STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — “Pets are a massive part of the family, so it’s right that we try to mitigate their carbon paw print in whatever way we can, and pet food is the biggest one,” says Gudrun Ravetz, former chair of Vet Sustain, a non-profit dedicated to promoting sustainability in the veterinary industry.
While there is no universal definition of what makes a pet food brand sustainable, we looked for companies with independent verification from reputable organizations, FDA certifications, and full transparency into their ingredient sourcing and production processes.
The Farmer’s Dog offers a variety of human-grade recipes that are simple and use different proteins and vegetables to accommodate dietary restrictions.
The Farmer’s Dog is a pet food brand that states their aim is to replace standard dog kibble with a freshly-cooked meal delivery service. (Courtesy/Farmer’s Dog)Farmer’s Dog
Open Farm combines high-quality organic ingredients with ethical partnerships and impressive traceability.
However, we found several other excellent sustainable brands, as well:
Best Overall: Open Farm
Best Organic: Tender & True
Best Human-Grade: Wet Noses
Most Trusted: The Honest Kitchen
Best Vegan: Wild Earth
When evaluating sustainable pet food, look for transparency around sourcing and production, third-party certifications, alignment with your pet’s dietary needs, and the use of human-grade ingredients. Consult with your veterinarian to ensure any diet changes meet your dog or cat’s nutritional requirements in the most eco-friendly way possible.
Meet Orsic
Meet Osric.
Osric is a 3-month-old Golden/Shar Pei mix weighing about 13 pounds of pure puppy charm. He may look a little unique — he’s missing part of his toes and one ear from a birth complication — but this happy boy doesn’t let that slow him down for even a second!
Osric is playful, sweet, curious, and full of tail-wagging joy. He’s ready to explore the world, collect toys, give kisses, and grow up alongside a family who will love his special little self exactly as he is.
Mom is an AKC registered Golden Retriever. Family had an accidental litter and the owner was unable to sell the puppies so surrendered them to our sister partner in TN.
If you would like to adopt this Rockstar, please email rescue@pupstarzrescue.org or visit www.pupstarzrescue.org for an application!
www.pupstarzrescue.org
Please Follow us on Instagram: @pupstarzrescue
Like us on FaceBook! www.facebook.com/PupStarzRescue
**Puppies are hard work. If you are not ready for a ‘new baby’ please adopt an adult or senior who need you! In addition, we cannot guarantee the breed, size, temperament or age of a puppy.**
**Please note that puppies can grow .5-2.5lbs a week based on their breed** (Courtesy/PupStarz)PupStarz
We are continually grateful to the volunteers who organize pet events every week in and around the borough, send out announcements, hold fundraisers, provide supplies, clean cages, feed animals, ensure pets’ medical needs are met, and so much more. All of this is done without pay, all for love, and behind the scenes. Their work every day can never be overlooked. Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare is one such rescue agency.
Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare
Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare (SICAW) is one of New York’s longest operating 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rescue organizations. Founded in Staten Island in 1972, SICAW’s mission is to find forever homes for abandoned and stray animals, dedicated to also finding homes with hearts for older, disabled, and medically compromised cats. SICAW has saved thousands of lives through adoption placement, Trap/Neuter/Return programs, education, and community response. SICAW is 100% volunteer staffed, and funds raised and donated support this core mission. Visit us at sicawsaves.org Rescue Registration No. 135
Meet Porter
Porter – our “Life is an adventure” kitty
Meet Porter! Just One look at that face and you can tell he is a little bundle of energy with a zest for life. You can find him exploring his surroundings with a fearless spirit, always looking for a new adventure. Porter is one of five sibling kitties who have all been adopted. He is our “last but not least” wonder cat. He gets along with other cats and loves to join any dog pals in searching for new opportunities to have fun and frolic. And at the end of his day spent exploring and playing, you will find him right next to you watching a Netflix movie and looking for some popcorn to kick around. Most of all he will be looking for some love and cuddles with his forever family. His happiness for life is contagious. Do you really want to see our little adventurer waiting to find his forever home after all like his brothers and sisters have been adopted? Porter is waiting and he is waiting for you! Renew that subscription to Netflix and bring him home with you to his forever home. He’s not just a cat, he’s a companion for life and he will steal your heart.
Porter was born on March 5, 2025 and are up to date with vaccines, FIV/FELV negative, neutered & microchipped. If you are interested in meeting Porter, contact us at our number below so we can arrange for you to meet Porter or inquire about him at PetSmart on Forest Avenue at the times below. .
SICAW will be at PetSmart Saturday, February 21, 2026 from 2:30 to 5p.m and Sunday February 22, 2026 from 12 noon to 3pm.
For more information about SICAW’s adoption process or to fill out an adoption application, visit https://www.sicawsaves.org/adoption-process or contact SICAW at 718.948.5623, Mon-Sat 9am-8pm.
(Courtesy/SICAW)SICAWAdoption Events
If you want to adopt, please remember that there are loving senior and disabled pets who need your care and attention, too. If you cannot adopt, please consider fostering or sharing the information with someone who could use companionship.
Feb. 21
SICAW will be at PetSmart, 1525 Forest Ave., from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.Louie’s Legacy will be at Petco, Unleashed by Petco – 81 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.Louie’s Legacy will be at PetSmart, 1525 Forest Ave., from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.Louie’s Legacy will be at PetSmart, 863 St Georges Ave, Woodbridge, NJ 07095, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.Louie’s Legacy will be at PetSmart, 400 Creek Mill Dr., Secaucus, NJ 07094, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Feb. 22
SICAW will be at PetSmart, 1525 Forest Ave., from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.Staten Island Animal Hope Rescue will be at Petco, located at 165 Bricktown Way, from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.Louie’s Legacy will be at PetSmart, 300 NJ-18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.Find us at the Staten Island Mall! Louie’s Legacy will be at Staten Island Mall – 2655 Richmond Ave, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m
Use the entrance between ZARA and ULTA Beauty, right by J.Crew Factory. If you see Shake Shack outside, you’re in the right spot. We’re just inside that entrance on the right side of the corridor, directly across from Zara!
Animal Care Centers of New York City is open for adoptions of dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and rabbits at 3139 Veterans Road West on Monday and Tuesday, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For general information on adopting from ACC and other community-based programs, visit www.nycacc.org.
You can also visit ACC to register and purchase a NYC dog license from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Meet Rocket
Meet Rocket!
Rocket is a nearly three-year-old, 56-pound pit bull mix whose journey to rescue feels almost too unbelievable to be real.
In June 2025, a Louie’s Legacy staff member came across Rocket wandering the park while walking her own dog. He was scared, clearly lost, and had no idea where to go. After taking him to the vet to be scanned for a microchip, his family was located, and Rocket was reunited with his owner later that same day. It seemed like a happy ending — just one of those moments where everything works out.
But Rocket’s story wasn’t finished.
Months later, in January, Rocket was found again, this time by a good samaritan on a subway platform in Harlem. A photo posted to Petco Love Lost caught the attention of the very same Louie’s Legacy staff member who had helped Rocket months earlier. Once it was confirmed that it was indeed the same dog, the Good Samaritan shared that they couldn’t keep Rocket long-term. With a major snowstorm approaching and concern that Rocket would struggle in a shelter environment, the staff member agreed to take him in, fully expecting it would only be for a day or two while his owner was located.
Unfortunately, after weeks of searching, following every lead, and exhausting every possible avenue to reunite Rocket with his family, it became clear that Rocket had been abandoned. With nowhere else to go, Rocket officially entered rescue; he is now ready to find the forever home he has always deserved.
Despite everything he has been through, Rocket is an incredibly loving, well-adjusted dog who clearly had stability and training in his past. He walks beautifully on leash and is both house trained and crate trained. Rocket absolutely loves to play fetch and would thrive with an adopter who enjoys spending time outdoors. While winter weather has made it difficult to get out as much as he’d like, Rocket would be thrilled with long walks, park adventures, and active playtime. From firsthand experience, he’s even been known to bike alongside his person and did wonderfully with it.
Rocket is generally friendly with other dogs while on leash and peacefully coexists with his foster’s 25-pound senior dog. In the home, he is a total cuddle bug who loves to relax near his people, whether that means sitting at your feet or curling up for a nap next to you. He does well in an apartment setting and will alert you when someone comes to the door in a protective, watchful way, making him a great little guardian of his space.
Rocket would likely do best in a home with older children, as he can jump up when he gets especially excited and may accidentally knock over smaller kids. One of his more impressive talents is his comfort navigating the city; Rocket is calm, confident, and absolutely fantastic riding the subway.
Rocket has survived being lost not once, but twice, crossed paths with the same person at exactly the moments he needed help most, and somehow emerged as the happy, affectionate, resilient dog he is today. He may just be one of the luckiest dogs in the world; whoever adopts him will be even luckier.
Rocket is ready for his next chapter. All he needs now is a home that will never let him get lost again.
Rocket is currently being fostered in Manhattan, NY. His adoption fee is $475.
To adopt this animal, please visit https://www.louieslegacy.org/adopt (Courtesy/Louie’sLegacy)Louie’sLegacyGifts for animal lovers
Stellar Villa is a New York City-based artist who recently raised over $11,500 for pet shelters after she single-handedly created 1,252 custom pieces of art of people’s pets over 21 days. Now, she is working to create ongoing partnerships with local animal shelters to continue raising money. If you’re looking for a gift for a dog lover, check out Stellar’s work.
Sophia Di Meglio wrote and illustrated A Big Life for Buddy, a children’s book that offers a lighthearted look at an exceptional dog and teaches children about growing older, belonging, and the naturalness of loss.
Meet Venus & Jax
Meet Venus and Jax
We were contacted by Venus and Jax’s owner, who asked for our help in rehoming them. They were adopted three years ago, but their owner does not have the capability to give them the attention and time they require to be happy. We agreed to help find them a new home.
Jax and Venus are a bonded pair of siblings. Jax is a four-year-old black male cat, and Venus is a four-year-old white and black female cat.
They are both very friendly and social cats who enjoy being petted and love attention.
Venus is a shoulder cat who likes to jump onto her dad’s shoulder and sit on top of him. Both cats love to play, watch birds out the window, cuddle together, and cuddle with their dad. They also love a good cat tree and toys.
Right now, they are craving attention.
We would love to place them together in a new home and see them thrive.
Venus and Jax are up-to-date on their vaccinations, neutered and spayed, and FIV/FELV negative. They are ready to start fresh in a new home. Since they have not been around other cats for some time, we do not know how they would react, so we always recommend a gradual introduction to feline friends. Alternatively, they would be happy to be the only cats in the household too
If anyone would like to meet and adopt Venus and Jax, please apply online.
If anyone would like to meet and adopt these incredible companions, please fill out an application online at https://www.statenislandhopeanimalrescue.org/applications (Courtesy/StatenIslandHopeRescue)StatenIslandHopeRescueHiking trailsDog-friendly parks
· Allison Park, off-leash area, the field at the end of the trail bordered by Prospect Avenue, Sailors Snug Harbor Cemetery, and the pond
· Amundsen Trail, off-leash area, between Amboy Road and Hylan Boulevard
· Arthur Von Briesen Park, off-leash area, lawn area, mid-park on the right side
· Bloomingdale Park, dog run, Maguire Avenue behind athletic fields, closer to Ramona Avenue
· Clove Lakes Park, off-leash area, the open field above the picnic area near Royal Oak Road and Rice Avenue
· Clove Lakes Park, off-leash area, Brookside Avenue between Alpine Court and Kingsley Avenue (lawn area)
· Clove’s Tail Park, off-leash area, lawn area, corner of Victory Boulevard and Little Clove Road
· Conference House Park, dog run, Clermont Avenue and Massachusetts Street
· Cozzens Woods Park, off-leash area, Page Avenue between Hylan Boulevard and Amboy Road
· Crescent Beach Park, off-leash area, Tennyson Drive, and Glover Avenue. Located in the meadow area leading to the beach
· Evergreen Park, off-leash area, Greaves Avenue and Evergreen Street
· Father Macris Park, off-leash area, lawn beyond ball field
· Ida Court Playground, dog run, Ida Court between N. Railroad Street and Drumgoole Road East
· Lemon Creek Park, off-leash area, the bottom of Seguine Avenue at Johnston Terrace, just below the playground
· Siedenburg Park, off-leash area, Greaves Avenue, and Evergreen Street
· Silver Lake Park, dog run, Victory Boulevard below the pavilion, across from the Parkview Apartments
· South Beach Park, off-leash area. Note: Dogs are permitted on the sand only after Labor Day and before Memorial Day.
· Willowbrook Park, off-leash area, Archery Range Field
· Wolfe’s Pond Park, dog run, to the left of Cornelia Avenue
For more information on rules and regulations, visit nycgovparks.org/facilities/dogareas.
Dogs cannot enter any bathing facilities, including those at New York City beaches. However, from Oct. 1 through May 1, leashed dogs are allowed on the sand and boardwalk at Midland Beach and South Beach.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the boardwalk/promenade at Midland Beach and South Beach.
For more information on rules and regulations, visit nycgovparks.org/facilities/dogareas.
Meet Bella
With a soft approach and a few yummy treats, Bella will truly enjoy being part of your world. Once Bella knows you, she will happily try to find you for companionship and affection. This lovely lady appreciates a calm environment and blossoms with kindness. Bella’s the kind of cat who will warm your heart by choosing to be near you, sharing peaceful moments, and cozy company. If you’re looking for a happy, loving companion who just needs a place to shine, Bella would love to meet you.
More information: Visit ASPCA.org/Adopt to learn more and submit an application. (Courtesy/ASPCA)(Courtesy/ASPCA)
PET POISON HELPLINES
If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, contact the Pet Poison hotline at 855-764-7661 or petpoisonhelpline.com, or contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 or aspca.org.
As the seasons change, keep in mind the plants that are poisonous to animals: https://www.rover.com/blog/poisonous-plants/
TO REPORT ANIMAL CRUELTY
To report an incident of animal abuse, call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
To contact an environmental conservation police officer or report suspected violations, contact the DEC Law Enforcement Dispatch Center at 844-DEC-ECOS (844-332-3267) or dec.ny.gov/.provides financial support for