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  • Shivani Kumara

My whole life, I have been extremely connected to animals. Like magnets, we have always been drawn to one another. Even as a baby, my mom wrote in my baby book that I would not eat meat.
I wish I could say that I've been vegan since birth but, truth is I did eat meat and dairy for many years. Like so many others, I was raised in a household that said they loved and cared for animals but, sat down at the dinner table and ate others. I spite of this disconnect, I was otherwise passionate about rescuing and caring for just about every kind of small, furry fuzzy creature... mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, bunnies, guinea pigs, ferrets, even a squirrel... you name it, I probably cared for it. My animals were my best friends and I was determined to dedicate my life to helping them.
I thought that veterinary medicine was my path and enrolled in Auburn. I was advised to go the "Animal & Dairy Science"/Vet route so I could get hands on experience with the animals faster. I had no clue what I signed up for. I learned first hand about the hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and everything that goes on behind the scenes in animal agriculture. As a sensitive, animal empath - I was horrified and immediately turned vegetarian and dropped out of school. Not long after returning home, "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins came into my awareness and as soon as I learned the truth about the dairy & egg Industry, I became vegan... March 1990. Best Decision Ever.
I became passionate about ianimal rights and for a time was President of Sarasota in Defense of Animals. I went on to become an Animal Cruelty Investigator with Manatee County Sheriff and in 2001, Founded the Non-profit Animal Resuce, Blue Heart Sanctuary.