Beth Stern

Animal advocate, bestselling author, and feline foster mom Beth Ostrosky Stern has been an influential, hands-on member of their volunteer community since 2003.

As their National Spokesperson (2004) she uses her celebrity to communicate their no-kill mission in the media and in person, appearing hundreds of times on television, in print, and online. In addition, she has hosted the Kitten Bowl series on Hallmark Channel since its debut in 2014, as well as Hallmark’s Paw Star Game (2015) and Summer Games (2016). Each of these popular television specials showcases adoptable cats and kittens from Animal League America, inspiring countless adoptions across the country.

Beth has written three books, two featuring Yoda, a Persian cat she adopted from Animal League America, “Yoda, The Story of a Cat and His Kittens” (2014) and “Yoda Gets a Buddy” (2015) both focus on the importance of shelter adoption — especially of adult and special-needs pets — while telling charming stories of resilience and love. Beth also writes a monthly blog featured on their website.

Since becoming a foster parent in 2013, she has personally nurtured and re-homed more than 700 cats and kittens. She works closely with their rescue and adoption staff to review and approve all potential adopters, hand-delivering her “nuggets,” as she calls them, to their new families. Most of her adopters come to her through her Instagram feed, which has nearly 450,000 followers around the world. She uses Instagram and other social media to chronicle her daily life as the socializer, caregiver, and champion of an ever-changing cast of fosters. She also highlights her own resident felines, Walter, Bella, Yoda, and Pebble, all adopted from Animal League America. Her social media have become tools for encouraging shelter adoption and educating the public about everything from spay/neuter (yes!) to declawing (no!).

A Pittsburgh native, Beth grew up with pets who were considered valuable members of the family. She attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she majored in English literature, before moving to New York City to pursue an international modeling career. She and her husband, radio legend Howard Stern, were the loving companions of a Bull Dog, Bianca, who died in 2012. In 2014, during their annual Gala, the couple announced the launch of a fundraising campaign for a state-of-the-art feline facility named Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center (BFF, as we affectionately call it), in honor of their beloved dog. Since then, the Sterns have co-hosted the Gala and spearheaded fundraising for this project, which is now under construction on their campus. In addition, Beth takes part in their Lewyt Humane Awards Luncheon each spring, which supports BFF, and also donates proceeds from her books to the project as well as hosting numerous fundraising events.

Beth’s passion for animals includes turtles, birds, and other wildlife. She trained with The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons to transport injured wildlife and assist with rescue and release. She also works with no-kill pet rescue groups in Florida, where she and her husband have a home, and co-hosts the America Humane Hero Dog Awards on Hallmark Channel.

Beth’s commitment to the humane treatment of animals and shelter adoption is personal. She frequently helps behind the scenes, lending a hand to their rescue team as it takes animals from their Mobile Adoption Units to theirPet Health Centers. And in 2010 she completed the ING New York City Marathon, raising nearly $300,000 to support their mission to Rescue, Nurture, Adopt, and Educate.