Because They Need Us

My Political Fight to Save Animals

Judie Mancuso worked for decades in animal rescue before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Volunteering in New Orleans, tending to all the dogs and cats left to fend for themselves, she couldn’t stop thinking about her home state of California. Shelters were already euthanizing half a million animals every year due to overcrowding. How many would die if a natural disaster struck?

Judie returned home and founded Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), a nonprofit focused specifically on passing laws to save animals.

In Because They Need Us, Judie recounts how she learned to go up against weak-willed politicians, rich corporations, and special interests to protect domestic animals and wildlife. Her group’s landmark successes include California’s first-in-the-nation ban on sales of mill-bred animals in pet stores, and laws prohibiting sales of animal-tested cosmetics and products made from the skins of hippos and other species.

This deep dive into the workings of political power is a must-read for animal lovers, policy advocates, and anyone who needs proof that commitment and compassion can win the day.