We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Campanini a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Amy, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I have loved animals my entire life and volunteered for animal organizations whenever possible. During my time as a private chef on yachts, I was always feeding the stray populations in marinas. This is when I knew we, as a society, were not doing enough to end animal suffering and made the career change to devote myself to animal welfare for the rest of my life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the President of Palmetto Animal League, a private, non-profit, no kill animal rescue organization that believes every animal deserves a second chance at life. PAL’s Adoption Center, located in Okatie’s Riverwalk Business Park, serves as a temporary residence for approximately 200 dogs and cats while they wait to find a loving home. This comfortable, upbeat facility is also home to PAL’s Veterinary Clinic, which offers wellness exams, vaccines, and other vital services to pet owners at affordable prices. PAL uses the proceeds to rescue abandoned, abused, and neglected animals and place them in loving homes. In addition, PAL manages a network of loving foster families to house and care for pets too young or too weak to be adopted as well as those in need of medical or behavioral rehab.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I had zero skills or training in the animal rescue field. What I did have was a deep sense that we could and should do better for animals in our society. It required a willingness to learn something new and essentially to start over. It continues to require a deep dedication to the cause and deep commitment to the animals. My previous business skills transferred to the operations side of running a rescue and what I did not know I have been able to learn.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
This is a tribute to my mom and dad, Dianne and Paul Campanini, for loving the animals they rescued unconditionally and for the lessons they taught me. They have served me well and have kept me grounded in my animal rescue career.
My parents have loved and lost many beloved pets over the years, but one of my earliest childhood memories was of our dog Gigi. She was a crazy, beautiful black standard poodle full of energy! My parents got her as a puppy and when we moved to the city, it became harder and harder to keep Gigi safe with all the traffic in front of our house. She needed to run. She was a farm dog. My parents made the difficult decision to rehome Gigi. My dad found a rescue that was a farm for dogs. After Dad was satisfied this was the right place, he dropped her off under the promise that Gigi would be given the life she deserved. Days later Gigi was at our front door! She had escaped the farm and made her way back to us. Back to the farm she went. They assured my dad they would give Gigi more pack time to help her understand this would be where she would spend the rest of her life. My dad would go visit Gigi to monitor her progress. The last time he saw her, she didn’t come over to greet my dad. She saw him from the field and took a good long look as if to say – thank you. Then she took off with her dog friends. My dad knew she was home and was satisfied he had made the right decision for Gigi.
Over the years, I begged for ponies and farm animals (as if we had the space) and the answer was always no. I eventually accepted that I was going to have to enjoy the neighborhood dogs and cats. Until one day, my dad brought home a cat! This was not just any cat. This was the king of cats, and his name was Gaylord. He belonged to a teacher at my dad’s school, and he was absolutely a beloved pet. This teacher’s wife started to have a terrible allergic reaction to Gaylord. They did everything they could to manage her health, so they could keep their cat but nothing was working. This teacher asked and begged for someone to give his cat a home. My dad watched him break down one day in the teacher’s lounge, so my dad said we’d take Gaylord. He just came home one day and we had a cat – a cat that would rule over us until his last day. I finally had a pet and I was in love.
As I look back on the lessons I have learned from my parents, they continue to guide me as an animal welfare professional. I learned that bringing a pet into the home had to be the right decision for the pet and the people. My parents never purchased a pet. They always rescued and as with Gigi, when it did not work out, they found her a perfect home and followed through to make sure it was a good fit. I learned valuable lessons from my parents about responsibility from a very young age. These lessons molded me into the animal lover and advocate I am today. I use these lessons daily in my own personal life as well as my professional life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://palmettoanimalleague.org/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/paladoption
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Palmettoanimalleague/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PAL_adoption
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWN6Z_0FfesFBpOK6bJsTYA
