Nine Next Steps to Ending America's Homeless Animal Tragedy

As many of you know, 3 - 4 million animals enter shelters every year in our country; only half of them leave alive.  An animal dies in a shelter every nine seconds.

What can you do? The answers are simple, yet profound. Although the homeless animal problem in America is heartbreaking, there is also hope: this problem can be solved and everyone can help. In the actions you take and the decisions you make about companion animals, you will have an impact.

Moreover, solving this problem offers us the chance to become better people and to express the very best of our humanity. We believe this issue can be a stepping stone toward an expanding circle of compassion and action, and toward creating a society that is just and caring to all living beings - beginning with the precious ones "right in our own backyards."

Once you've learned about the issue, these are the next steps that, one at a time, will help bring an end to America's homeless animal tragedy. We offer them to you in gratitude for your concern, and in hope.  As always, please help us spread this info far and wide, by forwarding to your friends, family and acquaintances; please also ask them to sign up for our email list for future updates.

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Nine Next Steps to Ending America's Homeless Animal Tragedy

1) Be Heroic.

Adopt your next animal companion from a shelter or rescue group. You will be saving an animal whose life literally depends on getting a new home.

2) Be Committed.

Know the commitment when you bring an animal into your family, and follow through on it. Your animal companion is utterly dependent on you for his health and well-being. Commit to providing the care he needs, to working through any problems, and to being his guardian for his entire life.

3) Be Smart.

Before you adopt an animal, take the time to learn so you can make a good choice. Different types of animals and breeds have different needs - make sure you know enough to choose an animal who will be compatible with you and your lifestyle.

4) Be Responsible.

There are already more animals than homes available. Spay or neuter your animals so they don't add even more to the staggering animal overpopulation problem.

5) Be Identified.

Millions of animals become lost each year and never make it back home. Make sure your animal is always carrying your contact information, via an ID tag (which is visible and easy for anyone to use) and a microchip (which is permanent).    

6) Be Prepared.

Make plans now for your animals' care should something happen to you. Many animals are in

shelters because their guardians did not make such arrangements.

7) Be a Role Model.

Always demonstrate responsible and loving animal care, so that others will want to do the same.

8) Be a Supporter.

Volunteer, donate, and support your local animal shelter or rescue group, especially their programs that educate the community and prevent animals from becoming homeless and even needing to be in the shelter. These programs save lives.

9) Be a Teacher.

Many good-hearted people simply don't know about the homeless animal tragedy in this country, and would help if only they understood how their actions impacted the situation. Help spread the word; speak up and speak out for homeless animals.

Striking at the Roots of Suffering

The mission of No Voice Unheard, "is to promote an ethic of compassion and respect for all living beings and the planet we share, and encourage a deeper awareness of the effects our actions have on the lives and existence of animals, the environment, and our fellow human beings."  We don't simply want to rescue individual animals, although that is a crucial part of it, we want to strike at the root of the suffering. To effect change before an animal finds himself in need of rescue because of the actions of a human being. 

All of us at NVU have been and are involved in direct action rescues as individuals, but as an organization we desire to create lasting change and prevent suffering by publishing books that have the power to create social change. We seek to educate the general public and give activists tools to use. 

In the past month we have watched as Borders stopped paying its vendors, Barnes & Noble fired their small press buyer and almost 50 other staffers, and even our own distributor let most of its sales force go. And we've felt the impact on our latest book, Ninety-Five: Meeting America's Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs.  Since its release last year, we've found it harder than ever to get exposure for the book and get it onto bookstore shelves where it can reach readers.  Perhaps our expectations are a bit high, but we are so proud of this book and the people and sanctuaries we worked with to help tell the stories of Justice, Lucas, Willy, Jeremy and Lenny, Olivia and so many other beautiful creatures. 

So here we are, plagued with doubt about the state of the publishing industry and our present and future within it, filled with more questions than answers. Then on Friday Diane and Davida went on "The Signal", an NRP radio program. We simply talked about the books, the animals we met working on it, and why they inspired us so. 

The day the interview aired we received the following email :

I have been a vegetarian since the age of 18 (now 45) when I learned of how beef, pork, etc. were processed. I was disgusted! I still, was always concerned about eggs and milk and although I never researched it I lowered my consumption and go on and off eating both. After hearing today's program and how chickens are kept I decided I'm OFF eggs! The same with the cows and how milk is produced... I'm OFF milk! 

How could I, or anyone not be aware of what is going on?? I understand the world would never be vegan or vegetarian, but there is SO much waste and inhumane treatment. 

My dream, my "if I ever win the lottery" wish would be to start a sanctuary here on the East Coast and to educate people of how we are killing the animals, our planet, and ourselves with all the toxins these animals are eating and injected with. 

I can go on and I'm not telling you anything you don't know. What I do want to tell you is "THANK YOU" for what you do and represent. I too believe ALL animals have emotions and it kills me that we torture and abuse them. 

I'm looking forward to purchasing many copies of "Ninety-Five" for myself and to share with my clients.

 

Despite our fears and doubts, this is why we publish. What we do can and does make a difference. If just one person goes vegan after reading Ninety-Five it means that we helped 95 animals (that year alone). That is striking at the root of suffering. 

We will do the best we can to adapt to the ever-changing publishing industry. We'll also continue to evaluate the best strategies we can use as a publisher to reach, educate, and move people. We know we can make a difference. We know we already have. 

Thank you for your support of our work and for what you do to strike at the roots of suffering. 

For the animals,
Diane, Marilee, Windi, and Davida

P.S. One of the ways you can help is to share our message with your circle of friends and family. The more people who read and use our books as a voice for the animals, the stronger our books become. Again, we thank you for your help and your good work.

1st Annual Baltimore VegFest 2011 at UMBC

The Animal Awareness Project and The UMBC Vegetarians are hosting the 1st Annual Baltimore VegFest at UMBC Campus this spring!

They still have some vendor/non profit spaces available - so if your organization or company would like to table or be a sponsor please contact them at: baltimorevegfest@gmail.com

Date: Sat April 30th
Time: 11:00- 3:00 pm
Location: Erickson Field on UMBC Campus Baltimore, MD

FREE to Public and FREE Parking!

Speakers for VegFest:

• Bruce Friedrich of PETA
• Harold Brown - former beef farmer turned animal activist
• Plus an amazing vegan cooking demo by Alka Chandra of PETA

Exhibitors at Baltimore VegFest:

• Vegan Outreach
• Compassion Over Killing
• The Humane Society of The United States
• Mercy For Animals
• FARM
• The Animal Awareness Project
• The Humane League of Philly
• PETA
• PETA 2
• The Yabba Pot
• Emily's Desserts
• No Voice Unheard
• VegTerps
• Dirty Carrots Vegan Bakery
• Animal Advocates
• Compassion For Animals
• Green Earth Travel
• EarthSave Baltimore
• Students for Environmental Awareness
• The UMBC Vegetarians
• Coconut Bliss Vegan IceCream
• Farm Sanctuary
• Lucky Dog Rescue
• For The Animals Sanctuary
• Brad's Raw Chips
• and many many more TBA!!!!!!!

Website Address: www.vegfestbaltimore.com
Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=168562183180383
Join the Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/alka1963#!/pages/Baltimore-Vegfest-2011/147393468645769

A new year - and a new decade!

Dear Friends,

A new year - and a new decade! - are upon us, and we look forward with hope.  We remain committed to creating a voice for the homeless animals waiting in shelters, their lives at risk; the imprisoned animals in zoos, never knowing how it feels to be free; and in the largest numbers, the billions of farmed animals raised and killed for the plate. Our hearts are with all of these animals, and we strive to end the conditions responsible for their suffering.
 

We believe books are a critical way to reach the "mainstream" public with information about animal-related issues, and even more so, that beautiful, moving books have the power to touch people's minds and hearts and to create change. The feedback we receive confirms it...

"Your beautiful book  Ninety-Five arrived and all work stopped as we marveled tearfully at the pages and pages of animals and their stories. After 10-12 years of vegetarianism (and then 'falling off' for several years) I have just completed 6 weeks of veganism!  As spring came on this year and the sun and flowers began, I found the needed inspiration. I am thrilled about your book."

"A few years ago I bought one copy of One At a Time, and I consider it one of the most important books I've ever read.  Now, I volunteer at a local shelter on Saturday and Sunday mornings...I KNOW I'm making a difference... I've also had the chance to adopt some the older cats with medical needs and give them a 'retirement home'... I just want to say thank you...you made a difference in my life and in the lives of several cats..."

"I was always of the mindset that if a zoo treats it's animals well, then they are OK to be visited. However, after reading an excerpt (from Thought to Exist in the Wild) in this month's Sun Magazine, I now realize that a zoo is all about the control that we as humans have over the animals in the zoo. I cannot support the imprisonment of wild animals any longer."

If you have not yet seen our 2010 wrap-up, we invite you to do so here.  This newsletter contains highlights of our activities during the past year; it also includes ideas for using our books to educate your friends, family and communities. Please join us in spreading the message of compassion and respect for animals in the upcoming year!
 

For the animals,

Diane, Marilee, Windi, and Davida

PS Please join our email list!

No Voice Unheard Newsletter

Please take a moment to see what we've been up to over the last year...

A Special Offer for Shelters and Rescue Organizations from No Voice Unheard

Dear Friend,

No Voice Unheard is pleased to announce that our book, One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter, is now in its fifth printing!

If you’re not familiar with the book, One at a Time brings the homeless animal tragedy vividly to life via a true account of seven days in a typical U.S. animal shelter. With compelling photos and moving vignettes, it chronicles the stories of 75 animals who passed through a northern California shelter during one week. Their gripping stories include excerpts from actual shelter records; the words of shelter workers, volunteers, and visitors; and the final conclusion of each animal's journey through the shelter system.

We are former animal shelter workers who are deeply committed to educating the public about the homeless animal issue.  We formed our non-profit organization, No Voice Unheard, to publish One at a Time after commercial publishers told us the book was too “realistic” to be marketable. Despite their predictions, the book has won awards and received tremendous praise, and we regularly hear from readers who have been moved to adopt from a shelter, and even volunteer, as a result of reading this book.


Hundreds of shelters and rescue groups use One at a Time in their own community outreach and education efforts, by …

• Selling it as a fundraiser or including it in their merchandise line.
• Giving it as a "thank you" gift to donors, volunteers, or staff members.
• Giving copies to local elected officials, policy makers, and community leaders, to help explain the challenges of their work, or as part of campaigns to get ordiances passed
• Using it as an orientation tool for new Board of Directors members or volunteers.
• Giving it to their local newspaper to review, creating an opportunity to talk to the reporter about their work and the animals in their care.
• Using it in humane education presentations and pet parenting classes.
• Reviewing or covering it in an article in their newsletter, using the article as an opportunity to teach about the homeless animal issue.
• Putting a copy in their lobby for the public to look at while waiting.
• Including a copy of the book with adoptions.
• Giving it as a door prize at events, or using it in a silent auction fundraiser.
• Placing copies in local libraries; keeping copies in the shelter library.

One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter would also make a great holiday educational gift for supporters, donors, and volunteers.

We offer a 50% discount off the cover price of to all non-profits, rescues, animal control, and educational organizations, making your cost $8.47 per copy.
Please contact us for shipping rates or more information,
at info@novoiceunheard.org or 831-440-9574.
 

We send you our deepest thanks for the work you do for the animals, and hope that One at a Time can help you in that work.

Marilee Geyer & Diane Leigh, co-authors
 

Show them why you’re veg!

Facing another season of holiday meals with non-veg friends, co-workers, and family?
Show them why you’re veg!

 

Our beautiful book, Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs, is filled with stunning photographs and fascinating stories of rescued farmed animals. It’s very inviting, presenting information about farmed animals in a non-threatening, easy-to-look-at format, and would make a great holiday gift to show people why you’ve chosen to go veg.

We offer a special package for gift-giving:
5 copies of the book at a very discounted price ($60).
Get a copy for your coffee table at home, one as a gift, and one for your office at work.
Click here for more info on our Giving Package.
Or you can order one copy for just $14.95.
If you are a sanctuary or non-profit, contact us about our non-profit discounts.

One of the things we wanted to do with this book is make it useful and accessible to show vegetarians and non-vegetarians the personalities of farmed animals. We also wanted to create a celebration of their lives and document their joys, quirks, sorrows, friendships and more. While the book has moments that are heart-wrenching, there are just as many moments of humor and joy. It is a book that can be shared with children, non-veg relatives, co-workers, and more. We believe this book has the power to change how people view farmed animals -- in fact, we've heard from new vegetarians who said this book was the reason they made the switch.

As a non-profit, our advertising and outreach budget is small. We very much want to get the faces and stories of these incredible animals in front of as many people as possible and rely on our readers to help us take our books out into the world. We’re looking for creative ways to reach out. If you are able to help us advocate for farmed animals, whether is it by forwarding this email, buying a copy of the book for your local library, mentioning it to your Facebook friends, or posting a review at an online retailer, we appreciate any and all help. Instead of waiting for Black Friday or Cyber Monday to do your holiday shopping, consider supporting a non-profit, independent publisher and spread the message of compassion and respect for all animals.

Thanks for supporting us and the animals!
Diane, Marilee, Windi, and Davida
No Voice Unheard

Aubrey and Garnet (United Poultry Concerns)