On the 2nd anniversary of his passing, we wanted to joyously remember our founder, Dr. Elliot Katz, and to reflect on his mission of kindness and compassion. His passing leaves a deep loss in the fight against animal experimentation, animal farming, and the many other abusive industries we have dedicated ourselves to opposing.

“The words, choices, and actions we take as animal advocates, animal guardians, and vegans are based on the fact that our fellow sentient beings feel love, joy, pain, and loss and thus deserve to be protected and treated with respect, compassion, consideration, and love. That they are not unfeeling objects, commodities, property or things to be owned, bought and sold, exploited and killed for profit, amusement, food, fashion, experimentation, and sport; discarded or killed when they are no longer wanted or useful.”

-- Elliot M. Katz, DVM, Founder and President emeritus, In Defense of Animals; Director, Animal Guardian Initiative.

Please take this opportunity to honor Dr. Katz in your estate plans today and help us create a living legacy of his work at In Defense of Animals. Your bequest gift will memorialize someone who inspired many thousands of people to make the world a kinder place for our fellow beings.

If you're reading this before March 29, 2023, don't miss our Fireside Chat on Pet Trusts and Estate Planning with Leslie R. Daff, JD, MBA and our Head of Leadership Giving, Nicole Otoupalik. We'll show you how to get peace of mind by ensuring your animal companions are provided for when you're no longer around. Register now.

As a reminder, our partnership with FreeWill allows you to make a will at no personal cost, and the process is self-guided and easy to complete. There is no obligation to leave any charity in your will if you wish not to and it can be changed at any time should your situation change. If you live in California, you can provide a trust for your animals. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and make your estate plan today.

In addition to helping the animals, and of equal importance, bequests help fund the day-to-day running of In Defense of Animals, thus enabling us to continue our work helping as many animals as we can. We would not be able to rescue and rehome the many animals we do or fight for their rights to not be killed or exploited, without the financial support from all those incredibly compassionate people who have remembered us in their wills both in the past and in the future.

Leaving a legacy gift to In Defense of Animals will honor our founder, Dr. Elliot Katz, by showing your long-term commitment to his legacy as a champion of the rights and interests of all animals, and by providing lasting support for the organization he founded. This is a great way to leave a lasting positive impact on animals and to reflect your values and desires as one of our most important donors!