From Killer Looks to No-Kill to Nabbing a Kitten Killer: The Barbi Twins Connect the Dots to Save Animals

Joan K. Smith Become a fan
Philadelphia-based cultural critic, editor, and artist
www.HuffingtonPost.com
HP article posted: 08/29/2014 6:07 pm EDT Updated: 10/29/2014 5:59 am EDT

What do stray cats and the ocean have to do with each other?

Quite a bit in the current work of Shane and Sia Barbi, better known as the Barbi Twins. The blockbuster Playboy cover models and vegan book authors who are now highly respected - and unabashedly outspoken -- animal activists have long used their celebrity as a highly effective platform to incite change, awareness, and action. Since I first wrote about them in 2012, their activism has ramped-up to a new level: To be a unifying force for animal rights issues and organizations, finding common ground and establishing a stronger base of nonpartisan power to address all the causes related to human treatment of animals.

Shane and Sia Barbi - The Barbi Twins and Rescue Dog

They'd long admired the work of Captain Paul Watson (of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Whale Wars fame), and this April they joined forces with him for a weekly radio show on LA Talk Radio called "State of the Oceans" ("because our existence begins with oceans," explains Shane). The weekly guests, recruited by Shane and Sia, comprise a who's-who of well-known animal rights leaders and celebrity activists.

As Shane describes their roster: "We want to be the United Nations of animal rights." By bringing together so many big organizations with different interests for the first time ever, "we want to get out a mainstream bipartisan message that resonates," says Shane, "The focus should be on principles ahead of partisan differences. We need to stop making animals a political issue. "

Among their guests on the radio show have been Gene Baur of Farm Sanctuary; Scott Beckstead of the Humane Society of the U.S; Chris DeRose of Last Chance for Animals; reality show star and animal activist Joanna Krupa; the family of Willie Nelson; Michael Budkie of SAEN/Stop Animal Exploitation Now; Nathan Runkle of Mercy for Animals; Dr. Naomi Rose of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI); Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint and founder of the Eastwood Ranch Foundation; Dr. Jenny Conrad of The Paw Project , and the movie of the same name; comedian and activist Elayne Boosler; the cast of the movie Blackfish; and activist, animal rights attorney, and filmmaker Shannon Keith of Beagle Freedom Project and ARME (Animal Rescue Media Education); and veteran animal lobbyist Chris Heyde of the AWI.

Read Complete Article:  www.HuffingtonPost.com

Barbi Twins and Elayne Boosler - "Help Stop Repeal of Hayden Law" - Sign Petition Please!

Barbi Twins and Elayne Boosler combine efforts to help Stray Cat Alliance's petition against the repeal of the Hayden Law which was written to protect shelter animals.

Elayne, Shane and Sia - The "Triplets"
Elayne Boosler and the Barbi Twins

Elayne:    "Then came the "Hayden Law." SB 1785, named for its sponsor, California State Sen. Tom Hayden, became a life saver for adoptable shelter animals, and a humane and valued partner to animal rescuers and owners. It made animal shelters more accountable. It gave the public longer to find their lost animals before they were killed. It mandated more "work friendly" hours to the public for going to the shelters. It was so good, after a few years it expanded to offer owner-surrendered animals the same amount of time (four to six business days) to stay alive for adoption and rescue instead of being instantly killed.

Better and better, right? And now, worse. Gov. Jerry Brown wants to repeal the Hayden Law. Everything comes down to money, but even here, the math is wrong"

Read Elayne's post in its entirety in the Huffington Post:   Barbis, Boosler vs. Brown & Board of Extermination

Sign the petition:  Don't Repeal Hayden

Visit www.StrayCatAlliance.org for more information about their fight to stop the repeal of the Hayden Law.

Visit our friend Elayne Boosler's official website at  www.elayneboosler.com and her animal rescue organization website at www.tailsofjoy.net