Zani’s Furry Friends ZFF, Inc is a non-profit organization committed to rescuing companion animals from New York City shelters where, unfortunately, they are at significant risk for euthanasia due to overcrowding. Beyond directly helping the animals we save, their rescue creates space at the shelter—thus giving another shelter cat or dog an opportunity to await a chance for adoption or rescue and thereby potentially saving yet another life. We have expanded our rescue borders to welcoming immigrant cats and dogs needing help on the international front. Our mission is to help you find the perfect furry companion for your family and to help all our rescues find the forever home they deserve.
Entirely funded by donations, we depend on our volunteers to continue our work. We do not have a shelter or boarding facility per se, but instead rely upon foster homes to shelter and nurture our furry friends until a loving forever home is found. Although not always sure of the pedigree or background of each cat or dog, those we place are generally well-socialized family pets who came to the city shelters and elsewhere through no fault of their own. We rescue kittens and puppies, nursing moms and litters, adults, seniors and special needs cats and dogs who deserve another chance for a loving home.
Our foster home network allows us to become fully familiar with each of our available cats and available dogs and helps us ensure the best possible match with adoptive families
Meet Zani’s Furry Friends
You might have noticed pictures appearing in the left navigation of our site. They are all the beloved pets of our team members who have inspired the people who head and contribute to our rescue!
Meet them all!
Zani was the heart and soul dog of the founder of this group, a wonderful parti-colored Cocker Spaniel who crossed the Rainbow Bridge after a struggle with bone cancer. The creation and work of this group was our founder’s way of honoring this incredible dog who touched her life so deeply. Zani’s spirit is with us in every rescue we do and every animal we help. This is Zani’s rose bush planted 2000 in her honor, lost to Hurricane Sandy.
Zari, look alike to Zani who was the original Cocker Spaniel of the Founder of ZFF and who directed us to become a dedicated rescue organization!
ZFF Director of Operations, Thumper is a Polydactyl (26 toes!) Norwegian Forest Cat with blue eyes who hears purrfectly well when he wants to
Bella, step sister to Zari and perhaps the sweetest Cocker Spaniel ever, never ever thinking of doing anything wrong
Mint who was adopted out then abandoned in an apartment when the renters moved out–we rescued him from the kill shelter for the 2nd time. No longer with us, RIP Mint!
Ursula, our Boarding Dog Director, helps us keep our ZFF doggies in line
Kelly fka Angelina Ballerina–her stage name because of her jumping abilities!
Alpha female cat, keeper of the peace, benevolent dictator–no one dares anything because she jumps in the middle and stares them all down
Ecco, the Papillon/Phalene, helps us decide which ZFF dogs are good with little dogs
Tiger Lily, first official ZFF Founder’s cat and past Director of ZFF Kitty Fostering Program, known for mothering the little ones and singing arias `a la Maria Callas. RIP June 11, 2018
Robby was one of ZFF’s first rescue dogs, a Swedish Vallhund mix
Zena, original ZFF Alpha cat, did not like cats, dogs, people until we had her cysts removed at time of spay at 8y old, then a pussy cat until she passed at 19 on 9/11/2015
Sunshine, another one of ZFF’s first rescues, Husky/Shepherd mix
Clover, tiny 4lb, fabulous mommy cat to tiny 5lb Squeak, a small Bombay boy with a back leg which wouldn’t fully extend, so named because he squeaked instead of mewed
Shakespeare is ZFF’s Creative Director at Large, on his 15th birthday and still going strong even if a little wobbly at times!
George ended up being a tripod but that never stopped him from being wonderful!