Best-selling author, critic, and social historian Cleveland Amory founded The Fund for Animals in 1967 with a charter to oppose "cruelty to animals - whether wild or domestic - wherever, however, and whenever it occurs." In the 28 years during which he has served as a volunteer full-time president of The Fund, Amory has helped put the term "animal rights" on the political map and has imprinted millions in our society with the notion that human beings should treat animals with both decency and dignity.
Whether it has required ramming a whaling ship on the high seas, rescuing wildlife in peril, or slogging in the halls of Congress to achieve lasting change, The Fund has made good on its motto that "We speak for those who can't."
The Fund for Animals, with a history of protecting animals ranging from elephants to prairie dogs, maintains headquarters in New York City and program operations in Washington, D.C., as well as 10 regional offices and three animal sanctuaries. To achieve its objectives, The Fund works on four fronts: Legislative and Legal Affairs, Animal Rescue and Direct Action, Sanctuaries, and Spay/Neuter Programs.
Because the courts and legislatures represent the most influential and long-lasting source of protection for animals, The Fund for Animals fights diligently in both these important arenas. Here are some achievements:
The Fund has always believed "where there's a will, there's a way." When cynics said that burros, or wild pigs, or feral goats had to be shot on public lands, The Fund has found a way to rescue them from a hapless and hopeless fate - either on the ground or from the air.
Among the animals rescued have been:
In terms of direct action, The Fund has never shied away from danger. The Fund's "ice crew" - led by Paul Watson - painted more than 1,000 live baby seals with harmless red organic dye - rendering their pelts useless to furriers. The Fund's Dexter Cate rescued dolphins from spearing on Iki Island, before he was imprisoned by the Japanese for three months in solitary confinement. And The Fund's Heidi Prescott leads activists afield to protest blood sports conducted in America.
The Fund operates three sanctuaries for animals. Our Black Beauty Ranch outside Dallas is a nationally famous refuge for many hundreds of animals - from chimpanzees to burros to elephants. Here, animals do not get harassed or harmed, but a helping hand and healthy food.
In Ramona, California, at our Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, hundreds of injured animals, from bobcats to birds of prey, are restored to health and released back into the wild each year.
In South Carolina, our Rabbit Sanctuary provides 'Hope for the Hopless," caring for approximately 250 animals at any given time. Rabbits, of course, are subject to virtually every conceivable type of abuse, from laboratory testing, to fur trapping, to sport hunting.
The Fund for Animals' "Have A Heart" program is one of the largest subsidized spay/neuter programs in America's largest city, New York. Additionally, we have embarked on an aggressive national program designed to pass legislation that regulates the breeding of dogs and cats. As part of this campaign, we developed a comprehensive manual for use by local leaders in spearheading legislation for their communities. To date, we have helped enact breeding regulations ordinances in more than a half dozen communities and are working to replicate these successes nationwide.
