U.S. Animal Protection Groups Form Coalition

by ANC Staff

A group of animal protection organizations and individuals from around the United States are in the process of forming a new coalition called ‘America Cares’ (an acronym for ‘America’s Coalition of Animal Rescue & Education Services’).

The coalition was founded recently by Randy N. Warner, president of 21st Century Cares (www.21stCenturyCares.org), who also acts as its facilitator.

Its primary goal, according to Warner, is to more effectively reach the mainstream public on animal protection issues. He believes that "huge benefits can be received from the sharing of ideas, suggestions, examples, resources and contacts."

"The coalition hopes to help galvanize the energies, efforts and shared ideals of the massive numbers of people and organizations involved in animal protection," said Warner, "without sacrificing organizational and individual diversity."

He hopes the coalition will help to change the way people view animals, encouraging people to behave in a more responsible and protective way towards them.

‘America Cares’ will initially focus on extending invitations to all parties who may be interested in participating and to garner attention in the mainstream media and through the Internet to help inform the public and government officials of the coalition’s presence and objectives.

The coalition also aims to offer assistance to any group or individual who requests help with an animal-protection-related issue.

"Cooperative efforts will help to better address the tragic irony of our being veritable masters of marketing in this country, with capabilities that frequently affect, shape and change human behavior to an almost miraculous degree," said Warner, "yet consistently fail to ‘market’ fully valuing and protecting the animals."

"Animals not only share this planet with us as separate individuals with their own needs and interests, but are part of a web-of-life interdependency that is indispensable to the continued existence of the human species and the very future of the planet," he said.

The coalition already has an informal group of participants who have agreed to help voluntarily with public relations efforts, research projects and other initiatives to help launch and maintain the coalition, if required.

Participants who have already signed up include Pets 911, the OHIO Humane Education Association, North Carolina C.A.R.E.S, the International Institute for Humane Education, and various other organizations and activists including Hedy Litke, executive director of Animal News Center, who assists Warner with moderating and other functions.

Warner emphasized that the most important requirement for participants in the ‘America Cares’ Coalition is that they agree to communicate candidly but with complete respect, devoid of sarcasm, insults and inflammatory rhetoric. Participants are also required to provide a link to the coalition page from their Web sites.

More information about ‘America Cares’ can be obtained by emailing the coalition at:
21stcares@citilink.net.

The ‘America Cares’ Web site can be found at: www.21stcenturycares.org/coalition.htm.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.