Photo by Long Photography

Gretchen Wyler on stage at the 20th Anniversary Genesis Awards.

By Jennifer Martin

March 18, 2006 marked a bittersweet night for Gretchen Wyler, who has since retired as HSUS Vice President in charge of the Hollywood Office. It was the last time she would preside over the Genesis Awards, an event she founded in 1986 and nurtured into a spectacular affair that turns out the powerful and elite from Hollywood and Washington alike. But even though Wyler feels a certain sense of loss, she doesn't have any regrets. "I'm now 74 years old, and I think it's about time to sleep late, see movies, and read TV Guide," she said with a laugh just before the ceremony. "It's an entirely new journey."

This new path in her life has been well earned. Wyler, a highly talented actress and dancer who has won many accolades for her career in the theater and on the screen, has devoted her life to animal welfare for 40 years. Over the decades, she has inspired countless celebrities and activists to work for animal rights. From animals used for their fur to animals used as food to animals who walk beside us as companions, Wyler has made it her special mission to protect them all.

"The woman's tireless," said actress Kelly Bishop of TV's Gilmore Girls. "Anyone who helps any downtrodden group, whether it's animals, children, or the elderly, knows it's heartbreaking to see the misuse and abuse day after day. She has certainly paid her dues."

Photo by Long Photography

Gretchen Wyler with Alicia Silverstone at the 19th Annual Genesis Awards.

Echoed TV and movie personality Ben Stein, "She is a saint. She deserves to be in Heaven with the best animals keeping her company throughout all eternity."

Wyler's passion for animal welfare started in 1966, when she discovered dogs living in inhumane conditions at her local dog pound in rural New York. In 1968, she opened an animal shelter in Warwick, NY, and since then, she has served on the boards of 13 animal welfare organizations. She was the first woman to sit on the ASPCA board and served as the Vice Chairwoman of The Fund For Animals. She created the Genesis Awards in 1986, deciding "it was more important to change minds than to change laws."

Photo by Long Photography

Gretchen Wyler with co-hosts Eric Roberts and Gena Lee Nolin at the 17th Annual Genesis Awards.

Since then, Wyler has taken the Genesis Awards from a luncheon in 1986 that drew 140 people to a major event at the Beverly Hilton that attracts 800 guests, including a raft of celebrities. In the past, the awards have drawn celebrities Martin Sheen, Leonard Nimoy, Ellen DeGeneres, Walter Matthau, Sidney Poitier, Jack Lemmon, David Hyde-Pierce, Alicia Silverstone, Isabella Rossellini, Robert Guillaume and Pierce Brosnan, among many others. The Genesis Awards' honorary committee includes Hollywood legends such as Shirley Jones, Ed Asner, Sid Caesar, and Tippi Hedren.

At the 20th Anniversary Genesis Awards, Wyler received a surprise tribute, hosted by James Cromwell, that included a compilation of film clips from her days as an actress and dancer. "Does this woman know how to kick, or what?" joked HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle, who honored Wyler onstage after the segment. On a serious note, he added, "Just about every day, the press and the entertainment industry offer a serious treatment of animal issues. That is a testament to Gretchen's work."

Wyler is proud of the Genesis Awards, the organizers and celebrities involved with them, and the powerful work they've accomplished over the years. "I can really tell you the passion drove me, and my outrage drove me to fight for 40 years," she said. "But I'm not up to the challenge anymore. It's very emotional work, and the human animal is a formidable enemy."

HSUS
Gretchen Wyler with her rescued horse Gypsy.

But even after retirement, Wyler clearly isn't done fighting for animals. "Right now, there's a major interest nationally about the welfare of elephants in zoos. There's Billy at the L.A. Zoo, for example. He hasn't been out of his half-acre [enclosure] for 16 years." Wyler pauses and smiles. "I'm probably going to keep working on that issue."

Jennifer Martin is a freelance writer based in Chicago. Her work has appeared in Family Circle, Pet Age and Paw Luxuries magazines.