Today we’d like to introduce you to Yolanda Berkowitz.
Hi Yolanda, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2026, I began to notice growing issues with animal welfare in our community. With my years of advocating for kids in foster care, I believed brought experience and skill set that could help make a difference. It became clear very quickly that our municipal shelter is the cornerstone of animal welfare in our community. That understanding led me to focus my efforts—and those of Friends of Miami Animals Foundation—on supporting the shelter, particularly in the areas of volunteer engagement, fostering, policies and procedures, and population management that impact day to day operations and animal care
Since then, our work has expanded significantly into pet retention: helping families keep their pets despite challenges like limited access to veterinary care, the high cost of medical treatment, housing restrictions, and more. By addressing these root causes of pet surrender, we aim to reduce shelter intake and keep pets where they belong—at home, with the people who love them. We’ve also focused on providing spay and neuter opportunities for owned pets to a address the severe overpopulation we are seeing in Miami Dade County and across the country.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While it has not been a smooth road by any stretch of the imagination, every experience and challenge has been a learning opportunity. Each one has helped me grow, and has allowed Friends of Miami Animals Foundation to adapt, pivot, and address issues we never anticipated.
Some of the most difficult—and most critical—challenges lie in the systemic changes needed within our municipal shelter to truly serve both pets and the people who care for them. Driving that change requires persistent effort, especially when it comes to raising awareness among our community and elected officials. It remains an ongoing challenge, but one we are deeply committed to confronting head-on.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Friends of Miami Animals Foundation, our mission is to save and improve the lives of homeless and at-risk pets through education, advocacy, financial support, and increased awareness. Our work focuses heavily on supporting and strengthening our municipal shelter—because we believe that meaningful change in animal welfare begins there, as well as other organizations on the front line of this work.
We specialize in fostering systemic improvements in shelter operations, volunteer and foster engagement, and supporting better policies, procedures and population management.
In recent years, we’ve expanded our focus to pet retention—helping families overcome barriers like access to veterinary care, affordability, housing discrimination, and more, so they can keep their pets at home and out of the shelter.
What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to collaboration, problem-solving, and advocacy at the policy level and at a practical level. We don’t just react to problems—we work to prevent them through long-term solutions and community-based support, and work with others to learn and adapt.
I’m most proud of our impact in shifting the conversation around pet homelessness from one of reaction to one of prevention, and for being a catalyst for positive, often difficult, change in our municipal shelter system and in our community
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I often wish I had started this work sooner. The mental, physical, and emotional toll it takes is real—and at times, overwhelming. But despite the challenges, I’m deeply grateful to be doing this work. I’m especially thankful for the community that stands with us, supports our efforts, and believes in our vision. Their encouragement makes the hard days easier and the victories even more meaningful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fomapets.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fomapets
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fomapets/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fomapets
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FOMAPets
