Interview with Leesa Rowland

What led you to launch Animal Ashram? 
Most laws on the books in the State of New York pertain to Laboratory Animals. Protection of Laboratory Animals has been the subject of many political debates and proposed regulations. There are no laws that require general protection of companion animals and/or wildlife. Isolated laws addressing subjects such as service animals and carriage horses in New York City exist…but these are isolated examples. There is still much more to be done about protecting Laboratory Animals. We must view the larger picture and be proactive for ALL animals.

Our goal is to enact an “Animal Bill of Rights” to outline and codify the rights of animals in this country, we are working to advocate for the general public to step up and enact change for the protection of animals. The kind of change we need most is a “change in attitude” toward animals and their living conditions. If the public will step up and endorse an “Animal Bill of Rights” conditions for animals will change for the better.

What is your favorite aspect of Animal Ashram's work?
Seeing the success stories! We are networking everyday with shelters, rescue facilities, contributors, sponsors, & individuals who have rescued animals.

We have already revamped our website at www.animalashram.org and we have improved our ability to communicate with subscribers and rescue facilities. This has allowed us to start documenting specific stories about animal rescues. We want to show joyful, loving, and caring rescues which result from a broader network of subscribers & donors.

What is your proudest moment of Animal Ashram?
Endorsement from others and the realization that our mission is important on a broad scale. When people began visiting our website and donating to our programs, the idea of Animal Ashram took on a life of its own. It’s almost like giving birth to a child. We imagined something that could help make the world a better place. We had an idea and created something that now has a life of its own. The fact that our founders and sponsors and contributors share our ideas about a more Perfect World, makes me very proud.