Anne Kelemen, a Holocaust Survivor, Celebrates 100th B’day with Bideawee Foster Pup

“This little dog has given me so much pleasure. He has been the highlight of my birthday,” Anne Kelemen, a Holocaust survivor and longtime animal lover, told Bideawee on her 100th Birthday.

Separated from her parents at just 14 years old, Kelemen left Vienna on the Kindertransport, a two-year rescue effort to save children, largely Jewish, from the Nazi invasion. She was brought to safety in England, where she picked up a job on a local farm and deepened her love for animals.

When Kelemen immigrated to the United States, she was able to establish a new life for herself, but has always carried the trauma of leaving her family behind. Over the years, she’s found comfort in spending time with animals and helping ones in need.

At her current stage of life, Kelemen is unable to have a pet of her own. As her birthday approached, a friend of hers reached out to Bideawee, one of the country’s oldest animal welfare organizations, with the hope of organizing a surprise animal visit for Kelemen.

Bideawee, which specializes in thoughtful adoption protocols and recognizes the impact of animal-human connections, “jumped at the opportunity” to celebrate Kelemen’s special day.

Melissa Treuman, Senior Director of Development and Communications at Bideawee, was one of the representatives that met with Kelemen.

“When I visited Anne’s apartment, I saw signs of that love [for animals] everywhere,” Treuman said. “When you donate to certain animal rescue groups, you get calendars, mailing envelopes and all sorts of different things. And you could see those things all over her apartment. It was very clear that she gives to various charities.”

The “little dog” that joined Kelemen for her birthday is named Bacon Bit, one of Bideawee’s foster dogs.

Asked why Bacon Bit was chosen for this notable visit, Treuman explained that the human-animal relationship requires thoughtful consideration.

“We’ve always tried to stress that, yes, our primary job is to find pets loving homes, but it’s also to spread the word about the human-animal bond and how much joy pets can bring to our lives,” Treuman said. “We thought, she’s 100 years old, so it can’t be a big dog. It has to be a very gentle dog, a dog who’s going to be good with strangers in a new environment. Bacon Bit was amazing. She sat in her lap, just like she had been there her entire life.”

Treuman shared with Straus News that Bacon Bit has a serious heart condition that will likely shorten her lifespan. Bideawee ensures that she will live with someone and feel loved for the rest of her life, and will never have to be in the shelter.

“There can be this sort of idea that a shelter is where you go to rescue an animal, but more often than not, these animals rescue us right back because they provide so much unconditional love, so much comfort.”

This mutually beneficial relationship was brought to life for Kelemen’s birthday. Bacon Bit was able to bring support to Kelemen, who has experienced so much generational hardship. And Kelemen returned that warmth to Bacon Bit, who will be comforted by this type of human connection for the precious time she has left.

“It’s beautiful for the person, it’s beautiful for the animal,” Treuman said.

Bideawee’s visit with Kelemen is also very timely, as last week marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Leslie Granger, President and CEO of Bideawee, acknowledged this in the press release.

“It is a privilege to help bring Anne joy through this special visit with Bacon Bit,” said Granger. “Everyone at Bideawee thanks Anne for her lifetime commitment to animals and wishes her a very happy 100th birthday.”

And for Treuman, witnessing the impact that Kelemen and Bacon Bit had on each other will be a lasting memory.

“It was such a powerful experience, and I’m so glad that I was able to be a part of it. It’s definitely going to go down as one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had the pleasure of participating in.”