AWARE New Hampshire helps families with pet care

HAVE BEEN BEAUTIFUL. MAYBE TO GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY A WALK WITH YOUR PETS. YOU KNOW, I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW MUCH OUR VIEWERS LOVE THEIR ANIMALS. THE PROOF IS IN THE ENDLESS PHOTOS THAT YOU SEND IN OF YOUR ADORABLE DOGS AND CATS. AND HONESTLY, WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH. BUT FOR TODAY’S CONVERSATION, I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE THAT YOUR FOUR LEGGED FAMILY MEMBER NEEDS LIFE SAVING SURGERY AND YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT. WELL, THAT IS A HEARTBREAKING REALITY FOR SO MANY FAMILIES IN OUR STATE, AND IT’S WHY OUR GUEST TODAY FOUNDED AWARE NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT IS A NONPROFIT PROVIDING LOW AND NO COST PET CARE AND SURGERIES, BRINGING HELP AND HOPE RIGHT WHEN IT’S NEEDED MOST. FROM WMUR NEWS NINE. THIS IS HEART OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND JOINING US THIS MORNING IS THE FOUNDER OF AWARE JOURNEY, JEWEL, AND ONE OF AWARE CERTIFIED VET TECHS, JULIE ROSENBERG. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOW HOLDING THE STARS OF THE SHOW. WE HAVE THREE KITTIES. IN FACT, WE HAVE FIVE KITTIES. TWO MORE IN THEIR TRAVEL BAG. WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES? SO THIS IS LITTLE TRAV, THAT IS PIXIE AND THIS IS LITTLE RUGI. OH MY GOSH, THIS IS SO WONDERFUL. I COULD TALK AND SNUGGLE THE CATS, THE WHOLE KITTIES THE WHOLE TIME. HOWEVER, JOURNEY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AWARE. TELL US ABOUT THE MISSION OF AWARE. SO THE MISSION OF AWARE IS TO KEEP PETS HEALTHY AND IN LOVING HOMES. AND WE DO THAT IN A FEW WAYS. WE HAVE A FULL SURGICAL SUITE AND HOOKSETT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND WE’RE ABLE TO OFFER LOW COST SPAY NEUTER MONTHLY VACCINATIONS, AND ALSO A FREE PET FOOD PANTRY. NOW YOU STARTED YOU FOUNDED THIS NONPROFIT. WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR AND WHY? SO WE’RE LUCKY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TO HAVE A LOT OF GREAT SHELTERS AND RESCUES. BUT THERE AREN’T MANY GROUPS FOCUSED ON KEEPING PETS IN LOVING HOMES. SO WE SEE SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE SURRENDERING A PET OR GIVING THEM AWAY BECAUSE THEY CAN’T AFFORD BASIC VETERINARY CARE. SO WE’RE ABLE TO OFFER AT OUR CLINIC LOW COST VACCINATIONS, THE SPAY NEUTER AND BE THAT BRIDGE FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF KEEP THEIR PET IN THERE AND THEY LOVE THEM. THE FAMILIES ABSOLUTELY ADORE THE PETS, BUT THEY FALL ON HARD TIMES AND VET CARE IS SO EXPENSIVE. SO WE’RE ABLE TO DO THAT BRIDGE WHERE THEY’RE ABLE TO KIND OF KEEP THE PETS AND KEEP THE FAMILY HAPPY. SO YOU FOUNDED AWARE IN 2023 AT THAT TIME, WERE YOU SEEING THAT PEOPLE JUST DIDN’T HAVE ANYWHERE TO TURN? I MEAN, A SURGERY CAN COST WELL INTO THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THEIR PETS, AND THEY WERE BEING SURRENDERED AT SHELTERS, RIGHT? CORRECT. AND I THINK PEOPLE’S OPTIONS WERE SURRENDERING, JUST NOT DOING THE SPAY NEUTER. AND OF COURSE, THAT LEADS TO A LOT OF HEALTH ISSUES AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. SO THERE’S A HUGE NEED FOR LOW COST SPAY NEUTER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR SURE. YES, JULIE, THESE KITTIES THAT WE HAVE, FIRST OF ALL, YOU’RE THE FOSTER MOM OF THESE BEAUTIFUL KITTIES. YES. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN THAT CAPACITY. BUT YOU’RE ALSO ONE OF THE VET TECHS, AND THESE KITTIES ARE PART OF THE LAST LITTER PROGRAM. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT THEY ARE. SO IT OFFERS OWNERS THAT YOU KNOW ARE IN THE SITUATION WHERE THEY DO HAVE A PREGNANT PET DOG OR CAT AND THEY CAN’T AFFORD OR DON’T HAVE THE MEANS OF TAKING CARE OF THE BABIES. SO LUCKILY WE CAN TAKE THE MOM AND TAKE CARE OF ALL THE BABIES AND THEN GIVE THE THE MOM BACK TO THE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER SO THAT IT IS TRULY HER LAST LITTER. YEAH, WHICH IS GREAT. AND THEN WE PLACE ALL THE BABIES AND REALLY WONDERFUL HOMES. AND YOU KNOW, IT’S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO FOSTER ALL THESE GUYS. YEAH I’M SURE. AND WE ALSO MAKE SURE WE STAY THE MOM AND DAD FOR FREE TO BACK TO THE OWNER. WONDERFUL. AND WHAT ABOUT THE NUMBERS? YOU OPEN THE SURGICAL SUITE IN 2024, AND YOUR NUMBERS SO FAR ARE SO IMPRESSIVE. YES, WE’VE DONE 1500 LOW COST AND FREE SPAY NEUTERS IN ABOUT 13 OR 14 MONTHS. AND HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR VETS WHO ARE A PART OF. SO WE HAVE AMAZING VETS. WE HAVE ABOUT SIX SURGICAL VETS AND 3 OR 4 OTHER VETS DO VACCINES, AND ABOUT 16 VET TECHS. SO WE’RE LUCKY ON THAT. WE HAVE SO MANY AMAZING VETERINARIANS WHO ARE TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR SCHEDULE TO ACTUALLY COME TO OUR CLINIC AND HELP WITH HELP OWNERS. YEAH. YOU KNOW, AFFORD THESE SERVICES. AND, JULIE, YOU’RE OFTEN THE ONES THERE AT PICK UP WHEN PEOPLE COME AND PICK UP THEIR PICK UP THEIR PETS AFTER SURGERY. AND WHAT IS THAT LIKE FOR YOU? JUST TO SEE TO SEE THOSE OWNERS COME IN AND BE REUNITED WITH THEIR ANIMALS. IT’S GREAT TO SEE HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, I THINK RIGHT NOW ARE STRUGGLING WITH, YOU KNOW, AFFORDING THE PROCEDURES. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE VERY GRATEFUL. YEAH. AND WE HAVE WONDERFUL STAFF DOING THE SURGERIES AND TAKING CARE OF THEM. SO IT’S A REALLY GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM. WHEN YOU FOUNDED AWARE, DID YOU EXPECT TO SEE THIS KIND OF A NEED? I DID I WAS WITH SHELTERS FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS. SO I KIND OF KNEW THAT WAS ALWAYS THE ISSUE IS LOW COST. SPAY NEUTER WAS THE KEY TO ENDING THE PET POPULATION. SO I FEEL LIKE THAT DEFINITELY IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS NEEDED ALL OVER THE US AND NEW HAMPSHIRE AS WELL. SO YEAH. WHY ARE YOU SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS? I’VE ALWAYS LOVED ANIMALS AND I SEE SPAY NEUTER AS DEFINITELY THE THE WAY TO END POP UP PET POPULATION. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEIR PETS BUT JUST CAN’T AFFORD IT. AND IF THEY’RE FIXED, THEY’RE NOT ADDING THE PET POPULATION. THEY’RE NOT HAVING MEDICAL ISSUES. SO IT’S DEFINITELY I FEEL LIKE SPAY NEUTER IS THE BEST WAY TO GO FOR ANIMAL WELFARE. IT’S, YOU KNOW, THE WAY TO KIND OF SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WE HAVE. SURE. AND VERY BRIEFLY, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT SO MUCH ON THIS SHOW, PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING JUST TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE FOR, FOR THEIR FAMILIES. BUT BUT THEN THAT TRICKLES DOWN TO THEIR PETS. SO VERY BRIEFLY, JUST TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER RESOURCES. SO WE ALSO HAVE A FREE PET FOOD PANTRY. PEOPLE ACTUALLY CALL US OR EMAIL LOOKING FOR FREE PET FOOD. WE’RE OFFERING IT TO THEM. CATS AND DOGS. AT THAT TIME. WE ALSO ASK IF THEIR PET IS FIXED. IF NOT, WE ACTUALLY HELP FIX THEM AS WELL. GREAT WONDERFUL JOURNEY AND JULIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR GIVING ME THE MOST WONDERFUL LITTLE SNUGGLE SESSION. IT WAS MUCH, MUCH NEEDED THIS WEEK. THANK YOU SO MUCH! FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EXACTLY HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN THE MI

AWARE New Hampshire provides low-cost or free pet care for families in need

Updated: 4:11 PM EST Jan 12, 2026

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Many families in New Hampshire face the heartbreaking reality of being unable to afford lifesaving care for their pets in need.AWARE New Hampshire is a non-profit providing low- and no-cost pet care and surgeries, bringing help — and hope — right when it’s needed most for families in need.Journey Ewell, the founder of AWARE, and one of AWARE’s certified veterinarian techs, Julie Rosenberg, join to discuss the organization’s goals and initiatives.

MANCHESTER, N.H. —

Many families in New Hampshire face the heartbreaking reality of being unable to afford lifesaving care for their pets in need.

AWARE New Hampshire is a non-profit providing low- and no-cost pet care and surgeries, bringing help — and hope — right when it’s needed most for families in need.

Journey Ewell, the founder of AWARE, and one of AWARE’s certified veterinarian techs, Julie Rosenberg, join to discuss the organization’s goals and initiatives.