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Outstanding Activist!
On
January 12, 1986, a single event changed Susan and Bill O'Connells' lives
forever. That was the day their beloved dog, Lucy, was born. Both Susan
and Bill acknowledge that they were never the same after Lucy became a
part of their family. She changed them for the better, teaching them to
love more deeply and to regard all animals as precious beings who deserve
to be treated with kindness and respect. Lucy passed away in July of 2000,
but her spirit lives on today in Susan and Bill's hearts, and especially
in the work they do on behalf of animals. It was Lucy who sparked their
passion to be a voice for the voiceless and to make a difference in the
world.
Knowing farm
animals deserve to be loved and protected just as all other animals do,
Susan and Bill joined Farm Sanctuary in 1989. Around the same time, both
became vegetarians and then transitioned to veganism a few years later.
Valued members of Farm Sanctuary's Friends of Hilda Club and Adopt-a-Farm
Animal Project, Susan and Bill have been more than generous in their
support of our work over the years. 
From
1991 until 2005, they sponsored a very special goat named Lea, who lived
at our New York Shelter. They visited Lea many times throughout her life,
and when she fell ill with cancer early last year, they were right by
her side through it all, until the end. The times Susan and Bill shared
with Lea were the most meaningful they ever had at Farm Sanctuary and
motivated them to sponsor many other animals at both our California and
New York Shelters. Currently, they sponsor a cow, a sheep, a rabbit, a
duck, a goose, a turkey, a chicken, 2 pigs, and 3 goats.
The O'Connells' support of Farm Sanctuary does not stop with their sponsorships. Over the years they have helped us in many other ways. Both have participated in numerous protests and demonstrations, including our Mother's Day "Say No to Veal" events; both helped organize the 2005 Walk for Farm Animals in Philadelphia by recruiting walkers from college campuses and local vegetarian groups, and by getting vegan food donated for the event; and Susan took time off work in the fall of 2005 to help our New York Shelter staff care for hundreds of chickens rescued in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
In addition to supporting Farm Sanctuary, Susan and Bill are also members of several other animal protection groups. They sponsor animals through these groups as well, including a coonhound, a wallaby and a monkey, and they have donated their time to these organizations in the past to help out with anti-fur and anti-circus demonstrations. Thanks to their connection with another local rescue group, Susan and Bill now share their home with a special dog named Ash. Surrendered to the rescue group after being hit by a car, Ash had a badly damaged leg and was in desperate need of a good home. Susan and Bill happily welcomed him into their family, and with lots of love and five months of swim therapy, he is now running around on all fours.
Like
many of our other Outstanding Activists, Susan and Bill advocate for animals,
not only in their volunteer time, but through their professional work
as well. Bill is a Pediatrician and Susan a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.
They operate two offices in Philadelphia and by utilizing Farm Sanctuary
literature and pictures, compassionate children's books, and their own
extensive knowledge on the subject, they are successfully promoting a
healthy vegan diet for children. Thank you, Susan and Bill, for all that
you do!
Together, we ARE making a difference. If you would like to find out more about volunteering your time to educate others about factory farming and vegetarianism, please contact us at activist@farmsanctuary.org, or call 607-583-2225 ext. 229. Click here to find out what YOU can do to help!