The Let Live Series Presents Sanctuary Stories: Tales of Hope

Portland, OR, May 31, 2009— This year, nearly two thousand chimpanzees will be used for testing in laboratories across the United States. Thousands of animals will be left to starve on foreclosed farms and hundreds of malnourished horses will be abandoned on public lands because the cost of their care is too high. These are just a few examples of the types of abuse and neglect that animals face each day. Although many of these animals will never know kindness, affection or proper nutrition- for those who find their way to a sanctuary, there is hope. This talk highlights the inspiring stories of three Northwest no-kill sanctuaries that provide lifetime quality of life to abused, abandoned and neglected animals.

Diana Goodrich, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW): Founded in 2003, CSNW is home to the “Cle Ellum Seven,” a group of seven chimpanzees released from biomedical research. Through education and collaboration, CSNW advocates on behalf of great apes in hopes of one day eliminating their exploitation for entertainment and biomedical research.

Wayne Geiger, Lighthouse Farm Animal Sanctuary: Started as an unofficial sanctuary in 1998, Lighthouse is currently home to two hundred farm animals who have suffered abuse and neglect. Lighthouse has helped provide homes for pigs displaced by the Iowa floods and works closely with the Humane Society of the United States to help abandoned and neglected horses.

John Collins, Out to Pasture (OTP): OTP provides permanent housing to abused, neglected and abandoned large farm animals, pigs, chickens, rabbits and dogs. OTP also does special work with miniature pigs and provides them with no-charge vet care. In addition to their sanctuary work, OTP also maintains feeding stations for feral cats and provides loaner traps and transportation so they can be spayed or neutered.

The Sanctuary Stories: Tales of Hope presentation will be held on May 31, 2009, at 2p.m. at Portland State University in Room 238 of the Smith Memorial Union Building. Admission is free. The Let Live Series is a monthly series of speakers, workshops and social events dedicated to promoting animal rights activism and education in Portland, Oregon. Sponsored by the Let Live Foundation, Vegans for Animal Advocacy, Food Fight Grocery and Herbivore Magazine.