Laura Gay Senk, DVM
Our Founding Veterinarian
Dr. Gay Senk is a pioneering leader in the feline rescue community and a lifelong advocate for the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) movement. A 1978 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, she began her career in equine practice before dedicating herself to addressing the growing crisis of free-roaming cats.
Through decades of collaboration with nonprofit rescue organizations, Dr. Senk helped shape humane cat welfare on Long Island by pioneering low-cost vaccination events, organizing free TNR spay/neuter clinics, educating municipal leaders and the public, and founding an affordable, feline-focused veterinary clinic. She also created the Long Island Cat Project, unifying regional TNR efforts and helping secure free spay/neuter services for feral cats at all Nassau County municipal shelters.
Known as the “Feral Cat Guru” and “Great Facilitator,” Dr. Senk believes lasting change comes through education, collaboration, and shared commitment. Her work has earned more than twenty local and national humane awards, including the University of Georgia Distinguished Alumni Award.
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Reflecting on her life’s work, Dr. Senk shares:
I hold profound appreciation and gratitude for all of you whom I have met, worked with, and
learned from over the years. We share the same heartfelt passion that cannot be deterred.
Today, she continues her mission in partnership with Tender Loving Cats Cares, working to
expand access to affordable veterinary care and spay/neuter services through Tender Loving
Veterinary Clinic.