Latest news with #DiLeonardo
New York Post
13-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
No bull! These are the wildest recent exotic-animal rescues in NYC, LI
John Di Leonardo got a shocking call when a Long Island bull that famously escaped slaughter in 2023 was finally found after two months on the lam in Suffolk County. 'We were on the phone with the police. They said, 'We're gonna shoot him,' ' Di Leonardo, Humane Long Island's executive director and anthrozoologist, recently recalled to The Post. 'I yelled, 'No, don't do that! I'll get a sanctuary on the way! I'll be right there!' So thankfully, they listened and just corralled him and did not take that shot they had planned,' he said. 7 John Di Leonardo has dedicated his life to rescuing animals in need. Dennis A. Clark The frantic intervention landed the iconically brash bovine, aptly renamed 'Bully Joel' after another famous Long Islander, a peaceful life in New Jersey. It also was just is one of many wild encounters Di Leonardo has had on the job, where he strives to protect all creatures great and small from Manhattan to Montauk. 'We save about 1,200 animals a year,' Di Leonardo said on the grounds of Humane Long Island's Baiting Hollow facility, where he and his wife, Juliana, care for animals before their new, safe forever home gets finalized. 7 Di Leonardo has helped rescue several bulls and cows on Long Island. Courtesy of John Di Leonardo 'We get animals in every single week. It could be a handful — or it could be 200,' said Di Leonardo, who has safely wrangled many other bulls in his job as well. Di Leonardo's role is treating critters that are either abandoned or rescued from harrowing circumstances across Long Island and parts of New York City, such as a small kangaroo — also called a wallaby — named 'Jackie Legs' who was recovered from the Coney Island boardwalk in 2023. 'We actually got a call about him being exploited in Madison Square Park. There was a guy charging money for pictures,' he said, recalling that a concerned citizen had no luck with police, as they were unfamiliar with legal technicalities. 7 He helped save 'Jackie Legs' the wallaby, too. Courtesy of John Di Leonardo Eventually, Di Leonardo teamed up with the NYPD's animal cruelty unit to create an undercover operation, using the volunteer caller as a spy to tail the marsupial's handler, then 22-year-old Michael Gibbons, who had bought his pet for nearly $4,000. 'She sat on him for a couple of hours while the authorities got themselves together, got down there and confiscated that wallaby,' Di Leonardo said. 'Now he lives in a sanctuary where he's living a much more natural life.' Another time last year, the animal rescuer had the task of handling a South African ostrich, also known as a lesser rhea, found inside a Bellmore, LI, basement with several other exotic animals. 7 Di Leonardo said this South African ostrich found in a Long Island basement. Courtesy of John Di Leonardo 'It was huge at 5 months old — almost as tall as me,' he said. 'She was surrounded by venomous reptiles, and I'm sure she was terrified.' Other cases involve animal abandonment, such as a recent baker's dozen of ducks rescued from a Brookhaven, LI, park. He said Suffolk County has become an unfortunate recent hotspot for abandoned animals, particularly since the Double D Bar Ranch in Manorville was slammed with 112 animal-neglect counts last winter. 'We had over 160 birds from them,' said Di Leonardo, who's been swung at and gotten death threats while doing his job at times. 7 Humane Long Island is currently taking care of a flock of ducks abandoned in Suffolk County. Dennis A. Clark In other instances, he's negotiated the release of animals from slaughterhouses by trading vegan food with the businesses. Di Leonardo also released an extremely rare orange lobster into North Fork waters after it was spotted inside the tank of a ShopRite in Bay Shore on Friday. The grocery chain was happy to oblige. 7 Di Leonardo (left) recently released a rare orange lobster found at a ShopRite into local waters. Courtesy of John Di Leonardo 7 The do-gooder and his wife, Juliana, make strong efforts to have their animal denizens feel relaxed and at ease around people. Dennis A. Clark Di Leonardo, who used to work with people with special needs, said, 'I always wanted to help the group that needed the most in the world. 'Right now, there's no other group on the planet that is being exploited and harmed on such a large scale as animals.' He said one of his favorite aspects of the job, where many rescues will be viewable at Humane Long Island's Aug. 6 gala in Riverhead, is witnessing how animals adapt after just a few days out of harm's way. 'They've never known a human touch to be a good thing. So when they come, they're often terrified,' he said. 'After a couple of days or maybe a couple of weeks, they realize that we're here to love them and care for them. Many of them become very social and will follow us around and crave our attention.'
New York Post
23-04-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NY Petco selling live chicks for $5.99 a pop in new ‘pilot program' amid egg price crisis
Petco has hatched a plan. Budget-conscious Long Islanders are flocking to the pet supply retailer's location in Commack, New York, which has started selling egg-laying female chicks as part of a 'pilot program' for those looking to procure their own eggs amid soaring costs. 'We actually sold through the first two batches,' a worker at the store told The Post, adding that a third shipment of about 25 female chicks sold for $5.99 a pop is expected to come in on Wednesday. Advertisement 'We're down to our last few.' 4 Nationwide pet retail chain Petco has launched a 'pilot program' in five stores to sell egg-laying female chicks year-round — including at one store on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack, New York. Google The pilot program, which started in late March in five U.S. stores, serves as the retailer's first foray into selling chicks year-round beyond select rural locations. The birds of varying breeds are sourced from an Iowa hatchery, the store rep said. Advertisement A corporate representative did not disclose where the other stores are located, but the local worker confirmed Commack is the only participating store on Long Island to do so. However, local animal activists are calling fowl play, claiming that many of the birds are abandoned after being bought and before even laying eggs. 'First with COVID, and now with avian influenza, people are getting these animals because they think it's a cheaper way of getting eggs, but it's actually exactly the opposite,' John Di Leonardo, executive director of Humane Long Island told The Post, adding he's seen an uptick in surrendered and abandoned birds this spring due to interest in at-home egg production. 'Most people end up dumping them before they ever even lay a single egg,' he said. 'People don't really know what they're getting into.' Advertisement 4 John Di Leonardo, executive director of Humane Long Island. NEW YORK STATE HUMANE ASSOCIATION Di Leonardo, who has rescued about a dozen dumped chicks and many more roosters this year, reports the vast majority of the abandoned birds can't survive the elements for more than a day – and many others are provided hospice care when they are rescued 'because they're too far gone.' Properly caring for the birds is expensive, he said. An expert bird vet could run owners up to $1,000 or more for one visit, and the installation and maintenance of a proper coop could add thousands more to a bird lover's budget. 'For one of those cheap [coops] that you get at Tractor Supply for $100, a raccoon is going to break in immediately and kill your whole flock,' Di Leonardo noted. Advertisement Also, by law, people have to buy at least six chicks at a time, increasing the burden, the store confirmed. 4 A store rep at Petco's Commack location said business is booming, and the store is already expecting a third shipment. Houston Chronicle via Getty Images But while the worker claimed the chicks are coming in 'really healthy,' Di Leonardo questioned whether the Commack store has anyone on-site with the veterinary knowledge to make that assessment. 'They pick [the chicks] up at the post office like everyone else,' the activist argued. 'They're mailed without food or water, and many arrive dead.' 4 'Every year, I get calls from postal workers talking about how horrible these animals are created,' Di Leonardo added. 'They're just treated like parcels, and they're crushed and die.' AFP via Getty Images The new 'pilot program' also contradicts a pledge the pet store made last year to PETA in regards to its rabbit sales, vowing it would be 'recommitting to an adoption-only policy,' Di Leonardo said. 'Petco has really had a dismal record for years,' Colin Henstock, PETA's Associate Director of Project Strategy, told The Post. 'Petco sells a lot of small animals … and they all come from large, deplorable breeding mills. Humane Long Island and PETA are now planning a protest outside the Commack store to draw attention to the issue. Advertisement In the meantime, Di Leonardo only expects the number of abandoned birds to increase as a result of the bird flu – and more readily-available birds at local stores. 'Petco is a multi-million dollar company – I don't see how selling some animals … is really going to boost their sales in any significant way,' he said. 'They're going to survive with or without that, so it's particularly atrocious that they're doing it now.' Petco corporate officials did not return requests for comment.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Town supports grieving family after BBQ damages bench
A town has come together to fix a memorial bench that was badly damaged after a portable barbecue was used on top of it. Richard Di Leonardo from Frome discovered the damage to his mother Lesley's memorial bench at Rodden Meadow in the centre of the town on Monday. After Mr Di Leonardo posted about it on Facebook, local carpenter Richard Chisnall offered to fix the bench, free of charge. "At the start of the day, we were very upset, but after all the people came forward with stories of my mum and to help, it was pretty heartwarming," Mr Di Leonardo said. More news stories for Somerset Listen to the latest news for Somerset "We had literally just put flowers on it for our first mothers day without her," Mr Di Leonardo explained. His mother died nine months ago from cancer. He said his family paid £1,000 to set the bench up according to his mother's wish. "The type of person my mother was, she was quite selfless and didn't ask for anything," Mr Di Leonardo said. "The only thing she wanted was a bench at Rodden Meadow, where she would always walk my sister's dog, it's somewhere for us all to go." A local carpenter, Richard Chisnall, came forward and offered to fix the bench for free. "I met Richard's dad on the meadow when he was installing the bench and he told me about his wife," Mr Chisnall said. "I used it many times, when I'm out with the dogs. I saw the damage and I didn't want them to have to look at it. "Frome has given me so much, I've got a good life and this is just my way of giving back." Mr Di Leonardo said it was "amazing" to see Mr Chisnall helping out. "Today, we're a bit calmer about it, it's a positive outcome, to see how many people came forward," he added. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Man creates huge D-Day memorial outside home County cricket club holds memorial for super fan 'Proud' 10-year-old's Covid memorial is unveiled
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cherished Brooklyn bakery closes its doors after 31 years
MARINE PARK, Brooklyn (PIX11) — Inside Michael's Pastry Shop in Marine Park, Brooklyn, staff members carefully smoothed the last layer of frosting on a cake—one of thousands made over the past three decades. This Sunday, the beloved bakery will shut its doors for good, marking the end of an era for loyal customers who have relied on its Italian pastries for birthdays, holidays, and everyday indulgences. More Local News Owner and Chef Salvatore DiLeonardo, one of the shop's three owners, reflected on the closure: 'It's been my whole life. We've been working for almost thirty-two years.' Known for its cannoli, rainbow cookies, and specialty cakes, Michael's has been a Marine Park staple since 1994. However, rising costs and unresolved building issues forced the difficult decision to close. Customers have flooded the shop in its final days, sharing memories and picking up last orders. One longtime patron remarked, 'It's very sad—the end of an era. Hopefully, he'll find his peace somewhere else, hopefully nearby. It's a neighborhood staple.' While the bakery's closure leaves a void, DiLeonardo isn't retiring just yet. 'I'm going to work across the street at the restaurant and then go from there,' he said. As the final hours wind down, a simple sign at the entrance captures the sentiment: 'Thank you for 31 wonderful years.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
