“I choose to believe in humanity’s goodness, and in our capacity to be our best selves. It’s the only way I can do this work.”
– Kathy Stevens, Founder
In 2001, after turning down an offer to lead a new charter high school, Kathy Stevens co-founded Catskill Animal Sanctuary, where her love of teaching, her belief that education has the power to transform, and her love of animals come together. One of the world’s leading sanctuaries for farmed animals, Catskill has saved more than 5,000 non-human individuals through direct rescue — and exponentially more through programming that encourages humans to adopt veganism.
Kathy is the author of Where the Blind Horse Sings and Animal Camp, two critically and popularly acclaimed books about the work of Catskill Animal Sanctuary; she’s also a contributor to books, podcasts and articles on animal sentience, animal rights and veganism.
Welcome to Herd Around The Barn, our founder Kathy Stevens’ weekly podcast examining farmed animals, our relationships with them, and the impact of that relationship on all of us — the animals, humans, and the planet we share. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts, for stories of the animals we know and love, and interviews with ‘regular’ people, Sanctuary folks and international leaders in animal rights, human health and climate science — all united in our vision of a world free from suffering. The podcast launched on May 26th and has already received acclaim from VegWorld.
Kathy’s passion, fortitude, dedication, and voracious “I LOVE YOU, COW” shouts have guided the Sanctuary all through 20 years of rescue, education, and love. Kathy has been a beacon of hope in an ever-changing landscape: whether she’s riding in the back of a hay truck, teaching about the link between animal agriculture and our rapidly warming planet, or sneaking giant steer Tucker a banana (or three), she is the heart of our organization. She is the author of multiple books and is a sought-after speaker on vegan issues. Kathy is the 2020 recipient of Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries’ Carole Noon award, and was named Best Environmental Advocate 2021 by The Chronogram.
