A few short decades ago, Americans euthanized 18 million animals a year. Fast forward to today and the number has dropped to less than 4 million. Animal shelters and adoption agencies throughout the years have developed various programs to save lives, such as extended pet adoption hours, large-scale pet adoption events, foster care and volunteer programs, and North Shore Animal League America (NSALA) has paved the way for much of it. Events like tonight's red carpet gala at The Pierre Hotel in New York City – which is being chaired by Beth Stern and her husband, Howard, hosted by Lisa Lampanelli, and features performances by Amy Schumer and musical group Wilson Phillips – seem simply "surreal" to League members.

From innovative ideas like featuring adoptable dogs on bottles of wine with Chateau La Paws to implementing Mutt-i-grees curriculum in schools across the nation, NSALA has been a leader in changing the direction of animal welfare as we know it today.

But the group wasn't always a mammoth of animal rescue.

North Shore Animal League started in 1944 as a small grass roots animal control organization. Less than a decade later, the group branched off from the direction in which other groups were headed and decided to remain no-kill, believing that euthanasia is not the best way to control animal population. Now, NSALA is the "world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization," according to the organization's website.

Currently, there is one brick-and-mortar campus for North Shore in Port Washington, N.Y., but NSALA employs multiple mobile units used for rescue, transport and triage (like during Hurricane Katrina), community events (such as "Tour for Life") and for helping other organizations that don't have the resources NSALA does.

Resources like Beth Stern. Stern is spearheading a 14,000-square-foot expansion for the community stop, so the cats at the adoption agency have an entire second floor for cage-free living. Stern has volunteered with NSALA since 2004, having adopted six of her fur babies – including the famous Yoda – from North Shore as well as fostering more than 200 cats and kittens!

 Saving kitties with eye issues makes me happy. Former Foster Ace. #TBT #lookhowbigmyfeetare

A photo posted by Beth Stern (@bethostern) on Nov 19, 2015 at 6:50am PST

Senior Vice President of Operations of North Shore Animal League America Joanna Yohannan spoke exclusively to Headlines and Global News about the past, present and future of animal activism and what it means to "get your rescue on."

Yohannan started in animal welfare in 1978 with the ASPCA in New York. She always noticed the work that North Shore was doing and the pioneering ideas the organization had. "North Shore Animal League was advertising homeless animals in the paper, which we thought was absurd! But why should that be considered absurd when pet stores are selling their animals in the paper?" Yohannan asked. "Why are homeless animals any less valuable than what people are breeding?"

In 1995, Yohannan made the move to that "absurd" organization and has been with North Shore Animal League for the past two decades. For Yohanna, love of animals is her "passion."

Was moving from animal control to a no-kill organization a "no-brainer" for you?

North Shore Animal League has always been a no-kill organization, and my history, as I said in the past, I was with a municipal shelter when ASPCA was providing animal control, so I think that at the end of the day, we're all trying to achieve the same goal and that is to find responsible, loving homes for all of the homeless animals.

Pit bulls seem to illicit a strong reaction from people, whether they support pit bulls or think they are homicidal time bombs. Is that breed discrimination, or have pit bulls rightfully gotten a bad reputation?

I don't want to label it as "breed discrimination," because anybody's fear of any animal, whether it's a pit bull or German shepherd or whatever it is, is very real to them, and I think that it depends really on how the animal has been raised, how you teach that animal. I mean, there's a million stories out there of how pit bulls have been placed safely and have been loving companions to their families for years without any incident and then there are those horrific stories that you hear when a dog "turns," and without the individual facts, it's difficult to say what led up to that dog bite - for any animal ... just speaking from my own experience from being in the industry for so long, I can tell you that - both at the ASPCA and at North Shore Animal League - we have been able to place pit bulls and a variety of other breeds.

Since NSALA is the "world's largest no-kill," does the organization bear an extra responsibility?

I think that we have a responsibility to exhibit the best care and practices for animal welfare and I believe that we do. For example, we have a very large animal relocation program , meaning we take animals from different parts of the country, we bring them back to our New York location and those animals will go up for adoption. That program started in the '80s, met some resistance in the community, but today - three decades later - we have paved the way for other organizations to follow suit. PetSmart Charities is not an animal organization, but they have something called the Rescue Waggin', which was modelled after (NSALA's) humane relocation program and today it is more acceptable and more prevalent to see more organizations moving animals from areas where they are going to be euthanized to areas where they are going to be adopted. The ASPCA, as a matter of fact, has a program called MAP - Moving Animals Places - so that's a program, again, that has been modelled after what North Shore Animal League has done for decades.

How is North Shore funded?

It's all private funding. There's a big world out there that supports our boots-on-the-ground, hands-on life-saving mission! They breathe "animal lives matter," and they support us to care for the animals.

What animals does North Shore specialize in?

All dogs and cats, puppies and kittens. It's all domestic dogs and cats.

What are the most commonly abandoned animals? Are seniors or special needs animals most often relinquished?

You would think that it would be special needs animals, but not necessarily. There are a number of special needs animals or geriatric animals... Sometimes, it's beyond the control of the people, whether they're moving or it's a life situation has changed and they are forced to relinquish an animal, but we see a combination of a lot of everything. We see a lot of puppies; we see a lot of dogs. We do a lot of mill dog rescue, which is a really sad situation, because I honestly believe that that's something that is avoidable!

There are mill dogs that we rescue, and I don't want to simplify something that is a complex problem, but simply said: If people would simply stop going to a pet store and buying their animals, they would reduce the demand, and the supply would have to naturally reduce also. As long as we keep shopping - I don't want to get too preachy - but as long as we keep shopping at pet stores and creating a demand, there is always going to be somebody to meet that demand.

Preach on! My mom's dog was a mommy in a puppy mill. Maddy used to be so scared of everything, but she has really come around with patience and love.

It's so interesting that you should say that, because some people will say, "Oh, aren't these animals scarred for life? How can they make good pets? Maybe it would be better if they were just euthanized." You would be surprised to know that 95 percent of the animals that we rescue from mills are extremely resilient. Once we care for their external needs - the ear infections, the gum disease, the skin problems - because the truth of the matter is, they're not cared for. They're just there to breed. They don't receive the medical care they should while they are in a mill, so once they get that taken care of, 95 percent of those animals that we see - that we rescue - go on to make terrific pets long term. If you're kind and patient.

There are that small 5 percent that are scarred emotionally, but I always say, "There is a lid for every pot," and "people are kind." They just want to know what they can do to help. And there are certain limitations (mill dogs) may have because they've been under-socialized. Once we work with them and address those limitations and find people who are willing to take the time to work with them, they too can be placed in a loving home.

The love that a rescue dog feels with his or her owner seems stronger somehow...

I agree. It may sound cliché, but oftentimes, the animals connect with the people. (People) may come in thinking they want a puppy or a specific breed, and then they connect and fall in love with one of our rescues and they live happily ever after, so sometimes you think you want a certain breed of dog and then you make that connection and - the human/animal bond is very powerful, and it's just something that is innate in most of us and in many of the animals.

I think when you go to an animal shelter, it's important to remember: Every animal has a story, and not every story is a tale of abuse or neglect. Yes, there is that population of animals that has been abused or has been neglected and they will require some T.L.C., but then there are those animals that come in that are pure breeds. Twenty-five to 30 percent of all animals relinquished to shelters are pure breeds too, so oftentimes we get nice little puppies that they wanted to euthanize because there are so many of them or terrific dogs without behavior problems. There is something there for everybody who is looking to open their home and their heart to an animal.

Talk about North Shore's latest innovation, Mutt-i-grees.

Our mission has always been "rescue, nurture and adopt" and now "educate." Over the last five years, we've added "educate" to our mission, because we know how important it is for the next generation and even for current adults to become educated to the plight of homeless animals, so we've created what we call the "Mutt-i-grees curriculum." We did this in collaboration with Yale University School of the 21st Century. ... You know how people have the A.K.C. and they have papers for their dogs? Well, now when they get their rescue on through a local shelter or rescue group, they can go to our registry and get "papers" for their Mutt-i-gree! There is a family album where they can post their stories with likeminded people, but to get back to the curriculum which is really the centerpiece of the Mutt-i-grees movement - it's from pre-K through high school. It's a curriculum that integrates social and emotional learning and animals. And it is designed to elevate the status of homeless animals in shelters and with rescue groups across the country. So, anyone that has adopted a rescue animal or has prevented relinquishment into a shelter, has a Mutt-i-gree and is eligible to get Mutt-i-grees papers!

Right now, our curriculum is in nearly 4,000 schools and libraries across the country. So young people are really embracing it, but what's interesting is even the teachers and the principals (are too). When it was developed, it was really to educate the next generation of animal lovers and to try to reach the millennials, because now, we even have a certificate course that's going to start running at Queens College in the spring, but what's happened is it's really blossomed and after-school programs are using it, children with autism, it's even helped with bullying in certain situations, so it's really blossomed into something that is going to - we believe - help the plight of homeless animals over the next decade.

This isn't the first breakthrough idea NSALA has had...

The first innovation that North Shore had was high-volume adoption. ... Then, North Shore adopted the "Humane Relocation Program," which is being emulated across the nation and saving lives. After that came worldwide "Pet Adoptathon" and then came "Tour for Life," so those were four major innovations that changed the direction of the humane community as we know it and finally, now, we have Mutt-i-grees, which I think will close the circle and really help put an end to homelessness of animals over the next decade.

Aren't "mutts" the way dogs were meant to be until we started turning breeding into a science project?

Well, you know, when you have a mixed breed animal or an animal that is bred in a very natural way, you have a very diverse gene pool and as a result of that diverse gene pool, you have animals that live longer and who don't have the same issues that you see with the dogs that are bred for size, color, shape and temperament. That's another good reason to adopt from a rescue group or from an animal shelter, because what you get is really unique. The animal might look the same, in some cases - you'll see some different markings and uniqueness to them - but all of their personalities are different. When it comes to breed-specific dogs, oftentimes, their temperament is their temperament. ...

People know that German shepherds, for example, as they age, are going to have a problem with their hips - they have a dysplasia. People know that boxers - or they should know - may have a problem with cancer or lumps on their body, so their life expectancy is not so long. ... At least what I've seen in my 36-year career.

What are the hardest animals to adopt out? I heard older animals and black animals don't get adopted as often.

We are the voice of the animals, and if you can have people see beyond the color - because it is color and it is size - and particularly size, especially for people that live in the city. They might think that just because a dog is 65 pounds, it's going to require expensive exercise. In some cases, it does, but I always tell people the exercise your animal gets isn't going to be running around your house or in your apartment - you're going to need much more than that! It's going to be if you have a high-energy dog, like an Australian shepherd mix, for example, that type of dogs needs to exercise. ... Pit bulls are high-energy. It's important that when you decide to adopt an animal or bring an animal home into your life, that you make sure that you get the type of animal that is going to fit your lifestyle and that you are able to provide the level of exercise, interaction and time that that animal needs so that you both have a good relationship.

We've now reached the point where people are proud of their rescue animals, and it wasn't like that 20 or 30 years ago when people just dropped their unwanted animals at the "pound" and didn't think about it anymore. Today, awareness has been raised, and like I said earlier, we've reached that tipping point, that as country, we want to do what's right and what's right is saving lives.