"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace."
-Albert Schweitzer
COMPASSION AND ACTIVISM FOR ANIMALS
About
MISSION STATEMENT:
Nashville Animal Advocacy is dedicated to promoting animal rights and veganism in Tennessee through education, research, special events, protests and legislation.
ABOUT US:
Nashville Animal Advocacy's mission is to spread awareness about the injustices of animal exploitation in food production, fashion, sport, entertainment, testing and research. Our society has reduced animals to mere commodities, leading to their horrific suffering and a loss of life numbering in the trillions. Our fundamental goal is education for animal justice that each of us have the power and responsibility to reverse and end. We promote an ethical vegan philosophy and the right to live, free from harm, for every sentient animal.
Nashville Animal Advocacy originally began as a Meetup.com group in 2012 by Laura Levy. When Laura moved from Nashville, she passed her responsibilities to Tricia Lebkuecher, who had been co-organizing since 2013. Tricia met her soon-to-be co-organizer, Amy Pruett in 2014 at a Ringling Bros. Circus protest. Amy and Tricia had made the decision to build the Meetup group into a non-profit organization for more effective activism.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we facilitate vegan outreach at many festivals in Middle Tennessee, host volunteer days at animal sanctuaries, advocate for humane legislation and hold protests and rallies against the use of animals in food, fashion, medical training and entertainment.
Our organization's management team is vegan; they work on a volunteer basis--and all are loving care-givers of adopted rescue animals. Our collective hope is that someday the world will be a safe and happy place for everyone, humans and animals alike.
Be sure to join our social Meetup group, Nashvegans.
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BE THE CHANGE
Let's create a compassionate world for everyone. Protect animals from the violence and suffering of animal agriculture, captivity, skin & fur trades, cosmetic testing, experimentation, entertainment, sports and the exploitation of puppy mills. True compassion begins with veganism as a moral baseline that leads to total animal liberation.
Veganism isn't a diet, but rather a justice movement against all forms of animal exploitation - food, fashion, entertainment, research, sport, etc. Justice for non-human sentient animals to live free from human-caused exploitation, abuse and death. Making compassionate choices for animals comes with extra benefits for human health, the environment, the oceans, climate action and our empathy towards others.
Learn more at GO VEGAN
Visit our VEGAN RESOURCES
Get involved with ANIMAL ACTIVISM
COMPASSIONATE HOLIDAYS
The holiday season is an exciting time for many people. The celebrations of peace, kindness and giving can bring out the best of humanity. Unfortunately, animals aren't always given the same moral consideration. The good news, we can choose compassion for everyone.
Holiday celebrations are usually centered around festive foods, like cookies, sweets, treats and candy. Traditional holiday meals - Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule - can also be made vegan, which expands our compassion towards animals.
Holiday lights & celebrations can be elaborate & beautiful to get us into the festive spirit, but some events include petting zoos, horse carriage rides, reindeer as photo props or live animals for nativity. Avoid holiday festivities that use animals. Let event organizers know that animal exploitation isn't festive. Ask your house of worship to use plushies or cardboard cutouts instead of live animals in their nativity scene.
Gift giving simply makes us feel good. Innately, we are a generous species. The joy of giving strengthens family bonds and a sense of community. Violent animal exploitation for leather, fur, wool, cashmere, feathers, angora, silk, down, exotic skins, etc. doesn't make for a holly jolly Christmas. Leave animals off your holiday list.
Animal friendly fashions, food and events are ethical ways to spread the true meaning of peace, kindness and giving.
Visit our VEGAN RESOURCES page
LEAVE THE LEAVES
Fallen leaves are beneficial to wildlife and the ecosystem. As leaves decay, they provide valuable nutrients to boost the soil.
Fallen leaves play an integral role with food sources, thermal cover, and shelter for many animals to overwinter. Please be mindful of their important survival activities. Hang up the rake and LEAVE THE LEAVES.
HAVE A WARM HEART IN THE WINTER COLD
When the mercury dips, the cold can be a killer.
Don't leave cats & dogs outside in the freezing temperatures (especially with snow, rain or wind) for any prolonged amount of time. They can easily be injured or die from frostbite or hypothermia, especially puppies/kittens and senior dogs/cats. They are family and deserve to be treated as such. Read HERE on how to help animals in the cold.
In the rare absolute case they must stay outside, be sure to provide adequate shelter with plenty of straw bedding that they can burrow into protected from the wind - no blankets as they absorb moisture. Provide plenty of food and fresh/thawed water. Get them inside as soon as possible.
Check local laws regarding keeping animals in freezing weather. In Nashville/Davidson County, it is illegal to tether a dog or to keep puppies or nursing/pregnant dogs outside in freezing/inclement conditions.
Opossums and feral cats need protection from the cold, too. Opossums don't have fur on their ears, feet or tails, which makes them more vulnerable to frostbite. Make winter shelters for opossums or feral cats who call your yard home. There are different forms of insulation to use like thermal bubble wrap, foam boards, styrofoam, and then stuff with straw. Don't use blankets as they can absorb moisture, which will make the animal colder. Place the shelters in an area that will attract the cats/opossums and will help block the wind. Covering the shelter with straw is an option for extra insulation.
CAPTIVITY IS A STAIN ON HUMANITY
Captive animals suffer from physical aliments, boredom, stress, aggression and zoochosis, which presents through repetitive behaviors such as pacing, head bobbing, self harm and fighting with cage/tank mates.
Captive animals have lost every semblance of their natural right to freedom
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they are housed in unnatural climates and environments
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they are often fed unnatural diets
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many are stolen from their families in the wild
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they are not afforded natural behaviors and enrichment such as foraging, hunting and choosing a mate
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family structures are disrupted by the trading and selling of animals
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baby animals are often taken from their mothers
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surplus animals are killed or sold to roadside zoos and canned hunting ranches
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90% of captive animals are not endangered species
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captive breeding programs do not benefit wild populations
We don't need to exploit captive animals to save wild animals. If every potential zoo patron donated $1 to conservation organizations instead of purchasing an admission pass, they'd give more, collectively, towards conservation efforts than zoos currently offer. Help end captivity. Read more on our BLOG
Before you light that fuse consider who may be harmed by fireworks. Humans, animals and the environment can be devastated by the loud explosions and toxic debris. In the right conditions, fireworks can even start forest fires.
Animals in zoos and aquariums have to endure the added anxiety on top of the everyday stress that captivity causes when these institutions use fireworks during special events to bring in more visitors.
Wildlife can panic and run in fear, abandoning their young to suffer starvation, or running into traffic to meet their tragic fate. Birds become disorientated leading them to fly into homes and buildings causing mass casualties. The toxic debris left in the environment can cause entanglement and poisoning of our waterways and the animals who live there.
Companion animals are affected by the scary noises of fireworks as well. Be sure to keep your animals inside; create a safe hiding place for them to feel comfortable, experiment with a calming shirt, turn on music or the TV to help drown out the scary noises, leash walk and keep fence gates securely latched, make sure they are microchipped and tagged in the event they do escape and run, and in severe cases, ask your vet about prescribing an anxiety medication.
Some of the busiest intakes at shelters and wildlife rehabilitators are in the days and weeks following a celebration using fireworks. Support these organizations by donating, volunteering or fostering to help them continue helping our wild and companion animal friends.
Fireworks are a cause of stress, fear, anxiety and death for so many animals and people. Please celebrate compassionately and responsibly.
