12 minute read
Advocates for Animals
Local rescue organizations and activists are dedicated to animal welfare
By Kamala Kirk
MODEL, ACTRESS AND FILMMAKER KATIE CLEARY FOUNDED PEACE 4 ANIMALS, AN ANIMAL WELFARE FOUNDATION THAT RESCUES, REHABILITATES AND FINDS HOMES FOR DOMESTIC ANIMALS. PHOTO BY EMILY SCHER
Advocates for Animals
All animals deserve to live a good life and it is our responsibility to help protect other living things, especially those without a voice or the ability to defend themselves against harm.
Many of these local animal activists are right here in our neighborhoods; they are dedicating their time and resources to help make the world a safer and better place for our four-legged friends.
VOICE FOR ANIMALS AND THE PLANET: KATIE CLEARY
In 2012, model, actress and filmmaker Katie Cleary founded Peace 4 Animals, an animal welfare foundation that rescues, rehabilitates and finds homes for domestic animals, as well as provides education and fosters a co-existence with wild and protects endangered species.
4 Animals also focuses on big cat conservation, rhino and elephant rescue in Asia and Africa, in addition to working on a legislative, state and federal level to help to help save wolves.
“My mom loved big cats and we rescued animals when I was growing up,” Cleary said. “There are only a few thousand tigers left in the wild because they get hunted for their parts, so we work to raise awareness to help protect and preserve them.”
Cleary grew up in the entertainment industry and began modeling and acting at a young age, which is also when she started rescuing animals.
“I always knew I’d merge the two,” Cleary said. “My background in the entertainment industry has helped a lot with my animal rescue work.”
In the past, she’s partnered with Eastwood Ranch Foundation when they hosted Cleary’s first charity event. Cleary has also partnered with Angels 4 Animals.
“We all want to use our platforms to bring animal welfare to the forefront and save as many animals as we can,” she said.
Cleary’s activism has made a difference on a state level when her foundation helped pass the anti-puppy mill bill. On a larger scale, she is also reintroducing an anti-deforestation bill to help protect orangutan’s habitat from being destroyed. And their campaign, Lead the Pack for Wolves, is also part of a coalition called Relist Wolves, which is fighting to save wolves and put them back on the endangered species list.
“Wolves are under attack in multiple states including Idaho, Montana and Wyoming,” Cleary said. “It’s heartbreaking that this is happening.”
Cleary also started World Animal News (WAN), a network that publishes daily breaking news about various animal issues. The media outlet covers everything from wild and domestic animals to threatened and endangered species, as well as the plight of farm animals. WAN shares informative and educational articles about critical issues including animal welfare and protection, legislation and factory-farming, among others.
“We recently highlighted that South Korea is looking to ban bear bile farming, which is a big topic,” Cleary said. “We publish two to three articles every day that are breaking news around the world. We also do World News Highlights twice a month. My goal is to get WAN on a major platform and have it be the first-ever mainstream animal environmental news show. I’m sick of human news and I want to hear more about what’s going on with our earth and the animals.”
Cleary’s first documentary, “Give Me Shelter,” was completed in 2015 and sold to Netflix, where it aired for two years. The documentary was the recipient of several awards including Best Doc Short from the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood, as well as an Official Selection from the JamFest Film Fest.
“It’s highly focused on the importance of rescue and going to the shelter to adopt, not shop,” Cleary said. “That’s the first half of the film, then the second half focuses on wildlife issues and trafficking.”
Cleary is hard at work on Peace 4 Animals’ second project, a compelling new feature-length documentary called “Why on Earth,” which uncovers many issues affecting our natural world and the animals that inhabit it. It features Clint Eastwood, MaggieQ and many other animal advocates. Not only the writer, Cleary produced it and made her debut as a director.
“It’s currently making its rounds through the film festival circuit and we’ve already won quite a few awards,” Cleary said. Continued on pg. 58
ALISON EASTWOOD AND HUSBAND STACY POITRAS SHARE A LIFELONG PASSION FOR RESCUING ANIMALS LEADING TO THE CREATION OF EASTWOOD RANCH FOUNDATION. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EASTWOOD RANCH FOUNDATION.
Her dream is to start a rescue rehab and sanctuary for endangered species and injured big cats somewhere in Africa in the future.
“This is such a critical issue right now. I want these animals to be around when I have children, and the way it’s looking right now, that may not be the case, sadly.”
For those who want to help animals and get more involved with animal welfare, Cleary recommends volunteering at a local wildlife rehab or shelter to help clean cages, walk dogs and socialize the animals. Globally, eco-tourism is another way to help by volunteering in Africa or Thailand at a rhino or elephant rescue. Or, you can start here in your own backyard, she said. Foster homes or even sharing on your social platforms about the animals in need of adoption helps.
“I love this work because it’s about trying to raise awareness and being able to save animals from extinction,” Cleary said. “The fact that we may lose elephants and rhinos from the face of this earth is a very serious issue based on our actions as well as our inactions. I love all animals and this is the calling that I was given, I literally live and breathe this.”
Throughout their lives, Alison Eastwood and husband Stacy Poitras have been avid animal lovers and advocates. Their shared lifelong passion for rescuing animals ultimately led to the creation of Eastwood Ranch Foundation, a local organization that rescues animals from high-kill shelters and is dedicated to increasing pet adoptions through fostering, campaigns, events, education, spay/ neuter programs and rescue partnerships.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I remember realizing that animals were at the mercy of human beings … I wanted to help the animals,” Poitras said. “When I was 6 years old, I saw a duck drowning in a lake and I saved it, brought it home and nursed it back to health before returning it to the lake.”
Eastwood added, “I grew up in a nature-filled environment … surrounded by different kinds of wildlife. I’ve always loved animals and wanted to take care of them and preserve nature.”
When the Eastwood Ranch Foundation started, they were a small rescue, but have grown over the years and contributed to a variety of animal causes and issues.
“Years ago, when Alison asked me what I thought about starting an animal rescue I said,’ ‘Hell yeah, I would love to do that,’” Poitras shared. “We’re kindred spirits in that way.
“It worked out for us because since we decided not to have kids, this is a great thing to do to be foster parents, help the community and animals,” Eastwood said. “It was a no-brainer and I couldn’t do it without Stacy. He does just as much work, if not more, than I do. We’ve helped raise money for chimpanzees coming out of medical labs; we’ve done work with wild horse rescue; we try to do whatever we can; and want to be supportive to other great nonprofits.”
In addition to rescuing animals from high-kill shelters in California, Eastwood Ranch Foundation is a transport partner with the ASPCA, and they also work with Start Animal Rescue, which is based in Los Angeles and transports at-risk animals from high-kill shelters in California to rescue partners in the Pacific Northwest.
“We also work with Return to Freedom, which is a wonderful nonprofit wild horse conservation organization,” Eastwood said. “We’ve also worked with Chimp Haven in Louisiana, who I absolutely love because they release chimpanzees from medical labs that have lived horrible lives. We also work with National Tiger Sanctuary, which provides a permanent home for exotic and domestic animals. We’ll continue to do whatever we can to be helpful and we’re happy to work with any good organizations and people.”
Fostering is another important aspect of their work, and Eastwood and Poitras are always fostering adoptable pets in their own home, in addition to having their own two dogs and four cats. They encourage others to foster animals whenever possible to help save more lives.
Eastwood acknowledged it is difficult when the couple gets attached, but “we cry tears of joy more often than sadness, and people who adopt the animals will often send us follow-up [notes]. We got the cutest handwritten letter from some kids who adopted
The Eastwood Ranch Foundation is currently in the process of building a rescue facility and adoption center in Agoura Hills, which will provide community resources and a nurturing environment for rescuing; it is scheduled to open in spring 2023. More information for volunteering (walking dogs, playing with kittens) or offering donations is available on their website.
Other ways people can help animals in general is by spaying and neutering their pets, using their own social media accounts to spread the word about animals in need of adoption, as well as donating to local organizations.
“If you can’t give a monetary donation or aren’t capable of doing volunteer work, you can do other things like gather old towels, sheets and newspapers from neighbors or organize a local drive in your neighborhood to collect pet food and other resources,” Eastwood said. “There are always things you can do that are creative.”
And for those who are looking to adopt a new pet into their home, Eastwood and Poitras also offered some advice.
“I always say it takes three days for a new pet to even feel safe in their new environment, three weeks to start feeling like you can move forward with adoption, and three months for a pet to really feel integrated into the home,” Eastwood said.
Poitras added, “When we adopt a pet out to someone we always tell them to be patient. There’s something about that third day when you’re about to give up and then that dog or cat gets in your lap, looks at you and then you fall in love. It happens a lot.”
Eastwood Ranch Foundation is celebrating their 10th anniversary and Eastwood and Poitras look forward to continuing to save lives and helping more animals.
“Whenever we hear from people who have adopted an animal through us and tell us that they are so thankful … that’s the icing on the cake,” Eastwood said. “The work we do is often difficult and hard, but the love stories are one of the sweetest parts of it all.”
THE AGOURA ANIMAL CARE CENTER HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE 1976 AND PROVIDES CARE FOR ALL TYPES OF HOMELESS ANIMALS THAT ARE IN TRANSITION AND WAITING TO BE ADOPTED INTO LOVING HOMES. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AGORA ANIMAL CARE CENTER.
Poitras added, “Sometimes we’ll adopt an animal out and it will look back at us as it’s going to its new home and is basically saying ‘Thank you’ with its eyes.”
The Agoura Animal Care Center has been operating since 1976 and provides care for all types of homeless animals that are in transition and waiting to be adopted into loving homes. They mostly take in dogs and cats, although there’s been occasional rabbits and even various types of snakes and lizards also available. They also sometimes have livestock animals such as horses, pigs, goats, sheep and chickens.
In addition to caring for homeless animals, they also provide animal control services for the cities of Malibu, Calabasas, Westlake Village, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks and unincorporated parts of LA County, such as Topanga and Chatsworth.
“The Agoura Animal Care Center has a wonderful group of volunteers who come to the care center each day to help provide extra love and attention, and work with some of our special needs animals,” Denise Rosen, animal control manager for the Department of Animal Care and Control, Agoura Animal Care Center, said. “We also have HHA (healthcare for homeless animals), formerly Malibu Pet Companions, which is a volunteer-run nonprofit that pays for extra medical care and surgeries. This helps to make our animals more adoptable.”
They also provide help on the streets. For example, if you’re out driving or walking and come across a loose animal, the best thing is to try to reunite the animal with the owner. However, if the animal appears to be injured or unapproachable, the best thing to do is to call Animal Control to have an officer respond.
Rosen also offered some advice for welcoming a new rescue into a new home.
“It takes time for any animal to adjust to its new surroundings and new people,” Rosen said. “Be patient and set the ground rules from day one and have a routine. The new dog or cat might be scared for the first few days before settling in. It could take up to two months for the new pet to build trust and establish a bond with their new family.”
Rosen added that there are numerous benefits that come with choosing to adopt an animal as opposed to purchasing one from a pet store or online. When purchasing a dog or puppy online, it might be supporting a puppy mill. Adopting not only costs less, but, Rosen said, “By adopting an animal, you are giving a second chance to that animal to find a loving home.” ▪
Department of Animal Care and Control Agoura Animal Care Center: animalcare.lacounty.gov Eastwood Ranch Foundation: eastwoodranch.org Give Me Shelter: give-me-shelter.com Peace 4 Animals: peace4animals.net World Animal News: worldanimalnews.com
