Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity [CARE] is a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color [BIPOC] led organization inspired to rethink and rebuild Animal Welfare [Animal Protection]. Our goal is to do this in a way that honors and reflects the well-being of all people; making Human and Animal Well-being our primary focus.
While well-intended toward animals, the Animal Welfare [Animal Protection] Field often falls short of its mission because its philosophy and practices often don’t include Human and Animal Well-being. That includes the field’s failure to be inclusive and less biased toward People of Color and other marginalized groups. The harm and lack of inclusion within the Animal Welfare field [Sheltering, Animal Control, Pet Adoption, Veterinary Education and Medicine, Pet Retail] are rarely addressed even though these collective sectors touch millions and have an economic impact of well over 100 Billion Dollars. As a counterbalance, CARE is creating equitable spaces and policies using a multidisciplinary approach.
To that end, we take a Scholar Advocate approach to Research and Development. This means our research team is in the field, partnering with communities in a quest for information used to tailor solutions. Our Narrative Division is focused on Truth Telling because it’s so needed, and so often more beautiful than fiction. Our Community Animal CARE Division is working with underserved BIPOC communities throughout the country helping to build and assist Human and Animal related organizations. And our Environmental Justice & Policy Division adds a much need layer of policy protection and advocacy over the whole of what we do.
CARE is ultimately a collection of passionate activists and deep thinkers focused on better outcomes for people and pets. But unlike other large Animal Protection organizations, and Non for Profits generally, CARE is not attempting to do the work best done by those directly impacted by inequities. We are however creating tools and opportunities to grow Human and Animal Well-being for all communities.
Rather than using the term Animal Welfare, which tends to focus exclusively on animals, CARE uses Well-being because it’s straightforward, and ensures our work goes beyond nonhuman needs. CARE is a 501c3 charitable organization, we recognize the complex struggles within marginalized communities, but we also actively celebrate and acknowledge the Community Wisdom residing within underserved homes and communities. We start with IN-REACH, we start confident the best solutions will be found within communities most proximate to their challenges.
