BECAUSE THEY NEED US
The Journey to protecting
Animal Rights
in the California Capital
Judie Mancuso worked for decades in animal rescue before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Volunteering in New Orleans, tending to all the dogs and cats left to fend for themselves, she couldn’t stop thinking about her home state of California. Shelters were already euthanizing half a million animals every year due to overcrowding. How many would die if a natural disaster struck?
Judie returned home and founded Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), a nonprofit focused specifically on passing laws to save animals.
In Because They Need Us, Judie recounts how she learned to go up against weak-willed politicians, rich corporations, and special interests to protect domestic animals and wildlife. Her group’s landmark successes include California’s first-in- the-nation ban on sales of mill-bred animals in pet stores, and laws prohibiting sales of animal-tested cosmetics and products made from the skins of hippos and other species.
This deep dive into the workings of political power is a must-read for animal
lovers, policy advocates, and anyone who needs proof that commitment and
compassion can win the day.
PRaise For Because They Need Us
“Because They Need Us is a brilliantly written blow-by-blow account of the grit and political smarts it takes to defeat huge corporate forces in the name of decency and compassion. This book could be a textbook for anyone who aims to change the world, as Judie Mancuso has masterfully done.”
“Judie Mancuso has been the singular driving force behind more than twenty truly groundbreaking pieces of animal rights legislation. Because They Need Us tells how she took on Goliath to get these landmark bills signed into law. Had you gone to Vegas and bet against the thousand-to- one odds of them passing, you would be on the Forbes 400 today. This book is a must-read.”
“Judie Mancuso is a force of nature! Her fast-paced political memoir
reads like a thriller.
Courageously standing up for animals, she refuses to be intimidated by the powerful, monied interests that come after her. A must-read!”
“In the animal rights movement, few individuals are ’the real deal’—those who truly grasp the simple (yet too-often ignored) fact that animals are not ours to exploit and use. Judie has gone to war to fight giant corporations and industries that profit from harming animals. Because They Need Us is an inside look at what goes on in the trenches and how battles for animal rights are won.”
“Because They Need Us is not a collection of anecdotes about someone’s past accomplishments as much as it is a road map. It’s an ethical road map, a life road, a road map for success! Like all of Judie’s efforts, it’s replete with passion, moral conviction, and a sense of purpose.”
“Because They Need Us is a powerful account of how things get done in government when armed with boundless energy, moral conviction, and perseverance—even when facing mountainous, well-funded opposition. It’s no surprise that morally flexible legislators and unscrupulous lobbyists are on edge when Judie walks into a room. They know her moral conviction on behalf of our beloved animals runs far deeper than the surface nature of transactional politics.”
“Judie Mancuso is a Joan of Arc for animals, a force that, as you will read, could not be bought for a million dollars. Why are pet shops banned from selling puppy mill pups? Judie is the reason. Woe to any special interest groups that think they can outspend and outsmart Judie. Almost anything to do with animal protection in the state of California is because of her and her devoted team of vigorous animal defenders. Because They Need Us is eye-opening and jaw-dropping, revealing the lobbyists’ games as well as the commitment and determination it takes to defeat them.”
About Judie Mancuso
Judie Mancuso is the founder, CEO, and president of Social Compassion in Legislation, the only animal rights nonprofit in California working to save and protect animals through public policy. Landmark laws sponsored by her group have been copied in many other states and inspired at least one other major country to change its animal testing requirements. Judie became a full-time advocate for animals in 2007 after a twenty-year career in information technology. She served on the California Veterinary Medical Board from 2010 to 2018 and on the Environmental Sustainability Committee of her hometown, Laguna Beach, from 2019 to 2024. Judie shares her home with her two dogs and four cats—all rescues, of course.
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