Cardinal Rescuer: A Major League Passion for Pets

Safe at Home

Legendary manager Tony LaRussa rescues
hundreds of animals with his shelter, ARF

by Greg Presto

Tony La Russa has always had a knack for helping others find their way home. As a manager with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals, La Russa has won six league pennants and a World Series trophy while guiding thousands of runners across the plate on his way to more than 2,000 career victories.

It was only natural, then, that when a stray cat took the field during a game between the Yankees and A’s in 1990, it was La Russa, then Oakland’s manager, who corralled the feline and took her to a local shelter. Disappointed that the Bay Area had no “no-kill” facilities, La Russa found the wandering kitty a home with a friend and was inspired to open Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), a no-kill shelter in Walnut Creek, CA.

Today, ARF houses numerous animals in a two building, 37,700 square foot facility devoted to training, socialization, and spay/neuter services for pets awaiting new homes. And La Russa’s dedication to the cause of rescue hasn’t waned with the organization’s success. During the winter he attends many events and fundraisers with ARF to make sure it remains a top-notch facility. The manager took time out from his busy preparation at Cardinals’ Spring Training to discuss with Tails his own pets, the history of ARF, as well as the organization’s future.

Tails: Your pets are listed on ARF’s website. Do you really have
ELEVEN cats?
Tony La Russa: Actually, we now have thirteen cats in residence, if you count ARF’s fosters. We also have a bunny and four dogs, and they all get along with each other. There is nothing better than the unconditional love of an animal. They each have their own personalities and quirks, but that is what makes them so special. I wouldn’t have it any other way—and miss them when I am away during the baseball season.

Tails: Have any of your players or fellow coaches/managers adopted animals from ARF?
TL: A few have and I recently spoke with Matt Morris. Once he is
settled in the [St. Louis] area, he will be adding an ARF dog to his
family for the companionship of his other pooch.

Tails: I know that Mark McGwire is on the group’s Board of Directors. Is anyone else in the baseball world involved with ARF’s efforts?
TL: Although there are no other players or baseball people on ARF’s Board, many of them support ARF by appearing at fundraising events or in ARF’s celebrity calendar, and donating autographed memorabilia to silent auctions. Their donation of time is simply amazing and helps elevate the importance of animals in society.

Tails: How many animals does ARF rescue each year?
TL: ARF has rescued, and found new homes for 1,648 abandoned
dogs and cats in the past year.

Tails: Is there a goal in the future to expand that number?
TL: Our goal is to have communities and families embrace spay and neutering of their pets to help end the needless killing of animals in shelters. Pet overpopulation is serious, but results can be achieved if we work together.

Tails: Since moving to the Cardinals from the Athletics in the mid-
90s, have you expanded ARF’s efforts to the St. Louis area?
TL: The people of St. Louis are wonderful supporters of ARF. ARF has had a presence at Cardinals Care since its inception and has also participated in Nestle� Purina’s Incredible Dog Challenge in St. Louis for many years. ARF had its first Celebrities FORE! ARF golf tournament in St. Louis in 2005, and our first Stars to the Rescue in January of this year. Both events were a tremendous success and helped to promote with animal welfare organizations that mirror ARF’s images and is a national leader in our People Connect programs.

Tails: Do you keep an offseason home in St. Louis, or do you reside exclusively near the shelter in Northern California?
TL: I leave St. Louis at the end of baseball season and return to Alamo, CA, to be with my family. I refer to the off-season as the “ARF season,” because any time that I am not with my family you’ll find me at ARF.

Tails: Do you bring any of the skills used to manage a baseball club into animal rescue? That is, are there skills which are essential to both efforts?
TL: Critical to both is strong communication and solid teamwork.

Tails: Do you ever make a surprise appearance at one of ARF’s events, such as a mobile adoption? Do players accompany you?
TL: During the “ARF” season, I usually attend all fundraising events. Occasionally I will drop by a mobile adoption site but I can usually be found at ARF’s Adoption and Education Center. One of our events, Baseball Stars to the Rescue, is attended by several players past and present, who donate their time to sign autographs for the public to raise money for ARF. Players who have given their support in the past are [St. Louis pitcher] Mark Mulder, [St. Louis first baseman] Albert Pujols, [Florida Marlins pitcher] Dontrelle Willis, [former St. Louis Cardinal] Willie McGee, and [Hall of Fame second baseman] Joe Morgan, along with many others.

Tails: We know that you love your dog Res. Is he your oldest dog?
TL: At 13, he is the oldest dog in the family. He’s a black Lab mix and was rescued from a reservation in Arizona (thus, the name Res) during spring training when I was with the A’s. One of the best gifts I have recently received is a bronze statue of Res with a tennis ball in his mouth.

Tails: If you could choose another World Series championship or a world without unwanted, homeless pets, which would you choose?
TL: I would choose both!

JUNE 18