Charity, Events
Feb 11, 2014

ALISON EASTWOOD AND THE LEAVE NO PET BEHIND PROJECT

California is a big place and there are a lot of stray pets out there that need loving homes. But not every pet gets adopted and sometimes that can lead to shelters having to put down the animals that they care for, but sometimes good people can step in to stop that from happening. One of those good people is Alison Eastwood, daughter of Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood.

An actress, director and producer, Eastwood has been using her fame to bring more attention the animal advocacy through the Eastwood Ranch Foundation. Last week, the Ranch held its Leave No Pet Behind pardoning event in San Bernardino, California. Press Pass LA sat down with Eastwood to discuss her love of animals and what sparked her passion for pets.

PPLA: How was the event? Was there a lot of good reaction?

Eastwood: The event was great, it was our first event as a non-profit. It was really nice to get out there and meet new people who share our passion. 150 dogs and 30 cats were adopted out of the shelter thanks to Leave No Pet Behind. We are still working on getting a few more out even through the event is technically over.

PPLA: How did Leave No Pet Behind get started?

Eastwood: It started because my partner and I wanted to get our feet wet in Southern California and we heard about Shane and his outreach programs. We knew he had done a number of Pardon events around the country and realized it would be great for California. We chose San Bernardino because they have a lot of shelters out there and even though I wanted to stay local it’s just outside of L.A. that it seems like a different place. There needs to be more awareness in Southern California about the number of animals out there that need homes.

PPLA: Do you have any adopted pets of your own? What kind?

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Eastwood: We have one rescue Chihuahua and two more dogs, plus three cats which we’ve rescued along with a rescued rabbit and a rat. We saved the rat from being fed to a snake. In addition to all those we also foster another Chihuahua that we got from the event. I have horses as well but those aren’t at home, we keep them on a ranch.

PPLA: You founded the Eastwood Ranch, what attracted you to the world of animal advocacy?

Eastwood: I’ve always loved animals. When I was younger I wanted to be a veterinarian so I could help animals. My parents kept animals around the house a lot so it was just a natural thing for me. I’ve always held on to that passion so this is my way of giving back. If I can use my name for some good then I’m all for it. I had a show on National Geographic called “Animal Intervention” and that really got me back in the public spotlight of helping out animals and talking to shelters. That really got me started again.

To learn more about Eastwood and her cause visit www.eastwoodranch.org.