Written by Lisa Browning
“We’re not, after all, separate from the animal kingdom. We’re part of it.”— Jane Goodall
It was in 2013 that I first published a children’s book about an animal. Angel Has Her Wings was written by local author Peter Watson, and it told the story of his beloved cat. This particular project consisted of the story in three versions: Pete’s original story, meant for adults; an illustrated children’s book meant for pre-school and early elementary school students; and an early reader chapter book for older elementary school students. Not only did I have Pete’s story to work with, I also had two young students illustrate the pre-school book, and another student, then 10 years old, who rewrote the chapter book for his own peer group. (I’ve written about Noah Nogueira before.)
At the time, I didn’t realize what a turning point this particular project would become .. but it opened the door to what has now become my main focus: books about animals, in support of animals. But why animals?
I’ve always been an animal lover, having had either a dog or a cat for most of my life. In 2011, while I was still involved in an emotionally abusive relationship that nearly cost me my life, I had a Bernese Mountain Dog. It was not my breed of choice, but my (then) partner wanted a Bernese, so a Bernese is what we got.
I fell in love with Mandy from the first moment I saw her. She was the runt of the litter, and seemed shy and a little bit scared when we first went to see the puppies. On the drive home, she snuggled into my lap, and we became inseparable from that moment on.
When I left that relationship, I took Mandy with me. I made that decision immediately after coming home to find Mandy being dragged across the back yard by her collar, because she “peed in the wrong spot on the lawn.” There was no way I would leave her with a man who could harm her, just as he had harmed me.
Several years later, in 2018, I had a “Discovery Session” with a horse named Dream. The description of these sessions indicated that their purpose was to help clients transform fear, self-doubt, and unresolved trauma so that they can align with their soul’s calling.
At the time, I was struggling with feelings of shame and self-loathing, the aftermath of the abusive relationship I had extricated myself from. The session was life-changing. Dream reached me on a soul level, and provided me with the gift of clarity and freedom. I have never forgotten it.
Dream had been abused at a prior location, and I believe that this is why I was drawn to him, and he to me. I have had several experiences since then, where I have been at paddocks with several horses, and without fail, it is a horse who has experienced abuse that comes across the field, directly to me.
This has happened with other animals as well, including pigs, alpacas, and donkeys. One last story …
I recently sponsored a donkey named Phoenix, who lives at The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada. Given her past, Phoenix has had major trust issues … as have I. The connection I feel, every time I look at her, is overwhelming.
Animals are intuitive, compassionate, sentient beings … and they deserve our respect and our protection. It is because I feel so strongly about this that I have created the One Thousand Trees LEGACY Project. Through this initiative, I am raising funds through the sales of a yearly The Art of Animal Advocacy calendar as well as my quarterly magazine, Our Sentient Friends, which is now available in ebook format. One hundred percent of net proceeds from the sale of these two items will be used to fund the following:
- The publishing of children’s books illustrated by high school students through my Aspiring Illustrators program, as well as adult books, all in support of animal rescues and shelters. (It is important to note that I do not charge for my time to produce these types of books, but my illustrators and my printer, are paid.)
- Elementary school programs including my Saplings Kids Club, and Aspiring Authors programs in collaboration with The Salvation Army in Guelph, and The Benjamin Project in Toronto.
For more information, please visit my website at www.onethousandtrees.com/animals, or email me at [email protected]. More importantly, please help spread the word about this initiative. The more money raised, the more animals, and children, are empowered. And in that way, I can give back to the beloved beings who have supported me on my own healing journey.
