North Shore Horse Rescue Honors LI Game Farm Owners

North Shore Horse Rescue honored Long Island Game Farm Wildlife Park & Children’s Zoo owners Diane and Melinda Novak for their extensive animal activism at the Second Annual Phoenix Awards Gala at Giorgio’s in Baiting Hollow this past weekend. The award is given to “an individual, organization, group or cause demonstrating outstanding work in promoting prevention, health, humane practice and advocacy for all animals,” which the Novak family has thoroughly fulfilled through their business and as volunteers and supporters of North Shore Horse Rescue.

Diane Novak and her daughter and Melinda are respectively the president and vice president of the Long Island Game Farm, which keeps hundreds of animals on their 25-acre property in Manorville. The park receives thousands of guests each year and is frequently visited by school children from all over Long Island.

Mattituck veterinarian Dr. John Andresen, last year’s honoree at the inaugural Phoenix Awards Gala, presented the Novaks with their award. Melinda, who was joined by her daughter Chela Novak, proudly received the award and explained how North Shore Horse Rescue reminds her so much of how her mother and late father, Stanley Novak, started with the same beliefs, including humane practice and advocacy for animals.

The North Shore Horse Rescue is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization that takes in and cares for any unwanted horse, including horses that have been neglected, abused, abandoned or are at risk of going to slaughter. The rescue rehabilitate horses when possible, and put them up for adoption, making sure the animals go to loving and informed homes. The organization also welcomes some permanent residents into their safe environment at Gold Rush Farms.

The North Shore Horse Rescue’s award, given to the Novak family, was named after Phoenix, the first horse the organization rescued in 2003.