News
Touched By An Animal
April 29, 2009, 6:18PM MT
By Cheri Moon
Best Friends' founder inspires Chicago group that helps elderly animal people.
Best Friends' founder inspires Chicago group that helps elderly animal people.
By Amy Abern, Best Friends staff writer
Best Friends founder Michael Mountain seems to be very busy these days. This past weekend, the former president of the sanctuary flew into Chicago, then jetted off for a brief visit to New York followed by a trip to Washington D.C. He had plans, he says, to talk to colleagues and cohorts about various animal welfare issues.
Following the Golden Rule
In short, Mountain continues on his own time and agenda to do what he’s always done so well: Encouraging people to adhere to the golden rule as it applies to humans and animals—the philosophical foundation supporting Best Friends—as well as inspiring people to work toward a time when there are no more homeless pets.
In Chicago, Mountain gave the keynote speech at the annual fund-raising luncheon for Touched By An Animal, a non-profit organization that enables the elderly to keep their companion animals in their lives. It was founded by a woman who is no stranger to the golden rule, Sister Marijon Binder.
Michael Mountain Connects with Audience
Nearly 200 people attended the luncheon. Mountain began by asking people if they had heard of Best Friends. Just about everyone in the room raised a hand. No surprise, considering when ten guests selected at random were asked why they chose to attend the luncheon, they said they came specifically to hear Mountain’s presentation.
And they weren’t disappointed. Charismatic as ever, Mountain greeted the audience warmly and congratulated the crowd on their work on behalf of animals. He also acknowledged Binder’s contributions.
“Sister Marijon has done superb work for the cats in her care,” notes Mountain. “It’s people like her that keep us moving in a direction where we will see a time when there are No More Homeless Pets.”
Mountain showed a video featuring an overview of Best Friends. A few images portrayed some of the sanctuary’s slightly handicapped residents.
Mountain observes, “There was a time when one-eyed cats were considered unadoptable. Now it’s common place. And three-legged dogs are all the rage now.”
Mountain also touched on Michael Vick, saying he was “the gift to animal welfare that keeps on giving,” referring to Vick’s popularity—which exposed dogfighting on a national level.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of his presentation involved a conglomeration of images defining some of the more universal animal welfare issues: Billy the Elephant being moved from the confines of a zoo to an elephant sanctuary; the success of California Proposition 2; legislation mandating humane conditions for farm animals; and the all-too-common scene of cats living outside of their foreclosed home, their human companions gone.
“We’ve lost our connection to nature and animals,” claims Mountain. “To remake this connection is not ‘a’ key; it is ‘’the’ key to transforming the world into what it could be.”
Sister Marijon Binder Helping People and Animals
For the past 25 years, Binder has operated the only animal welfare organization in Illinois whose primary mission is to help the elderly keep their companion animals. When they’re sick, Binder goes through her Touched By An Animal roster of volunteers to send someone to their homes, bring them supplies, change litter, clean up—whatever is needed. If an elderly person needs to go into a hospital, Binder will find foster care for that person’s cat, or cats, for as long as need be. Sometimes this turns into lifetime care.
Binder has operated Touched By An Animal with only two paid personnel—the rest are volunteers.
“I see what Best Friends has done and I think, ‘if only,’” says Binder. “I would love to give my animals the kind of space and accommodations Best Friends offers.”
To learn more about Touched By An Animal, visit Touched By An Animal.
Photos by Amy Abern
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends staff