The news of one tragic animal welfare case sent New York philanthropist and HSUS contributor Frances Hayward into a whirlwind of action. Her subsequent exposure to lobbying for critters inspired her to become more interested in helping The HSUS through legislation and litigation. The dynamo then decided to underwrite an April 2006 reception honoring law firms who work pro bono with The HSUS's Animal Protection Litigation department.
"The impetus behind the event was to thank the lawyers who do so much for animals pro bono. I had no idea about all they were doing," said Hayward. "They're heroes who donate their time and it is so thrilling to me to see them put animal-related litigation on the map as a mainstream area of law. Their efforts represent and generate great progress."
But rewarding such animal advocates with a special pat on the back is just one way the New Yorker is effecting change.
"I think I was somehow meant to lead a life of helping animals," Hayward explained over the telephone after walking her beloved dog Amigo along the beach in The Hamptons.
"Even as a little girl I loved animals and was very protective. One time I remember hearing a kitten cry while it was snowing outside; I made my mother search for it," she said. "And, after that, wherever I would walk I would keep my eye out for stray animals who might be lurking in the shadows, huddling from the cold, looking for human help."
As an adult who blossomed into a philanthropist whose passion for animal protection became actionable, Hawyard stepped headlong into a decade-long tenure as chairman of the Humane Society of Grand Bahama. While directing the organization, Hayward used her publicity expertise to lead spay-neuter campaigns throughout the island nation, where she lived for 30 years.
"It all started with seeing these tragic little creatures everywhere I went. Like so many places in the Caribbean, the Bahamas has so many strays who roam without assistance, love or hope. I kept bringing them home. We once had 16 at a time. However many I picked up is however many I had at the house," she reminisced.
That's when Amigo came into her life. At about nine months of age, the "bag of bones with almost no hair" captivated her. "He was what the Bahamians call a 'potcake,' which is their word for a mutt. When they cook their traditional peas and rice, the burned piece at the bottom of the pot is the potcake later thrown to stray dogs. Well, Amigo's trust took me a long time to earn. We finally had to use a humane trap and mercifully it worked."
As caretaker, Hayward watched Amigo transform from a frightened homeless animal to a dog "who became so bright and extroverted that we began to use him as the poster boy for spay-neuter campaigns, after which he developed into a superstar."
His greatest leading role came as the center of "a massive public relations campaign that made people so much more aware of the tragic plight of feral animals in the Bahamas."
Then, Hayward looked overseas for fertile territory to extend her unique combination of animal advocacy expertise and high-voltage ability to get things done for other species on the planet. Lucky for The HSUS, her path led to us, the nation's largest animal protection organization, of which, she noted, "I have always been a passionate admirer."
The HSUS helped Hayward launch her venture, the Be Kind Foundation. HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle helped with the kickoff at a fashionable soiree in elegant East Hampton in the summer of 2005.
Ironically, Be Kind had just started its sales of "cause collars" for pets when Hurricane Katrina hit. After animal-loving Americans watched the aftermath on television, they went en masse to both The HSUS and Be Kind websites to order the collars. Sales of the CauseCollars(TM) and the donations received by The HSUS via the Internet helped thousands of animals victimized by the Gulf Coast devastation. Now through Be Kind, consumers can purchase all sorts of products, including chic products for pets, while also supporting the work of The HSUS. There's even a CauseCollar with the message "BeKind—Stop Puppy Mills."
Hayward has also been active with The HSUS on banning animal traps in New York state after a terrible case of a pet dog being killed by a trap on Long Island. Zephyr, who'd been rescued from the Bahamas after Hurricane Frances, had come via a "pet-lift"—which, of course, Hayward coordinated—to the animal shelter in East Hampton. Happily, the pooch was adopted into a loving home. But tragedy struck in a case that made local headlines when the once-lucky dog was caught around the head by a Conibear trap and died a horrible death.
When she heard, Hayward jumped into action. Since then she has worked with The HSUS as we attempt to pass a law banning the traps in New York. Part of her efforts included funding and appearing in a public service announcement that also features Wayne Pacelle. Her reception for pro bono attorneys was another effort to help The HSUS pass laws and win court cases to help animals.
"I was so privileged and honored to be part of the litigation event and partner with HSUS. Hearing the cruel things that man does sometimes is so mind-boggling and upsetting. I am proud to be on the vanguard of creating a better world for animals because it sickens me to think of all the unbelievable suffering man inflicts on them."
"When I do something, I do it to make a difference," Frances says. And indeed she has—with Amigo in tow.
Updated March 15, 2007
