Happy Pride Month!

Jun 01, 2023

June is Pride Month! According to GLAAD, Pride is celebrated in June "to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City on June 28, 1969, which most historians consider to be the birth of the modern LGBT movement."
Photo Credit: Gina Montanarelli
So what, you ask, does Pride have to do with an animal welfare organization?

It's simple. Every single day, we help animals in all kinds of situations. And every single one of those situations has at least one (and often multiple) people involved. After all, the animals don't walk in the front door by themselves! Whether it's a Clinic client dropping off their pet for spay/neuter services, or a family looking to adopt a new companion. Whether it's a domestic violence victim fleeing abuse who has been reunited with their pet to start a new chapter together, or someone who is facing hardship and has no choice but to surrender their pet. Not only are we here for those animals... but we're here for their humans too, no matter who they are or who they love. (And let's not forget our own team members, doing very emotional and often thankless work 365 days a year!)


Animal welfare = people welfare. The bond between humans and animals is real. It has been studied and even without scientific research, we all know it is undeniable. The work tPhoto Credit: Shellback Photographyhat we do

affects people just as much as it affects animals, and it would do a disservice to our organization and many others to ignore that fact. That's why we celebrate Pride Month. 

Here is our official 2023 Pride statement:

"Perhaps the best thing about companion animals is the fact that they love us unconditionally. As humans, there’s practically nothing we could do to make our pets love us any less. That includes how we dress, our favorite movies, how clean our house is, who we love, or anything else! The Vanderburgh Humane Society and River Kitty Cat Café acknowledge Pride to remind the members of the LGBTQIA+ community (including those inside of our own organization) that you’re welcome within our walls. We love you and the animals do too!"

Photos donated via HeARTs Speak's Inclusive Photography Collection.