Advocacy
Animal Welfare Advocacy
Jo Anna Kloster is an animal welfare advocate. She is dedicated to educating others about puppy mills to stop the trauma of factory-farming of dogs.
Pet store puppies are also a consumer protection issue. Too many puppies arrive at pet stores sick with highly contagious parvovirus and now multidrug-resistant Campylobacter. From January 9, 2019, through March 1, 2021, a total of fifty-six people infected with the outbreak strain of Campylobacter were reported from seventeen states. Nine people were hospitalized (Source: CDC).
Another consumer protection issue is that too many buyers of pet store puppies end up paying exorbitant financing fees for “designer dogs” that have medical and behavior problems from poor breeding practices. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is standing up for consumers with a lawsuit against LendingUSA in the case of a golden retriever with an initial cost of $3,500 and a final cost of $26,655 over the period of the loan (Source: HSUS).
Our hope is that Empty Cages Press, and the book Lily Unleashed, will inspire those who believe in this mission of ending puppy mills to speak up through activities listed on this site. May pet stores that sell puppies be encouraged to embrace a more humane model by hosting dog-adoption days with local rescues and shelters. May our elected officials recognize it’s time to pass legislation ending the sale of puppies at pet stores and this cruel industry. Man’s (and woman’s) best friend deserves no less.
Book Signing
Contact Jo Anna to schedule a book signing and/or reading. She is available for local book signing events in North Carolina as well as virtual book readings.
Presentations
Jo Anna is available for classroom readings, library presentations, and other group presentations. She is available to visit in-person locally as well as virtually nationwide.
Volunteer
Jo Anna is an active volunteer with various advocacy organizations. She helps man informational tables about the problem of selling puppies at pet stores and enjoys supporting local animal welfare causes and events.
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