Avanzino in 23 years at the San Francisco SPCA helped to create the “no kill movement,” but in 17 years as founding president of Maddie’s Fund tended to discredit the concept PLEASANTON, California––Maddie’s Fund on September 29, 2026––nine days after Richard Avanzino’s actual death, announced that “Rich Avanzino, affectionately and widely known as the father […]
Guest column by Ed Boks: Finish the job that no-kill started
This ANIMALS 24-7 guest column originally appeared as the September 1, 2026 installment of author Ed Boks’ own blog, Animal Politics with Ed Boks. Boks may be reached at animalpolitics8@gmail.com. Ed Boks’ resumé in animal welfare includes having headed the animal control departments in Maricopa County, Arizona; New York City; Los Angeles; and Yavapai County, […]
Warren Cox: Dean of U.S. humane work
“Everything” about Warren Cox A few weeks ago Warren Cox called, while my wife Beth and I were putting up cat climbing ramps and resting boards in our new back porch “catio,” and asked if we could put together “everything” we had written about him into a little booklet, so that he could show his […]
Are animal advocates “weak & lazy,” or just at different stages of the cause?
“Weak & lazy,” by Steve Hindi; “At different stages” by ANIMALS 24-7 Steve Hindi, founder, Showing Animals Respect & Kindness: The rodeo issue, either Mexican or American style, again brought to public notice by ANIMALS 24-7 in Beating a live horse: who calls rodeo performers to account for doing it?, is just one issue demonstrating […]
In Defense of Animals founder Elliot Katz dies at 86
Animal rights movement pioneer SAN RAFAEL, California–– In Defense of Animals founder Elliot Katz, DVM, “died peacefully on March 24th at the age of 86,” the organization announced via Facebook on April 9, 2021, after word of Katz’s death had percolated through the animal advocacy community for several days. “Dr. Katz was a trailblazer […]
Ed Duvin on Elliot Katz: “I had a unique relationship with Elliot.”
“Had a front-row seat for four decades with this larger-than-life man.” In Defense of Animals founder Elliot Katz passed away on March 24, 2021, at age 86, his former wife told me, survived by their two daughters, a grandchild, and his brother. I had a unique relationship with Elliot. It wasn’t merely that I was […]
Orphans abandoned: Prodigal Pets by Susan K. Houser
A History of Animal Sheltering in America & the Origin of the No Kill Movement 228 pages, 2018. Free download from: https://outthefrontdoor.com/prodigal-pets/ Prodigal Pets, offered as a free download by “Out The Front Door” blogger Susan K. Houser, is the best bargain in books that anyone could hope to discover, if interested in how animal […]
Mark Twain’s Book of Animals
Edited with Introduction, Afterword, & Notes by Shelley Fisher Fishkin University of California Press https://www.ucpress.edu/ 325 pages, hardcover. $27.50. Reviewed by Merritt Clifton Wrote Ed Duvin, whose 1989 Animalines newsletter essay “In The Name of Mercy” prophesying “no kill” animal sheltering is widely considered a classic of humane literature, to ANIMALS 24-7 a few days […]