Living a life that’s full. Howard and Beth Stern attended the North Shore Animal League America’s Annual Get Your Rescue On celebrity gala in New York City where they spoke to Us Weekly about their work with the organization – and how it helps their relationship.

The shock jock host, 63, told Us that the organization has changed their lives “in every single way.”

“This is what we do. This is our passion. We’ve done over 500 fosters in our home,” he said. “It’s just very fulfilling, it brings you outside of yourself, you’re helping an animal and that bond, it sounds cliché but that bond is really fantastic and it makes me feel so good that we can help.”

Their work with the foundation – whose mission is for a no-kill world where all homeless pets find loving homes – isn’t just for personal fulfillment. “It helps my relationship,” Stern admitted to Us. “Beth is so competent and so masterful with the animals coming through our home that it takes my breath away.”

The animal rights activist, 45, chimed in, “We had to unfortunately put down one of our resident cats a few months ago and it was the most emotional bonding [moment] that I think we’ve ever experienced. Having a pet is [like] having a child.”

“To be more specific we both sat on the floor crying,” Stern said reflecting on the memory. “I was so glad that Beth was there for me and I assume vice versa because it was a tough thing to go through. We get really attached to these guys. We had six resident cats, now we have one less but we’ve got all these fosters going on but each one of them is really special, you come to realize that.”

Howard and Beth, who married in October 2008, have been working with North Shore Animal League for over a decade. In 2013, the couple helped open a 14,000 square foot addition for the adoption headquarters called Bianca’s Furry Friends, named after their beloved bulldog, who they lost in 2012.

Reporting by Nicki Gostin