Staff Shoutout: Adrianna
PAWS NY is thrilled to showcase another new staff member: Adrianna! She joined PAWS NY last month as our Foster Administrator and will help manage our ever-growing foster and emergency care program.
Growing up in NYC, Adrianna has always been passionate about helping animals and worked at the ASPCA for many years. She is now working towards a master’s degree in veterinary social work, and two years ago, she rescued a petite pit bull named Pringlez.
Learn more about Adrianna and her favorite things to do in the city by reading her Q&A, and let’s welcome her to the team!
What has your career been like leading up to PAWS NY? In addition to this part-time role, what else do you do?
I began working with shelter animals when I was just 15 years old. From there, I worked across different sectors of animal welfare and ended up at the ASPCA for the past eight years. I also trained as a victim advocate and crisis counselor for New York Presbyterian Hospital’s Victim Intervention Program. I am currently entering my second year of graduate school at the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s online program, where I am working towards a master’s degree in veterinary social work.
What about this position and organization attracted you? Why are you excited to be on the team?
I have always been passionate about addressing the systems that prevent people from being unable to care for themselves and their pets. For years I’ve witnessed what people are willing to do to secure the safety of their pets, and I want to help break down the barriers that inhibit them from doing so. PAWS NY does just that! They are such a brilliant organization that makes a powerful impact on NYC’s most vulnerable communities. I love their mission and connect deeply with their core values. I am honored to be a part of this fantastic team, tiny but mighty!
Tell us about your pets, past & present.
My dad is allergic to cats and dogs, so growing up I had rabbits, and they were all lovely companions. We had Baby, a Dutch mix bun that loved to lick toes and eat dandelions, for 11 wonderful years. I even got a tattoo to commemorate her. After moving into a new place to live alone for the first time two years ago, I met the current light of my life, a petite pit bull named Pringlez. She came into the ASPCA as a cruelty case, emaciated and suffering from a traumatic brain injury from unknown trauma. Despite this, she smiled at us with her tail wagging. I instantly fell in love and officially adopted her on May 9, 2021.
Did you grow up in NYC? If not, when did you move here? Where do you live now?
I was born in Florida but came to New York to start preschool, so I consider myself a New Yorker. I grew up in the Bronx, lived in East Harlem for a bit, and now currently live in Brooklyn.
What is your favorite thing (or things) about living in NYC?
One thing I love NYC for is being the fashion hub of the world. It is impossible for me to walk past any thrift store without running inside. Shopping is one of my favorite things to do and I don’t think there’s a better place to do it than here.
What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?
I must be honest when I say that my pit bull, Pringlez, is my entire personality. Any free time I have I am spending it at home, just staring at her in all her glory. Since we live only a block away from Brighton Beach, we also like to go for walks on the beach together and chase the seagulls. I also love to spend time with my partner and friends. You can usually catch us bowling, eating sweet treats, or singing karaoke.