San Rafael, Calif. (May 25, 2021) — As part of its Guardians campaign and recognition of Guardian Month this May, In Defense of Animals is proud to have presented Tom Cibrowski, President and General Manager of ABC7, and veteran journalist Dan Noyes with the prestigious Guardian Award for their excellent coverage of issues affecting animals. 

As chief investigative reporter for the ABC7 News I-Team, the longest-running investigative unit in the San Francisco Bay Area, Noyes has tackled topics ranging from the battle to save Tule elk in Point Reyes National Seashore and the killing of community cats in Oakland to greyhound racing, dogfighting, navy sonar killing whales and conditions in zoos to factory farming and live animal markets, among many other issues.

"I am honored to receive the Guardian Award, and I have respected the passion and commitment of In Defense of Animals and its volunteers over the years. Pushing for better treatment of captive and wild animals has been an important part of my career, and our viewers care deeply about these issues. I appreciate ABC7's strong commitment to telling stories that can bring about change," said Noyes. 

Previous recipients of the Guardian Award include legendary civil rights champion Cesar Chavez.

In Defense of Animals’ Guardians campaign aims to change the way we speak and write about animals to restructure the social and legal relationships that exist between us and them. This campaign is the legacy of In Defense of Animals’ founder Dr. Elliot Katz, who passed away on March 24. 

This spring, In Defense of Animals and Animals & Media partnered to call for an update to the Associated Press Stylebook’s recommendation on the use of personal pronouns for nonhuman animals to reflect the fact that they are sentient beings. They were joined by more than 80 respected leaders in animal advocacy and conservation, including Dr. Jane Goodall, who signed on to an open letter calling for this change. 

“We’re so grateful to journalists like Dan Noyes and the ABC7 News team who expose the truth about what happens to animals behind closed doors, and raise public awareness about so many exploitative industries and atrocities they suffer,” said Fleur Dawes, Communications Director for In Defense of Animals. “We hope to see more journalists yet take on Guardian principles by reporting these issues in an even-handed and accurate way, and ensuring that animals’ interests are represented in stories about them.” 

San Francisco, San Jose, Richmond, Berkeley, Marin County, and Albany are all designated Guardian locations that legally acknowledge animals as more than mere property.

Members of the public are invited to take action and support animals here: https://www.idausa.org/campaign/guardian/latest-news/ap-stylebook-animals

Images: http://bit.ly/GuardianAward21

Contact: Fleur Dawes, media@idausa.org, 415-879-6879

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization based in Marin, California, with over 250,000 supporters and a 38-year history of fighting for animals, people, and the environment through education and campaigns as well as hands-on rescue facilities in India, South Korea, and rural Mississippi. www.idausa.org/guardian

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