Singing is extraordinarily important to me, but the thing
I am most proud of, and that I would like to be defined by,
has been my animal advocacy work. Everything changed for
me in 1990 when Betty came into my life. Betty was a beautiful,
3 year old German Shepherd that my boyfriend at that time, brought
home one day. I never had a pet growing up, and I always
thought that if I ever owned a dog, it would be one of those
cute, cuddly types- not a 90 pound dog that shed! Well,
for 9 years Betty was my constant companion. I took her
everywhere! If Betty was not welcome, we'd move on.
Twenty years ago restaurants, stores and hotels were not very
animal friendly.
I was always on the look-out for animals in trouble.
I'd find myself romancing dogs off the streets and highways
of New York City. In a way, to me, every dog was Betty.
Rescuing animals was becoming a weekly and sometimes daily event
for me.
Rescue Work
Rescue
work is physically, financially and emotionally draining!
The capturing process can be extraordinarily daunting.
You're dealing with dogs that are often scared, cold, dirty
or hungry. I always keep a rescue kit in my car:
a lasso collar/leash, dog treats, a towel and a thick pair of
gloves. Now, living in Florida, I find a lot of injured
wildlife so I keep a small animal carrier in my car...not the
most glamorous life...
Rescue work can be expensive if you do it on a big scale.
Years ago I used to do "pound rescue." Each week I'd
visit the local shelter and take out as many dogs as I could
afford to save. If you can't keep the dog(s) in your home, there
are boarding costs and vet bills to contend with. Newspaper
ads to help place the dogs would cost me about $60 a month but
I did place over 200 dogs this way! Over the past several
years I've become associated with a wonderful local non-kill
shelter called Animal Aid in Boca Raton where I am a volunteer
(www.animal-aid.com.) Now any dogs I rescue can be placed
in a loving home through Animal Aid where there is an established
and steady flow of compassionate potential owners. Tamera Gibson,
the owner and operator of Animal Aid, started doing rescue work
at the tender age of 19. Each week she visits the “kill shelters”
and has to walk down "death-row” to choose the lucky ones
to save. I could only do that for 2 years. She's been
doing it for over 20 years! I don't know how she keeps
going!
The Animal's Crusade
Music by Dave Roppolo Lyrics by Dave Roppolo and Susan
Ashley Dave Roppolo - vocalist
I am so proud to have
written this song along with my songwriting partner Dave
Roppolo. My "mission" in life is to be a "voice"
for those who have no voice! This song was written to promote
legislation to end or curtail euthanasia in animal shelters
by a group called Pet's Trust Miami! The Dog Whisperer,
Cesar Millan, called our plan "a model for the nation"!
On November 6, 2012, the Pets' Trust Miami secured more
than 483,000 votes in support of creating a dedicated funding
source for these preventive programs, however, the Mayor
and the commissioners decided that the people did not know
what they were voting for, and did not implement the will
of the people. They denied the vote. The fight goes on!!
We will never give up!!
Cecil the Lion
That Ain't Truth Talkin'... dedicated
to Cecil the lion Written by Susan Ashley and David
Roppolo.
PETA
In 1990, through my associations in the animal rescue world,
I learned of a fledgling animal rights organization named
PETA. Today PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals) is the largest animal rights organization in the
world. Joining this organization changed my life.
I learned of all the ways animals are exploited and abused,
(i.e. in factory farms, laboratories, circus's zoos, etc.)
It was then that I realized I was complicitous in this abuse
and decided to make my life a "statement of compassion."
I no longer eat or wear anything that "has a face"!
I am so happy that many of my "radical" ideas are
not considered as radical today as they were 20 years ago.
As one of my heroes, Arthur Schopenhauer, the famous German
philosopher once said: "All truth passes through
three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it
is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."
Let's all be a voice for the voiceless!
Another one of my favorite quotes is from Edmund Burke: "The
only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men
to do nothing."
Susan Ashley February
9, 2010
Favorite Organizations
These are just a few of my favorite organizations that work
to eradicate animal suffering. Don't forget to be a "voice"
for the "voiceless" by making a donation when you
can! There are over 1 million charities in this country and
just a little of 1% of the population donates to animal charities...
www.petstrustmiami.com - The Pets’ Trust Miami is a
citizens’ initiative to improve animal welfare, increase
adoptions and decrease overpopulation by providing free
and low cost spay/neuter, and educational programs.
www.pcrm.org - Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine- (amazing animal rights organization!) Working
to end vivisection (the use of animals in research) and
is a great resource for learning about the food/disease
connection.
Susan Ashley ~ Animal Rights
Rescue
work is physically, financially and emotionally draining!
The capturing process can be extraordinarily daunting.
You're dealing with dogs that are often scared, cold, dirty
or hungry. I always keep a rescue kit in my car:
a lasso collar/leash, dog treats, a towel and a thick pair of
gloves. Now, living in Florida, I find a lot of injured
wildlife so I keep a small animal carrier in my car...not the
most glamorous life...