"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
Sign up with VEGANUARY
COMPASSION FOR MOTHERS
Mother's day is an opportunity to celebrate and honor all mothers because they make the world go around. Motherhood is sacred - filled with love, nourishment, enrichment, teaching, protection and worry - always worries. Mothers are life bearers. Motherhood is a spiritual affair that we should never interfere with or take for granted with any mother.
Despite the sacredness of motherhood, animal agribusiness is fully dependent on exploiting the female reproductive system of mothers to produce the next generation. Only to destroy the mother/baby bond in order to feed us chronic disease. All to make huge profits, without even a thought of the physical and emotional toll it takes on animals or the environmental destruction it causes.
Read how dairy is a mother's worst nightmare on our BLOG
POOL SAFETY FOR ANIMALS
When opening up your pool for the summer, keep the safety of animals in mind. Building a fence around the pool is important to prevent animals and children from wandering in. Trim any overhanging tree limbs so young wild animals won't fall in and drown. Keep food sources and trash bins away from the water to avoid attracting animals.
Escape ramps for wildlife and companion animals are invaluable, especially for amphibians with permeable skin that can absorb harmful pool chemicals. You can also fashion an escape for climbing animals by attaching a lattice mat or knotted rope to the edge of your pool.
Check your pool regularly for any animals struggling to escape and rescue them. For injured wildlife, contact a local rehabilitator. Find wildlife rehabilitators in Tennessee or use the Animal Help Now app to find one throughout the US. Please consider donating to your local rehab facilities so they can continue helping our native wildlife.
Make the summer fun of swimming pools safe for everyone.
HEAT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR ANIMALS
Never leave an animal in a parked car. The temperature inside will rapidly increase in a few short minutes even with the vehicle parked in the shade or with the windows cracked, leading to heat exhaustion, heatstroke and possible death. Some dogs can be affected more quickly; puppies, older dogs, double coated dogs and brachycephalic dogs. Don't risk their lives. Leave your animals at home if you need to make stops, even for a "quick run-in."
Take hot weather precautions for your dogs - and other animals. Limit outdoor time during the highest temperatures, protect their paws from burning by walking in shady grassy areas, keep indoors with the A/C or fan, keep them hydrated with plenty of cool water.
Take these steps in the event of witnessing an animal suffering from heatstroke or heat exhaustion and promptly seek emergency veterinary treatment.
Tennessee's Good Samaritan law allows for a child or animal to be rescued without civil liability with certain requirements.
See other state laws on animals in hot cars.
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.
