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D-D Farm
At D-D Farm near Columbia, Missouri, more than 200 rescued pets and wild animals are living safe, happy lives. Run by Dale and Debbie Tolentino, the farm takes in animals of all stripes, from cows and orphaned raccoons to a 500-pound African lioness. And they do it purely for the love of animals. Both Dale and Debbie have regular “day jobs.” This is what they do in their spare time.
With care and skill, they rehabilitate the native wild animals that can be mended, and release them back into the wilderness. If a wild animal can’t be released, the Tolentinos either find a permanent home for it or let it live out its life at the farm. Exotic animals stay at the farm. These animals are usually impossible to place with zoos, and they’re too big or dangerous to keep as pets, so there really isn’t any other option.
It’s illegal for people to own dangerous exotic animals, and in many states it’s also illegal to own a wild animal of any kind (even birds like crows or robins). But many people don’t know this, and they get a animal without knowing how to take care of it once it reaches full size. Every year, people adopt baby raccoons and other animals, thinking that they’re sweet and cute—only to turn the animal loose later on when it gets to be a handful. If you find an injured or orphaned wild animal, call the Humane Society or your local Department of Fish and Wildlife. They can connect you to your local wildlife shelter.
Dale and Debbie got started with rehabilitation 27 years ago. They have permits from the USDA to keep their animals, and they also have a local veterinarian who visits the farm regularly to tend to the animals and give them check-ups.
Without caring people like the Tolentinos, hundreds of native wild animals would die every year from lack of care. And because humans are usually the cause of the animals’ injuries (from cars, cats, and increased development), it just seems right that people would step in to solve the problem. The same goes for exotic animals, creatures that never asked to become pets in the first place. They’re just looking for a safe place to live out their lives, and that’s exactly what they find at D-D Farm. |
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Patrick McDonnell – Artist and Cartoonist
Patrick McDonnell is most famous as the creator and illustrator of MUTTS, a popular comic strip that features dogs and cats. MUTTS runs in papers all across the country. But many people don’t know that Patrick McDonnell is also very serious about helping animals.
Among his numerous awards for artwork and comics, McDonnell has also won the PETA Humanitarian Award in recognition for his work on behalf of animals.
His latest book, Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed., features real-life adoption stories and MUTTS comics that have an animal-shelter theme. In 2007, he wrote a children’s book called Hug Time that tells the story of Jules, a kitten who goes around the world hugging endangered species.
Among his many volunteer projects, McDonnell served on the board of the Humane Society of the United States and for the Fund for Animals. MUTTS characters appear on the animal-friendly license plates of New Jersey, a vanity plate program that funds the state’s pet population work.
Wherever he goes, McDonnell promotes pet adoption and kindness to animals.
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Pasado’s Safe Haven
East of Seattle, Washington lies the affluent suburb of Bellevue. This is the home of Microsoft and a number of other high-tech start-ups, a land where people sip their lattes and drive nice cars. So it isn’t the kind of place that expected to face a moment of shocking brutality and animal cruelty.
Pasado was a 21-year-old donkey that lived at a park called Kelsey Creek Farm. One night, three teen-aged boys snuck into the park and tried to ride Pasado. When he refused to be ridden, they beat him to death with tree branches.
The community reacted with shock and horror to this tragic event. As a result, a number of caring individuals established Pasado’s Safe Haven, a nonprofit refuge and sanctuary for abused animals. Whether it’s a cow, a dog, a cat, a chicken, a pig, or a donkey, Pasado’s will take it in and give it a safe, loving home. Dozens of volunteers care for the animals.
Pasado’s Safe Haven also works hard to improve the laws against animal cruelty. They believe that no animals should suffer, and they’re taking their message to legislators all across the country.
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In Loving Memory of Jean Keene, the Eagle LadyAfter almost 30 years of feeding the eagles on the Homer Spit Jean Keene has passed away Tuesday evening, January 13, 2009. She was 85 and loved by people all over the world. She was a truly remarkable woman - a woman who lived by her convictions, had the courage and faith to follow her dreams and the strength to live a life most only dream of. The facts of her life are pretty amazing but for those of us who knew and loved her we'll always remember her indomitable spirit, a heart the size of Alaska and her compassion for all living creatures. Here's to you Jean - as you soar with the eagles in Heaven. You will be missed. Jean Keene - "the Eagle Lady" - A Life Well LivedOn a remote spit in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, a remarkable woman cares for hundreds of bald eagles. Jean Keene, dubbed the “Eagle Lady,” feeds more than 250 bald eagles every day from her feeding station near Homer. And she’s been doing it since 1977!
Jean is a feisty redhead who started out as a horseback trick rider, appearing at rodeos across the U.S. and Canada in the 1950s. She went on to have careers as a cattle driver, trucker, truck-stop operator, and—finally—Alaska fish processor and eagle feeder. She got her start with the eagles when she asked her fish-processing facility if she could have the throw-away fish parts to feed the eagles. The more she offered, the more the eagles flocked to her.
Today, Jean offers up several hundred pounds of codfish heads and salmon carcasses. Fish that is freezer-burned or otherwise unsellable goes to the eagles. The birds fill the sky as they swoop down to fight over the bounty, calling out their thanks to Jean.
A dedicated animal-lover, Jean feeds more than just eagles. She has bird feeders full of seeds for finches and other songbirds. Jean doesn’t discriminate in her love for animals. Her motto is if you feed one, you’ve got to feed them all.
It can get awfully cold in Alaska, especially during the winter when temperatures can drop to forty below. But for over 25 years, Jean Keene has braved all kinds of weather to feed her beloved animals. Nothing, not intrusive photographers, tourists, or biting winds can make her miss a day of feeding. Today, Jean is the only person in Homer who is allowed to feed eagles, according to a special provision passed by the Homer City Council in 2006. So long as Jean keeps feeding them, the eagles will have a steady source of food on the Kenai Peninsula. |
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Pet People Profiles
