Marilyn Pascarelli of City Critters with her rescued dog Bella, who also assists in other rescues (Photo courtesy of Marilyn Pascarelli)

By Sabina Mollot

For over 20 years, Marilyn Pascarelli has been the go-to person in Stuyvesant Town when someone’s cat has gotten out and needs to be brought home or when an animal has been abandoned by its owner or pretty much any other animal-related emergency.

One recent task included rescuing and placing a kitten that had been left locked in a closet in Stuy Town after its owners, a group of squatters, abandoned their apartment prior to a marshal visit. Another time, Pascarelli rescued two baby squirrels whose mother had died, nursing them back to health. Other rescues include dogs, turtles, a rooster and even the occasional bunny.

A couple of years she ago rescued a shih tzu mix, Bella, who would later become her pet, from a breeding ring in the Bronx. Bella had been found in squalid conditions among a group of 18 shih tzus.

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