"Animals: That's what I want to devote my life to now," Emmylou Harris told The HSUS. The angel-voiced singer has been wowing audiences for decades, and as one of music's leading vocalists, has earned 12 Grammy Awards. Her latest album, All I Intended To Be, is sure to win more accolades, and Harris will be on tour in the U.S. and abroad into October 2008.
But no matter how busy she is, Harris always has time for animals. "Now I am at a place where I want to focus much more on helping [animals] and ensuring humane treatment," she said. "That's what my passion is about these days: ending their suffering and educating people about animal issues."
The country music superstar first supported The HSUS through a substantial donation for post-Katrina rescue and relief efforts. She was prompted to make the donation after hearing positive comments from a Nashville dog trainer who volunteered after the hurricane at one of The HSUS's temporary Gulf Coast shelters that helped approximately 10,000 animals.
"The trainer was pleased with the rescue operations and recommended The HSUS as a deserving organization for my support because it seemed to have a strong, pervasive management of the situation."
Harris's fans took note of her support for The HSUS, and in 2006, established The Keeta Fund. Named after one of Harris' dogs, The Keeta Fund supports The HSUS' disaster services. Donations to the Fund are used to assist in the rescue, care, and placement of animals displaced by disaster. Originally set up in celebration of Harris's 60th birthday, the Fund continues to accept donations.
"Animals can teach us how to be better human beings."
In an interview with The HSUS, Harris talked about her strong interest in helping other species.
"I forgot my HSUS membership card," she stated jovially when she sat down for the interview. But Harris got down to business when she talked about being moved to take more action, especially during recent years after volunteering with her local animal shelter and local animal control facility. Books like Matthew Scully's Dominion and Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation also motivated her. She said that she found both tomes to read like science fiction, describing harsh worlds that "even God could not have imagined."
All of these experiences, she explained, educated her and left her feeling powerless—but still eager to do more.
"Animals can teach us how to be better human beings," Harris theorized. "They've certainly taught me that."
She offered examples of how pets help sick patients in hospitals, reform prisoners and teens in detention centers, act as service guides to the blind and handicapped, bring smiles to the elderly in nursing homes, and alert people to epileptic seizures and illnesses such as cancer.
"And yet, so often people treat animals like trash. Sometimes even worse than trash."
Animals: A Lifelong Passion
It seems only natural that Harris would be so concerned about animals. Her father, she said, was training to be a veterinarian at the University of Virginia when World War II began. He abandoned his veterinary studies to join the armed forces, get married, and start a family. Harris was raised near Quantico, Virginia, where her father was stationed for more than a decade. Later, she started her music career in Washington, D.C.
She remembered an incident in her neighborhood when she was no more than five years old. Some local boys, she said, swung a kitten by its tail and threw it against a wall. Her parents were outraged. The incident still brings tears to her eyes.
Special childhood pets include Duchess, a cocker/Spitz mix with no tail who—along with two Siamese cats—became part of the family when Harris was four years old. The dog lived to age 17 and died when Harris was in college. Talking about that death even now reveals a deep fondness and passion for this special friend.
In her adult years, one of Harris' closest canine companions was Bonaparte, a poodle mix who traveled with her on tour and lived to age 15. She also inherited another dog, Radar, 13 years ago when her daughter left for college. The Cairn terrier is now both "blind and deaf, but still an incredible friend."
These days, the musician hangs out with her "road dog" Keeta, who was displaced by a hurricane in 2005 but now travels comfortably on tour.
In Her Own Backyard
Harris also operates her own fostering operation, which she calls Bonaparte's Retreat and can be seen at her website: www.emmylou.net. She has turned part of her yard into a small shelter, complete with runs and doghouses for as many as three pooches at a time. Currently, her foster dogs are close to or more than 50 pounds and in need of permanent families all their own. She noted that she always tries to help out those dogs who seem to be the hardest to place—those who are older, have been relinquished more than once, or have been available for adoption for a while.
"I feel sorriest for the ones who've been there longest and languish in cages and runs," the singer said. Once the dogs reach her home, she tries to "socialize them and just give 'em love."
Over the years, Harris has appeared on local Nashville newscasts to show companion animals available for adoption, mentioned them in newspaper articles, and been part of cable access programs in which she focuses on those pets made adoptable via the city's animal control operation.
"I don't do music videos," she laughed. "But I do animal videos!"
Animals and animal lovers can only hope that this friendly, compassionate chanteuse and composer with the fabulous voice will continue her efforts to effect a more humane world. After more than 30 years of musical success, her efforts now are a labor of love that represent the ultimate win-win scenario.
Updated May 23, 2008
