By MichelleRivera1@aol.com
As Animal Rights Activists, we frequently shy away from
mainstream organizations and causes. We do this because we have been
made to feel unwelcome with our radical views and "fringe element"
thinking. Consequently, animal rights activists tend to preach to the
choir, a complaint frequently heard among activists and advocates who
rarely think outside the box, and always tend to ban together, and
always in the name of animal rights.
One day, I was discussing my position as Director of
Education for a local animal rescue organization, with Wayne Pacelle,
the Vice President of Government Affairs for the Humane Society of the
United States. I shared with him that as an animal rights activist, it
is sometimes difficult for me to think in an animal welfare role. His
comment to me was that in order to educate the community, you have to
get out into the community. I have always taken this to mean, the
community that consists of our own "people," that is, animal-rights
orientated thinkers. However, since taking this position I have come to
the conclusion that the best way for us to be a strong and powerful
voice for the animals is to become part of our own communities at home.
As the environmentalists in the 70's used to say, "Think globally, act
locally." This battle cry stands true today, as animal welfare, animal
rights, and animal control people try to come together for the benefit
of the animals. But in working together, sometimes we defeat our own
purpose. I have made some very important strides in my own community
where the rights of animals are concerned. I would like to share a few
of the ways that I have been able to do this, in the hopes that you will
adopt some of these ideas and make them your own.
Domestic Violence Awareness: I have joined the Domestic
Violence Council of Palm Beach County, and have been attending monthly
meetings. I also joined a sub-committee, the Children and Family
Services sub committee. (Other sub committees of the Domestic Violence
Council include the Newsletter, Membership, Judicial Review, Fatality
Review, and the like). The committee for victims and family services
seemed the best place for me, because I was trying to get the point
across that animals are part of the family. We hear that said quite
often, but do we really think about what that means; "animals are part
of the family". You will often hear somebody say, "I love my dog, he's
part of the family," but what does that really mean?
What does it mean, for instance, when the family has to
evacuate because of flooding or a hurricane, and the animal is left
behind? What does it mean when there is a divorce in the family, and the
children are given over to one parent or the other, but the animal is
sent to a shelter? My presence at these Domestic Violence Council
Meetings assures that the animals will always be part of the
consciousness of the group when they are coming up with new literature,
posters, campaigns to raise awareness about domestic violence and
legislative issues. More and more local humane societies have found that
there is a great need in the community to take the animals of domestic
violence victims so that they can go into a shelter themselves. But if
those domestic violence victims do not know that this remedy exists,
they won't make that all-important first phone call to the hotline. This
is where membership in committees to raise awareness becomes very
important. If they start putting comments such as "is your dog being
beaten?" along with "are you being beaten," it helps us to raise
awareness of the importance of animals as part of the family. This does
take time and effort on your part, you do have to attend these meetings,
build alliances, foster relationships, and cultivate friendships within
these councils, but the benefit to the animals is well worth it. You
can't just make an irate phone call, out of the blue, to a domestic
violence organization and demand to know why they are not taking care of
animals as part of their mission statement. It just doesn't work that
way. However, if you are part of the committee, part of the group, part
of the solution, your credibility is raised and they will listen to you
more. They will also be more inclined to put you in touch with all the
right people, (judges, politicians, and media people). Indeed, going
mainstream has never been more rewarding then when done for the right
reasons.
Another alliance I have formed is with our local fire
department. Most departments have a community education specialist. I
learned that our community education specialist has specially-made dog
and cat mannequins on which to teach CPR, first-aid and the Heimlich
maneuver. I have since been working to get this educator into the
schools, civic groups, humane organizations and "pet" clubs so that she
can teach CPR and first aid. When the fire department begins to take
animal emergencies so seriously that they teach an animal CPR class
along with their regular CPR classes, the rights of animals to be
treated in emergencies is almost a given. Again, here was a mainstream
solution to an animal-rights issue.
Another organization that I have joined is a support
group for those who work with dying patients and their families. The
Association of Death Education Counselors (ADEC) is a national
organization with local chapters. As an animal-assisted therapist, I
joined this group thinking that I could learn more about the dying
process in humans. Instead, I have been able to bring much more than
that to the table. My presence in the monthly meetings and my service on
the board of our local chapter insures that the grief and bereavement
over a companion animal, and the compassion fatigue experienced by
shelter workers who perform euthanasia is a legitimate and important
consideration for those who work in the field of death and dying.
I recently learned that there was a disaster drill being
planned for our area. Fire departments, police agencies, the FBI and
medical personnel were all present at a meeting where a mock disaster
was being planned. Mine was the lone voice that raised any consideration
for any animals that may be present during such a disaster, and what the
ramifications and plans were in the case of animals being hurt as well
as humans. It was a golden moment when the planners said, "We never
thought of that, but we should!"
So thinking outside the box is more than just a good way
for corporations to exist. It's a way for us to bring our message
mainstream and help the animals in our community, our state and our
world.
Go on to Christmas
Puppies For Sale
Return to 9 December 2001 Issue
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