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Nina Love: The Black Thornberry levels it up for Philly’s Animals
New African American Led Animal Rescue Nonprofit Ready to Make a Difference
(Baltimore, MD. July 13, 2022) — Nina Love sees the big picture: we save the animals, we save ourselves. Invested in her community for years, she is poised to make a big leap! A recent appearance on The Ellen Show helped grow her support and she is proud to have just been awarded 501(c)3 status, with the help of Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE), a Baltimore-based nonprofit that supports BIPOC community leaders who are contributing to human and animal well-being.
As Love sees it, the companionship and resulting health benefits of keeping pets are more important than ever. At the same time, members of marginalized communities face more challenges when it comes to acquiring, keeping, and caring for their companion animals. Love is ready to help, and she’s done it on her own thin dime.
The animal lover’s priority is to raise the funds to purchase a high-roof van. With this vehicle and the help of her dedicated crew of volunteers, Love will assist everyone from stray homeless cat colony feeders to the spaying and neutering and medical emergencies of animals. She hopes to distribute food and supplies in under-resourced areas of Philadelphia, transport lost/found dogs, and get family pets to crucial veterinary appointments.
“A vehicle will allow me to help both people and pets,” says Love. “Often times we focus on the animals, but I want to ensure we provide services for pet parents as well. We can reduce the sadness of owner-surrenders to shelters and the number of discarded animals on the streets simply by providing help when and where it’s needed.”
Love is an expert in Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR), a humane method of controlling feral cat populations. Often working with her young daughter, and now with a dedicated and growing crew of volunteers and rescue partners, Love is out at all hours of the day and night trapping cats and dogs and providing them with the necessary care to keep them–and the neighborhoods they live in–healthy and safe.
Her work in the “wild” includes trapping, vetting, and finding fosters and eventually homes for stray animals. “Nina is a hero and no matter the time of day she’s always willing to listen and help,” says fellow rescuer Jermaine Smalls. “She doesn’t have to do any of this, but you can see when she shows up that Nina enjoys her work. It’s an inspiration to see a woman of color in animal rescue, dedicating her life to those in need. I learned from her that I can make a difference, too.”
Along with official designation as a non-profit, The Black Thornberry is also pleased to announce that a pair of challenge grants, from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and the Moonlight Mile Fund, are poised to help Love realize the dream of this vehicle hitting the streets. Vodka for Dog People, a proud longtime supporter of animal welfare, has offered to match the next $10,000 raised, and the Moonlight Mile Fund will match the next $5,000. The rescuer has also launched a GoFundMe which is gaining momentum.
Love is available for media interviews. For more information about Love, her fundraising efforts, and her partners please go to:
https://www.titosvodka.com/dogs/
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Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity is a 501©3 nonprofit that addresses organizational and personal biases within animal welfare. The mission is to bring diverse voices to the industry while also advocating for a more inclusive path to pet adoption. CARE believes in using evidence-based tools, narratives, and insights to inspire organizations to be more inclusive and less biased. It is all an effort to save more companion animal lives.