Today we’d like to introduce you to Shira Scott Astrof.
Hi Shira, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Thanks for having me back. I’m excited to update you on the accomplishments of my animal organization since our last interview. As a reminder of how my journey began, my love of animals and passion for helping them began when I was very young and living with my family in New York. We volunteered at local animal shelters and we were essentially known as a safe haven for all hurt and abandoned animals found on the streets or discarded at local vets by their owners. We became very involved in animal advocacy for ALL animals and by the time I turned 11 years old, my entire family took a pledge to live and eat cruelty free. When I turned 17 years old, I moved to Los Angeles and attended USC while pursuing acting jobs. But the one true passion that stayed with me was to do my part in rescuing animals and making the world a safer place for them. In 2018, I founded The Animal Rescue Mission (ARM), a 501c3 non-profit animal rescue organization dedicated to the mission of rescuing and rehabilitating animals- mostly dogs and cats and finding them forever homes. ARM is fortunate to have amazing partners, volunteers, and donors who have boundless compassion, energy, and a laser focus on ARM’s mission. ARM takes on the difficult cases that other rescue organizations often avoid or can’t handle. Since we last connected, ARM, aligned itself with a shelter in Tijuana to help with their devastating overpopulation and the awful conditions of abandoned dogs and cats. Tijuana has an ongoing cycle of animal suffering that is primarily due to its lack of resources. ARM provides resources such as spay/neuter clinics, vaccinations, and other aid with the goal of helping them build an infrastructure of resources and knowledge to function on their own. ARM also works with organizations in South Korea and China to rescue animals from the Asian meat markets.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest ongoing struggle is the never-ending cycle of animal abusers and backyard breeders. And what many people aren’t aware of is the lack of protection these animals have. I’ll speak about dogs since that’s primarily what we are forced to focus on. We have laws saying that animal cruelty is a punishable crime, however the law also classifies dogs as “personal property”. Those two stances contradict each other and allows for rampant animal abuse and neglect. LA has no animal task force, and we need one now more than ever. ARM and other organizations are joining forces to call attention to this and try to have new policies put in place that would be effective. The shelters in LA are more crowded than ever, and these animals deserve better. Our dual goal is to help spread awareness while saving as many lives as I can.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Animal Rescue Mission?
ARM rescues, rehabs, and finds forever homes for abused and neglected animals and we also help spread awareness to help encourage and leverage others to join in on our goals and make the world a safer and more compassionate place for all sentient beings. Our tireless team of partners, volunteers and donors welcome others dedicated people to join with ARM and make our efforts even more effective.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I remain optimistic that with more and more people of all ages joining the effort to help neglected animals, we will soon see an uptick in long-over positive changes. When I speak at high schools and colleges, I am impressed with the caliber and dedication of the new generation of changemakers who are getting ready to influence positive change. No matter how hard it gets, one thing stays constant, and that is the amount of brave, compassionate and determined souls living in LA who have made it their life’s mission to help animals. It is truly inspiring to see how many people really do care. But in actuality, compassion is only good if the effort is made by good people to do their part by volunteering, speaking out, and donating to animal rescue organizations that are desperate themselves for more resources. In the end, we will succeed at making the world a better place for all animals! I’ve never wavered in my confidence on that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theanimalrescuemission.org
- Instagram: @theanimalrescuemission @shirascottastrof
- Facebook: shirascottastrof
Image Credits
Kevin Callies
