Syosset Teen Rescues Shelter Cats for Bat Mitzvah Project

To say 13-year-old Rachel Haft is an animal lover is an understatement.

It was an easy choice for the Syosset resident to dedicate her Bat Mitzvah Project to saving the lives of shelter cats who are most at risk of being euthanized.

Haft raised funds to support the Shelter Run Program of the Golden Paw Society, located in Huntington Station, for her Bat Mitzvah Project.

A “shelter run” is when volunteers visit the municipal town shelters and rescue cats that have been there for an extended time or who are having trouble adjusting to shelter life.

It costs about $100 to pay for medical/food/care expenses for an animal to be rescued.

Halft’s goal was to raise $1,800 to save the lives of 18 cats. She worked with the Golden Paw Society to create a page on their website so that funds could be channeled to this cause.

Her Bat Mitzvah Project has raised over $2,100 for the Shelter Run Fund to date, allowing 21 cats to be rescued.

The teen was able to see the direct influence she had on the Huntington Station adoption center when she interacted with the center’s current “residents” on Tuesday, June 23. She provided bags of homemade catnip-filled toys, known as “happy socks” for the cats to enjoy.

Haft was among four honorees who were honored for fundraising efforts. She was presented with a plaque honoring her contribution to Golden Paw Society at its annual “Golden Gala” fundraising event at the North Ritz Club in Syosset on Thursday, May 28.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to Haft’s project can visit her web page on Golden Paw Society’s website. Those who visit her page can also see photos of some of the cats whose lives were saved thanks to Haft’s project.

Anyone interested in adopting a cat from The Golden Paw Society should contact the organization at goldenpawsociety@gmail.com.

The Golden Paw Society is a volunteer organization that’s dedicated to rescuing of cats in municipal shelters for an extended period of time and/or who exhibit a dire need of removal from the shelter setting. The society is committed to finding forever homes for the cats they rescue.