Le monde
helping the voiceless
A GOOD SHEPHERD BY FELICIA FERGUSON | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ALAQUA ANIMAL REFUGE
Laurie Hood, the founder of Alaqua Animal Refuge, hears the cries of the winged and four-footed and has spoken on their behalf for twelve years. As of May 2019, she and a platoon of volunteers have partnered with local sheriffs’ departments and rescued more than four thousand dogs from hoarders, puppy mills, abusive situations, and natural disasters. They have also taken in over twenty thousand animals from across the Florida Panhandle. But recently, new opportunities to expand her scope and reach have developed, offering her the ability to impact the lives of both animals and humans.
recipient of multiple honors and awards for her work in animal rescue, Hood added Florida state director for Animal Wellness Action to her many roles. The national nonprofit organization supports and partners with political leaders who are dedicated to animal rights at the state and federal levels. “I met the founder, Wayne Pacelle, years ago at a convention in D.C.,” Hood says. “I had always admired and followed the vast scale of his animal protection work and all he was able to accomplish. When he asked me to be the state director, I knew it was an incredible opportunity to expand my realm of work. But it was a little daunting as well because politics is a whole different world.” 64 | DECE MBER 2019
