Date
May 22, 2002
Contact
Jennifer Brown,
(435) 865-1045
Elliot Katz, DVM
(415) 388-9641 x25
In Defense of Animals
131 Camino Alto
Mill Valley
CA 94941
IDA is an international, California-based animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by defending their rights, welfare and habitats.
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Mill Valley, CA
In Defense of Animals (IDA), a national animal protection organization, is pleased to announce that acclaimed cartoonist Cathy Guisewite has pledged her support for the Guardian Campaign. The goal of IDA’s Guardian Campaign is to promote a higher level of responsibility and respect toward animals, by replacing the concept of ownership with that of guardianship in animal-related laws across the nation. To show her support of guardianship, Ms. Guisewite has drawn an endearing image of Cathy, sitting with her dog, on the sofa proclaiming “ ‘Owner,’ Never; ‘Guardian,’ Forever.” This delightful illustration can be viewed at www.idausa.org/cathy and is attached to this release.
Cathy Guisewite created the comic strip, “Cathy,” in 1976. The strip chronicles the trials, tribulations and inherent humor in the life of America's favorite single career woman. “Cathy” appears in more than 1,400 newspapers worldwide and has won numerous awards, including a Genesis Award. The Genesis Award is presented by The Ark Trust, Inc. to honor outstanding individuals in the major media and artistic community who have communicated animal-rights and animal-welfare issues with courage, artistry and integrity.
IDA Humane Educator Jennifer Brown states, “Cartoonists have the gift of touching our hearts and our funny bones at the same time. In Cathy Guisewite's 'Guardian Forever' cartoon, she used her talent to sweetly remind us all that we can pledge to be responsible caretakers and protectors of animals. Her support of the Guardian Campaign will lead thousands of children and adults to consider the notion of being ‘guardians’, not ‘owners,’ of their companion animals. We admire Cathy for setting this excellent example – that we can all spread the word of Guardianship in our own creative ways.”
To date, six cities have recognized the concept of animal guardianship by changing ordinances so that their citizens are either legally recognized as “guardians” instead of “owners” or have the choice to refer to themselves as “guardians” or “owners.” Boulder, CO; West Hollywood and Berkeley, CA; Sherwood, AR; Menomonee Falls, WI; Amherst, MA; and the State of Rhode Island have all succeeded in passing this important legislation.
Ms. Guisewite, a member of the National Cartoonists Society, NOW, and Hollywood Women's Political Committee, congratulates IDA and states, “Thanks for the wonderful work you are doing. What a great example of what a difference a word can make.”
