About Us | President's Welcome | Celebrity Involvement | Basehart Fund

A HISTORY OF CARING FOR ANIMALS
One Day At A Time, One Step At A Time

It has been said that “great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” During our long history, we have struggled, persevered and succeeded. We greet each day and every request for help, whether routine or trying, with total involvement and steadfast determination. One day at a time, one step at a time, Actors and Others has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of animals and humans alike. We proudly share some of the more memorable moments.

• A&O institutes a new program to provide FREE spay/neuter surgeries for Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes in the Los Angeles area after a series of unprovoked and particularly violent dog attacks ignite breed panic.

• A&O unites with other well-respected humane groups in Los Angeles to form the Coalition to End Pet Overpopulation. CEPO is a leading force in gaining passage of new dog license and breeder legislation aimed at promoting pet sterilization.

• Pledges and provides an additional $50,000 in spay/neuter subsidies with the passage of the new legislation.

• Expands feral cat assistance program to assist businesses (such as Boeing and Los Angeles County Juvenile Hall) and colleges (Valley College) establish authorized Feral Cat retention programs.

• Working together with the Doris Day Animal League, Board Member Loretta Swit testifies before Congress to prohibit “crush” videos (mostly sold over the Internet these videos depict woman in high heel shoes crushing to death small animals).

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1996-1997

• To celebrate 25 years of service to the local community, A&O pledges an unprecedented $100,000 in one month to spaying and neutering Los Angeles City and County companion animals free of charge in a signature program entitled, Let’s Get a Fix on L.A. ”

• A&O introduces an animal awareness pin to promote respect and understanding for all living creatures.

• A&O becomes a founding sponsor of the Primarily Primates retirement sanctuary for retired laboratory Chimpanzees.

• A&O successfully fights to continue the protection of native California mountain lions under Proposition 197.

• A&O steps up efforts to ensure humane treatment of horses in racing.

• To help ensure quality care for animal companions, A&O establishes a Veterinary Technician scholarship at Mt. San Antonio College.

1993-1995

• A&O works overtime to keep pace with the triple disasters that strike the L.A. basin. Volunteers search for lost animals, arrange emergency medical treatment, deliver much-needed supplies and help to reunite pets with frantic owners during devastating Altadena and Malibu Canyon fires, Malibu floods and the Northridge earthquake.

• A&O lends its voice to those of many others to pass the California Downed Animal Bill to mandate the humane treatment of sick and injured stockyard animals throughout the state.

• Financial assistance is sent to aid animal victims of the Illinois floods.

• A special fund for the Humane Society of Tokyo is established to purchase food, medical supplies and temporary housing for animals displaced and injured during the Kobe, Japan earthquake.

• A&O intensifies its efforts to assist low income pet owners by creating a special fund to subsidize major veterinary surgeries.

• A&O distributes 50,000 pounds of donated food to low income pet owners.

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1990

• A&O inaugurates a Pet Assisted Therapy program in conjunction with Northridge Hospital. The program aims to comfort seriously ill patients and provide tension relief for staff. Other care facilities, including The Motion Picture and Television Hospital, soon join the program.

• A&O’s tremendously successful Humane Education Program is created to educate Kindergarten through 6th grade children about compassion for fellow creatures.

• A&O supports Proposition 117, successfully passed to protect native mountain lions from would-be trophy hunters.

• A&O vice president Jackie Joseph represents A&O at the first “March for the Animals” in Washington, D.C.

1984-1989

• A&O receives the 1985 Telly Award, the advertising industry’s top honor for public service announcements, in tribute to the It’s the Least You Can Do for a Friend” international campaign.

• A&O transports and distributes over 7,500 cases of donated cat food to disabled, senior and financially challenged pet owners.

• A&O wages war on cat overpopulation by committing an unprecedented $30,000 to the “Have a Heart” spay/neuter program.

• Together with other dedicated colleagues, A&O files a lawsuit against the County of Los Angeles to stop pound seizure.

• A&O launches a vigorous campaign to promote responsible pet ownership by televising public service announcements featuring celebrity spokespersons. (The program becomes a precursor to current-day celebrity PSAs promoting safe sex, family values, staying in school and non-violent conflict resolution).

• A&O donates the “Petmobile” to the City of Los Angeles to assist pet owners who are otherwise unable to transport their animals for veterinary care.

• A&O Joins with L.A. County to institute the highly successful Pet Adoption Days at local shelters.
• A&O takes an active interest in the issue of pet abandonment on U.S. military bases in foreign countries by forging a relationship with the Humane Society of Guam.

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1979-1981

• A&O’s many years of hard work pay off when California legislature outlaws the use of the decompression Chamber.

• More than 1,000 abandoned companion animals are placed in loving homes through A&O’s Pet Adoption Program.

• A&O sends much needed support to Harrisburg, PA to assist animal victims of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident.

• A&O helps to fund a unique mobile unit designed to provide Los Angeles animals with shelter, first-aid and care during natural disasters.

• As a result of the unrelenting pressure from A&O and other local humane organizations, Mayor Tom Bradley signs an ordinance to abolish pound seizure from city shelters for scientific experimentation purposes.

• A&O funds an animal treatment center to administer emergency veterinary care to abused, abandoned or injured exotic animals at the Wildlife Waystation in the Angeles National Forest.

1975-1978

• A&O speaks out in support of legislation which outlaws greyhound racing in California.

• A&O awards its first Humanitarian Award to 87 year old Minnie Blumfield, who captures the hearts of all of Los Angeles by becoming the self-appointed guardian to a flock of chickens that narrowly escaped death in an overturned truck on the Hollywood Freeway.

• A&O sees a dream become reality when The Roberti Bill is signed into law, making it unlawful to publicly screen any film in which the deliberate abuse of an animal occurred.

1973-1974

• A&O hosts its second annual “Celebrity Fair” drawing celebrity supporters such as Doris Day, Lucille Ball, Mayor Tom Bradley, Rick Nelson and hundreds of autograph seeking animal lovers.

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• A&O appears in force before the L.A. Board of Supervisors to oppose pound seizure in city shelters for scientific experimentation.

• A&O launches a campaign to fight animal abuse and cruelty in the making of films. Supporters are urged to boycott films which have been made at the expense of animal suffering.

• To curb the mounting problem of pet overpopulation, A&O lobbies for low-cost spay and neuter faculties throughout L.A. County.

1971-1972

• Actors and Others for Animals is conceived by the late actor Richard Basehart and his wife, Diana, to promote the humane treatment of animals.

• Peabody award-winning newsman Dick Carlson becomes A&O president. His gripping ABC documentary “Pounds of Sadness” helps to expose inhumane shelter conditions in Los Angeles.

• A&O launches a vigorous campaign to abolish the decompression chamber as a tool of the trade from area animal shelters.