Minority Report

Part One: African Americans

May 2004

Glance around at a Super Adoption day or a No More Homeless Pets conference or any large gathering of people devoted to animal welfare. You'll see excited, dedicated people sharing ideas, working together to help animals.

But look more closely, and you'll notice something else about the crowd: it's decidedly white.

The animal protection movement has undergone profound changes in the last two decades. A strong no-kill movement has grown up, with spay/neuter and adoption at its heart. Men are playing a more significant role in the grassroots rescue groups. But as the movement grows, there is still one element that hasn't matured: how the animal welfare fellowship reaches minorities.

Stereotyped perceptions exist on all sides. White people often believe that minority communities simply don't care about animals. And to minority groups, animal welfare is yet another arena where they are denied access.

But the realities are more complex. In this article, we look at issues facing African American communities in relation to the humane movement. And in future issues, we'll look at other minority groups.

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