when they’re not valued by society in the same way,” she says. “Cats are warm and affectionate — they fill a void.”

Valerie is careful to distinguish between those who hoard cats as they might other material possessions — the stereotypical “crazy cat lady” — and many of the women in rescue.

“I’m not a crazy cat lady,” she emphasizes.

Valerie, who originally got involved with rescue because she was looking for something to do, says she keeps her place clean and wants few possessions. She concedes sometimes, however, she finds herself wearing a “blanket of cats” while watching television.

Further, Valerie explains there’s an adage that tends to ring true — when you’re young you want a dog, when you mature you want a cat. Despite any stereotypes, cats, like one or two of Valerie’s, still have the potential to be incredibly needy. Cats are very social creatures, just not perhaps in the way we understand — or desire — socialization.

They may have prodigious knowledge of the animal world, but Jacqui says Zani’s volunteers are really just regular people.

She describes a fundraising benefit Zani’s threw the night before our interview, complete with cabaret acts. “Someone called us the prettiest girls in rescue,” Jacqui says.

A few other volunteers scoff at this remark, betraying their no-nonsense attitude. “There’s a reason we’re no-nonsense,” says Valerie, when I point this out. “We go through hell.”

“I don’t know, Anjellicle [Cats Rescue] is very pretty,” offers another. Anjellicle, a “competitor” to Zani’s, occupies the temporary PetCo home on Saturday afternoons. Unlike Anjellicle, Zani’s also rescues dogs and the occasional rabbit or bird.

Dismayed perusers often come in looking to hold the cuddly kittens Anjellicle shows. Zani’s peppers their cages with signs forbidding all but the most interested from touching their cats, as illnesses are easily spread to the stressed animals.

Young people, who adopt from shelters, tend to enjoy the playfulness of a young kitten, but sometimes they return the cats when the animals age and lose their liveliness or when the pet would rather play with another kitten and have nothing to do with its owner. Zani’s does everything in its power to combat this mentality.

“People don’t really understand cat behavior,” says Valerie, “but once you get it, you get it.” She explains a cat’s head-butt is the ultimate sign of love and respect.

Valerie points to a statistic about Americans: approximately 70 percent of Americans say they prefer dogs, while something like 25 percent prefer cats.

Yet cats have overtaken dogs statistically as pets in the United States. The seeming discrepancy is explained by the fact that cat-owners tend to own more than one cat.

The hands-on experience of showing the cats in-store is essential, as rescue groups like Zani’s have saturated the internet market. Pictures and bios of the animals, written and rewritten tirelessly by volunteers, also play a critical role in whether an animal will be placed. Valerie says people respond best to visual depictions.

Sometimes which cats will get adopted — if any — just depends on the day.

One woman browses the cats while I talk to the volunteers. I ask if she’s interested in adopting. “I’ve got eight animals,” she says, sheepishly, “but it’s so hard not to look.” Others meander by and stuff dollar bills into the group’s donation jars.

Jacqui says the group is financially indebted to their veterinarian. Besides squatting at PetCo once a weekend, Zani’s operates entirely out of volunteers’ apartments.

The founder and executive director of Zani’s, who asked to remain anonymous, started volunteering at the ACC of NYC shelter years back when she realized “the real need is in rescue.” While working at the shelter and for a rescue group, she was told she was too good, and needed to form her own organization. Allergic to cats at the time, she began her own dogs-only group, and says Zani’s grew from there.

She adds cat rescue is like the mafia. “Once you’re in, you can’t get out,” she says, while clipping a cat’s nails. (She often clips the nails of passersby’s pets or offers up solicited — or unsolicited — pet advice.)

For all its struggles, Zani’s has just as many success stories, including adoptive parents who write in to thank Zani’s, saying their newfound pets have been more therapeutic than they could have imagined.

“They rescue us more than we rescue them,” explains Jacqui.

Reproductive Possibilities owner Melissa Brisman with her family. Photo courtesy of Melissa Brisman

Paying a woman to carry your baby is still illegal in New York state, but will the laws soon change?

In 2006, when Brooklyn local Melissa Musman was told by her doctor she could not have children following radiation treatments for desmoid tumors, she and her husband, Mike, decided to seek a gestational surrogate, or a woman who would carry their baby to term. With the help of an egg donor, they froze six embryos and began the search.

There was, however, one major obstacle for the Musmans—commercial surrogacy, or paying a woman to act as a gestational carrier for another’s baby, is still illegal in New York state, one of six U.S. territories where the arrangement is outlawed.

According to state Sen. Liz Krueger, an outspoken advocate for women’s reproductive rights, commercial surrogacy, which has been illegal in New York since 1992, is “like organ donation and adoption, a complicated issue rife with thorny ethical and moral questions.”

“Surrogacy options are clearly expanding, but our laws need to evolve carefully,” Krueger added in an interview.

Nominee for the New York State Senate and Greenwich Village resident Brad Hoylman, who has been working to repeal laws against surrogacy, said the Baby M case in 1986 “created a chilling effect on surrogacy throughout the country, including New York.” New York outlawed commercial surrogacy six years later, in the aftermath of the trial.
The Baby M case, which took place in New Jersey, was the first American court ruling on surrogacy, an issue that was controversial at the time. In the case of Baby M, the surrogate mother—who used her own eggs—had a change of heart and refused to give up the baby.

The drawn-out case ended after two years of courtroom battles, with the surrogate mother only receiving visitation rights to “Baby M.” The Supreme Court of New Jersey subsequently invalidated all surrogacy contracts, rendering paid surrogacy illegal, and similar disputes in other states quickly followed suit.

In 1987, the New York Times reported, “The emotional courtroom battle for custody of Baby M has cast a sharp and disquieting light on the tangle of ethical and legal uncertainties surrounding the growing practice of surrogate motherhood.

“To some who have studied the issue, one of the most disturbing elements of surrogate motherhood is the overtone of class exploitation,” the Times continued.
At the time of the article’s publication, an estimated 500 surrogacy arrangements had taken place in the country.

“I think gestational surrogacy is still illegal in New York because there hasn’t been an organized effort to change the law since the infamous Baby M case,” Hoylman noted.
Melissa Brisman, owner of Reproductive Possibilities, the largest surrogacy agency on the East Coast, also points to the case as a watershed moment. “Women wanted to keep their babies,” she said. “New York and New Jersey made commercial surrogacy illegal.” Brisman, an attorney, helped draft legislation to legalize and regulate commercial surrogacy in New Jersey that was vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie in August of this year.

New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has also introduced legislation this year on the subject, with the hope of legalizing commercial surrogacy in New York.
“The law in New York has simply not caught up with current technology and practice of gestational surrogacy,” Paulin said. “[Families] should not have to travel to other states or abandon their dream of parenthood because of an outdated law.”

Currently, New Yorkers must leave the state to arrange commercial surrogacy contracts and oversee the process.

Despite the geographical hurdles, the Musmans did not have many requirements for a surrogate. “We were looking for the simple things in life,” Melissa said. They wanted her to be reasonably close by air travel, and not a smoker. “Because the egg donor was someone else entirely,” explained Melissa, “the surrogate was essentially an oven.”

The Musmans used Reproductive Possibilities to arrange their surrogacy, ultimately settling on Tracy, a woman from Illinois. They paid to fly Tracy to and from Connecticut to carry out the procedure.

“She was doing it out of the goodness of her heart,” said Melissa. “But she was honest about also wanting the money.”

Expense is a major issue when it comes to surrogacy. The Musmans estimate they paid about $100,000 total between surrogacy and egg donation.

Krueger also worries about the price component. “Whenever we talk about individuals’ rights over their own bodies, our first priority must be preventing exploitation of the less fortunate in our society,” she said. “Life—and lives—should never be for sale in our society.”

Altruistic surrogacy—a woman, usually a friend or relative, acting as a gestational surrogate without compensation beyond what is medically required—is permitted by New York State law.

However, “no one will [be a surrogate] for free,” according to Brisman. “Unless it’s someone who loves and cares about you.” The Times reported in the 1987 article that 89 percent of would-be surrogates interviewed at the time wanted to be paid for their services.

Brisman has three children via gestational carrier herself. She went outside the state of New Jersey for her own children to be born, using carriers in Maine and Pennsylvania. “When I did it, it was not as popular,” she said.

“Now it’s the new normal—there’s even a TV sitcom about it,” said Brisman, of the NBC network show, literally called The New Normal.

Brisman adds with so many celebrities or public figures having babies via gestational carrier, eventually New York “will be forced to change.”

However, the biggest increase in surrogacy, according to Brisman, is same-sex couples now that same-sex marriage is legal in many places. In fact, Hoylman and his partner traveled outside New York to arrange their own surrogacy.

“Surrogacy gives LGBT couples another option in addition to adoption to have children, and is a potential tremendous benefit for infertile straight couples, too,” said Hoylman. “Like my partner and me, many gay and lesbian couples have had to travel outside of New York to states like California to arrange their surrogacies, which makes the procedure far less affordable.”

With the help of advocates like Brisman and Paulin, surrogacy in New York has made certain advancements in recent years. Brisman argued and won a landmark case before the New York appellate court which now allows genetic parents of babies delivered via gestational carrier to do a post-birth maternity order.

Prior to Brisman’s case against the Department of Health (DOH), genetic parents still had to adopt their own baby after it was born via gestational carrier. The DOH maintained the woman who gave birth was the legal mother, in all cases.

This arrangement is far from ideal for clients who might seek help from an organization like Reproductive Possibilities. As far as the legalization of commercial surrogacy in New York, Brisman indicts the state, saying, “Commercial surrogacy will not pass with the way the [state] government body is currently stacked.”

Brisman believes some New Yorkers may choose to circumvent the law and organize a commercial surrogacy arrangement in New York, but likely not many. She explains it’s easy enough for most New Yorkers to travel to Connecticut, where the arrangement is legal. Not only is commercial surrogacy considered a felony in New York, the surrogate would be allowed to keep the baby, says Brisman.

Brisman’s own surrogacy process had its ups and downs. “I got my children right away from the minute they were born by terminating the surrogate’s right,” she said. But for her, the surrogacy process was “nerve-wracking.”

“I was one of the first court orders for children in the state of Maine, I was paving the way,” said Brisman. “The medicine was easy, though—it was a successful procedure.”
The Musmans were in New York when their surrogate Tracy’s water broke and immediately got on a plane, determined to make it to Illinois in time for their son’s birth. “Making it to the birth was the last obstacle,” said Melissa, but the Musmans did make it in time to see their son Sean be born.

“We feel a lot of women think it’s the end of the road if they can’t have a baby,” she said. “This is a great experience. [Sean] is still our son.”

The Musmans say the next time they use a surrogate, they will still likely have to go out of state, but they will “find someone closer.”

While Brisman cites state government as an obstacle to repealing surrogacy laws in New York, Hoylman is hopeful change is around the corner.

“New York has some of the best fertility clinics in the country and a large LGBT population that would like to take advantage of surrogacy,” said Hoylman. “With the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York, legalizing surrogacy seems like the natural next step to support LGBT families.”

He added: “I think it’s only a matter of time before the laws catch up to the science.”

Derby.

Derby
Derby, a 3-year-old Chihuahua mix, is up for adoption. He only has three legs, but this little tripod has no trouble keeping up, and he loves to play. He adores being with his favorite people and likes to curl up on available laps. Squeaky toys have a special place in Derby’s heart, and if you toss one, he will chase right after it. He may not be a retriever, but he will bring the toy back to you for another round of play. Cat owners should have no problem with Derby, because he’s lived with cats before. But he’s not a huge fan of other dogs, and needs some time to understand that you’re one of the good guys. Once he warms up to you, he’ll be your canine pal. Derby would be a perfect pet for a Chihuahua fan and would do best in a teens-and-up household. Derby is neutered and up-to-date on all vaccinations.

Buffy and Pearl.

Buffy and Pearl
Buffy and Pearl are 11-month-old feline beauties who would like nothing more than to find a loving home and spend all of their time together. These two are a bonded pair and love each other so much that they can’t bear to be split apart, so they must be adopted together. These lovely ladies are sensitive and shy, so they would appreciate respectful owners who don’t move too fast toward them. Once they sniff you out, they’ll let you know if they are comfortable being petted. Buffy and Pearl are Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) positive, but that shouldn’t prevent them from living long, healthy lives. They would do best with an experienced cat owner with children over the age of 10. Both Buffy and Pearl are spayed and up-to-date on all vaccinations.

With each of these pets, the ASPCA includes also includes a microchip and free follow-up vet exam.
To adopt Derby, Buffy and Pearl or any of the many other dogs and cats at the ASPCA, visit the shelter at 424 E. 92nd St., between York and First avenues. Shelter hours are Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit www.adoptaspca.org or call 212-876-7700, ext. 4120, for additional information.

Dr. Brennen briefly mentioned “that puppy or kitten in the window.” The great majority of (if not all) puppies sold in pet shops come from commercial breeding facilities, otherwise known as “puppy mills.” In these facilities, the breeder dogs spend their entire lives in wire cages, simply being used to help fill pet shop windows and cages. When the breeder dogs are no longer capable, they are cast aside like trash.

If a pet shop proprietor says their dogs come from “reputable breeders” (a term they are known to use), they are more than likely being completely dishonest. In very easy to understand terms, no “reputable breeder” will ship their dogs by plane or truck to a pet shop and NOT know where their dogs end up.

If you are committed to the pet’s lifetime care, then adopt from one of the many shelters and rescue groups. All breeds can be found on petfinder.com. Saving a life (and lots of money) will bring true joy to both you and the grateful animal.

Mickey Kramer
East 75th Street

Letters have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.