DianeLeigh
07-03-04, 08:36 PM 07-03-04
ANNOUNCEMENT
GROUNDBREAKING BOOK CHRONICLES AMERICA’S HOMELESS ANIMAL TRAGEDY
Portraits of Homeless Animals Put Faces on Incomprehensible Statistics
Fellow Animal Advocates,
We are delighted to announce the availability of a new tool in the battle against pet overpopulation and animal homelessness. As former shelter workers, we are intimately familiar with the struggle to educate the public as to the causes and results of the homeless animal tragedy in this country. Like other shelter workers, we have used every tool at our disposal – literature, campaigns, our own heartfelt words and pleas – and have seen how difficult it still is for the public to absorb the staggering statistics; they are even less able to comprehend that they can affect and change the tragedy.
One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter is a new book inspired by this struggle. Just off the presses, One at a Time brings the homeless animal situation vividly to life, via a true account of seven days in a typical U.S. animal shelter. Using an innovative format of compelling photos and moving vignettes, the book chronicles the stories of 75 animals who passed through a northern California animal shelter during one week which we witnessed and documented.
The book presents the multi-faceted homeless animal problem by gathering the animals’ stories into chapters, each focused on a specific topic. One chapter tells the stories of lost and stray animals; one gives voice to animals surrendered to the shelter by their guardians; and another portrays litters of puppies and kittens who are victims of overpopulation. One chapter honestly depicts the harsh reality of the fate that awaits many animals – euthanasia; another is filled with the joyful stories of “happy endings” – lucky animals adopted into new homes.
The animals in the book act as ambassadors for all homeless animals. Their stories promote shelter adoptions, reinforce the critical importance of spaying and neutering, and champion responsible animal care. Each animal has an important lesson to teach with his story: whether it is the lost dog who was quickly reunited with his family because he was wearing an ID tag, or the cat who was given up by her guardians because they didn’t understand the commitment involved, the stories communicate educational information while capturing the reader’s heart with each animal’s unique and personal tale. This format helps readers to see beyond the incomprehensible statistics and to see homeless animals as individuals who are deserving of society’s compassion, concern, care, and respect.
The book is a project of No Voice Unheard, a non-profit organization which we founded. The production costs of One at a Time were underwritten by donations from compassionate individuals and grants from visionary foundations, including PETsMART Charities. We have no paid staff, and all proceeds from book sales will be used to support outreach and educational programs bringing attention to the homeless animal problem in this country.
After a two-year long period of writing, researching, and fundraising, followed by a year of design, editing, and production, One at a Time is ready for distribution. We currently are kicking off a multi-faceted marketing and public relations campaign designed to reach the public with the important educational information contained in One at a Time.
Another goal of the project is to get the book into the hands of local shelters, rescue, and educational organizations to use as a tool in their own communities. We’re planning collaborative educational book readings with local organizations, to create an opportunity for those organizations to publicize their work, their local issues, and the animals in their care. We’re also offering the book at a discount to non-profits who would like to use it as a fundraiser, give it as a gift to donors, sell it in their merchandise line, or include it in outreach and educational projects – over 100 groups across the country are already using it to educate their communities.
We very much welcome any other ideas you might have on getting this book into the hands of the animal welfare community, the media, and the public – we stand ready, offering this book in any way that will help to bring an end to this nation’s homeless animal tragedy. Please contact us for additional information, or visit www.NoVoiceUnheard.org.
GROUNDBREAKING BOOK CHRONICLES AMERICA’S HOMELESS ANIMAL TRAGEDY
Portraits of Homeless Animals Put Faces on Incomprehensible Statistics
Fellow Animal Advocates,
We are delighted to announce the availability of a new tool in the battle against pet overpopulation and animal homelessness. As former shelter workers, we are intimately familiar with the struggle to educate the public as to the causes and results of the homeless animal tragedy in this country. Like other shelter workers, we have used every tool at our disposal – literature, campaigns, our own heartfelt words and pleas – and have seen how difficult it still is for the public to absorb the staggering statistics; they are even less able to comprehend that they can affect and change the tragedy.
One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter is a new book inspired by this struggle. Just off the presses, One at a Time brings the homeless animal situation vividly to life, via a true account of seven days in a typical U.S. animal shelter. Using an innovative format of compelling photos and moving vignettes, the book chronicles the stories of 75 animals who passed through a northern California animal shelter during one week which we witnessed and documented.
The book presents the multi-faceted homeless animal problem by gathering the animals’ stories into chapters, each focused on a specific topic. One chapter tells the stories of lost and stray animals; one gives voice to animals surrendered to the shelter by their guardians; and another portrays litters of puppies and kittens who are victims of overpopulation. One chapter honestly depicts the harsh reality of the fate that awaits many animals – euthanasia; another is filled with the joyful stories of “happy endings” – lucky animals adopted into new homes.
The animals in the book act as ambassadors for all homeless animals. Their stories promote shelter adoptions, reinforce the critical importance of spaying and neutering, and champion responsible animal care. Each animal has an important lesson to teach with his story: whether it is the lost dog who was quickly reunited with his family because he was wearing an ID tag, or the cat who was given up by her guardians because they didn’t understand the commitment involved, the stories communicate educational information while capturing the reader’s heart with each animal’s unique and personal tale. This format helps readers to see beyond the incomprehensible statistics and to see homeless animals as individuals who are deserving of society’s compassion, concern, care, and respect.
The book is a project of No Voice Unheard, a non-profit organization which we founded. The production costs of One at a Time were underwritten by donations from compassionate individuals and grants from visionary foundations, including PETsMART Charities. We have no paid staff, and all proceeds from book sales will be used to support outreach and educational programs bringing attention to the homeless animal problem in this country.
After a two-year long period of writing, researching, and fundraising, followed by a year of design, editing, and production, One at a Time is ready for distribution. We currently are kicking off a multi-faceted marketing and public relations campaign designed to reach the public with the important educational information contained in One at a Time.
Another goal of the project is to get the book into the hands of local shelters, rescue, and educational organizations to use as a tool in their own communities. We’re planning collaborative educational book readings with local organizations, to create an opportunity for those organizations to publicize their work, their local issues, and the animals in their care. We’re also offering the book at a discount to non-profits who would like to use it as a fundraiser, give it as a gift to donors, sell it in their merchandise line, or include it in outreach and educational projects – over 100 groups across the country are already using it to educate their communities.
We very much welcome any other ideas you might have on getting this book into the hands of the animal welfare community, the media, and the public – we stand ready, offering this book in any way that will help to bring an end to this nation’s homeless animal tragedy. Please contact us for additional information, or visit www.NoVoiceUnheard.org.