An open letter to our neighbors: Be Kind and Protect

“I promise to be kind to all creatures within my reach and to protect them as far as I can from cruelty and ill-usage.”

This Columbus Humane pledge dates back to 1884, just a year after our organization’s founding. Times are different. Societal norms have changed in many ways since the late 1800’s. Our language is different. (I can’t recall ever using “ill-usage” in a sentence.) Our mission is even a bit different, as our founders set out primarily to protect women, children and carriage horses.

Here’s what hasn’t changed: we must be kind to everyone within our reach and protect them from cruelty in any form. Columbus Humane stands for kindness and respect for all living beings and we are staunch advocates for protection of the Five Freedoms:

Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom from pain, injury and disease
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom to express natural behavior

For Columbus to be truly humane, all of our friends, neighbors and families must have these freedoms and they simply do not. We have a long way to go. Because we value endurance in pursuit of our mission; we promise today, and again every day that follows, to be kind. But we cannot stop at being kind. We must go beyond that kindness and protect. We will stand with our community and we will protect every being as far as we can from cruelty. That means recognizing bias, extinguishing injustice, defending victims of cruelty and holding each other accountable for our actions.

And that’s how we make Columbus Humane.

In solidarity,

Rachel D.K. Finney, CAWA
Chief Executive Officer

Randy Schoedinger,
President, Board of Trustees