Love Island USA’s Leah Kateb is lending her voice to some of New York City’s most vulnerable animals during Clear the Shelters Month, teaming up with Second Chance Rescue to highlight the importance of adoption and animal advocacy.
“Ever since I was a kid I have felt a really special connection to animals,” Kateb shared during her visit to the private rescue. “I started rescuing and fostering. It just became more and more special to me. They can’t speak for themselves. Honestly, I feel it’s our duty as human beings to help the voiceless.”
Second Chance Rescue, founded in 2009, focuses on pulling animals from high-kill shelters in NYC and in high-need areas across the country. The team also supports pet owners through community programs that raise funds to keep animals in homes when finances are a barrier to care.
Among the animals featured during Kateb’s visit was Maytag, a loving and trusting cat who was abandoned at an animal hospital after surviving a washing machine accident, and Molly, a three-legged dog who didn’t let being hit by a car slow her down “one bit.”
“Visiting Second Chance Rescue has been the highlight of my month,” said Kateb. “They’re helping so many animals in need and I’m really glad that I got to be here and experience it.”
As Clear the Shelters Month continues, the message is clear: these animals deserve love, support, and above all, a second chance.