Linda Stuurman is president of Last Hope, Inc. (a.k.a. Last Hope Animal Rescue) based in Wantagh.

Last Hope is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that operates an adoption center for homeless cats and dogs at 3300 Beltagh Ave. in Wantagh.

It was established in 1981 as a foster-based organization with the primary mission of rescuing death-due pound animals.

Linda became the organization’s president in 1991 when it had 5-6 volunteers and an operating budget of less than $5000.  Since 1991, Last Hope has grown to encompass over 350 volunteers from all walks of life, placing over 900 cats and dogs a year into carefully screened homes.

Last Hope also operates mini cat adoption centers at various Petco and PetSmart locations on Long Island. Its current operating budget is approximately $700,000.

Linda’s commitment to Last Hope’s mission extends beyond the organization’s walls.

She has spearheaded initiatives to improve the lives of numerous dogs and cats, including programs that assist pet owners in meeting specific financial criteria with the spaying and neutering of their pets and veterinary care, including vaccines.

Her relentless feral advocacy for Long Island’s feral cats is commendable, as she spends much time seeking funds and applying for grants to be able to assist the public with very low-cost or free spay-neuters for feral cats, commonly referred to as TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return).

Last Hope also offers an educational and outreach program to provide humane education and animal care guidance to K-12 students and periodic pet food drives for local pet food banks for distribution to the public.

Linda’s love for beagles is well-known, and Last Hope has worked closely with many southern animal shelters to rescue dogs (75% beagles) that have been discarded in the south.

In their short lives, many of these dogs have endured more pain and inhumane treatment than is imaginable. However, Linda’s impact extends beyond breed-specific rescue efforts.

She organized Long Island’s first conference in 2008 to discuss the plight of the pit bull on Long Island and in our local shelters at Suffolk County Community College.

The conference was a platform for speakers from ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States, pit bull rescues, and Long Island’s local shelters to share their insights and strategies.

Linda has always considered animal rescue work her vocation. She has a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University. She retired from the New York City Department of Transportation in 2018 but keeps active in the field, working part-time for Hayduk Engineering in Ronkonkoma.