Humane Options

From a very young age, I felt a deep connection with animals. At age 9, I would gather up the neighborhood dogs to have a bday party with my beloved dog, Terry.

Even small moments left an imprint. A stray dog wandering the streets always came home with me. A bird with a broken wing was put in a box until it mended or a rehab facility could be found.

My "love" for animals convinced me to go to college where I thought I could learn humane care for all farm animals. I quickly learned that there was nothing "humane" about farming. I graduated with an Associates in Animal Husbandry in 1981, yet soon realized this would not be a path I would follow. Three years later, our County SPCA opened up after being closed for years. I told my dad, I was going to work there. He begged me to stay at Olean Lumber, our family business, citing that the SPCA was all politics. In 1984, I took on my position as a health technician at the SPCA in Cattaraugus Co.I worked my way up to Executive Director, treasurer of the Board of Directors, then eventually the unpaid position as President of the Organization. I remained in that position until 2012 when the stress of the "politics" began to take a toll on my health. It's funny how I look back and remember thinking that my father may actually have known what he was talking about back then.

Through my time at the SPCA, I enacted a NO KILL policy which was highly unheard of in 1985. I also was instrumental in creating cageless cat rooms (also widely unheard of back then). In 1997, I pushed for a mobile, low cost spay/neuter clinic which was operational up until my departure.

Out of all my accomplishments at the SPCA, I am most proud of the fact that during my time there, over 40,000 animals' lives were saved.

Although, I physically left the SPCA in 2012, I have come to the conclusion that you can never really "leave" rescue.

A few years later, someone had posted on FB that they had been fostering a "feral" dog and had no idea what to do as they were moving.

Feral or scaredy dogs had always been my specialty as we rescued many of them in Louisiana shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit. I took in that dog and several others in that would have been killed otherwise. We converted the lower level of our home to a feral dog paradise. They go in and out of an enormous fenced in area. They have all they could ask for yet little interaction with humans. Spying on them (with our many cameras), as they romp and play with each other is one of the best things a dog lover could ever experience.

Feeling that my call to save animals on a much larger scale was needed, I advocated for many animal protection bills to be passed throughout the years including shelter for dogs in 1999, banning the declawing of cats in 2019, shutting down the puppy mill pipelines

In 2022, and ending the wildlife killing contests in 2023. I am currently a member of the League of Humane Voters NY and most recently a co-founder of Humane Options NY and the President of Senior Advocacy Group, Inc

What began as a personal mission to speak up, rescue and protect has evolved into utilizing organizations that will dedicate their resources to ensure the treatment of all non human species is humane and their needs are addressed and represented in legislation, public policy and community practices.

Let me end by saying that I am dedicated to both all non human species and to our elderly and senior human population to ensure that they may live with dignity, kindness and compassion.

PJ McKosky is a longtime animal rescuer and committed advocate for both animal and social justice. A vegan for over 30 years, PJ works to challenge systems of exploitation while building a more compassionate world for all beings. As a New York State–licensed wildlife rehabilitator, PJ focuses on humane, non-lethal approaches to coexistence with wildlife and on highlighting the deep connections between animal protection, environmental justice, and human rights.

PJ’s path began in childhood, after finding an injured mourning dove at around ten years old, an experience that transformed a lifelong affection for animals and the natural world into active advocacy. When not engaged in rescue or campaign work, PJ enjoys live music, films, reading, and travel, and continues to explore the intersections of grassroots organizing, wildlife protection, and broader movements for social change.

One moment that stayed with Ana Haley was seeing an advertisement about a dog whose ears had been cut off with scissors, without anesthesia. The story shocked her and forced her to confront how easily cruelty toward animals can be ignored.

Compassion for animals had always been part of her life. As a child, she worried about pets and stray animals she quietly fed, trusting that society operated within reasonable moral boundaries when it came to animals. Later, she began reflecting more deeply on the ways society protects some animals while overlooking others, including after encountering an image comparing half the face of a puppy with half the face of a calf and the words, “The difference is your perception.”

As she learned more about animal welfare issues, Ana began aligning her choices more closely with her values. Becoming a mother deepened that perspective and strengthened her belief that vulnerable beings deserve thoughtful protection.

She later participated in outreach efforts with Anonymous for the Voiceless and connected with others working to improve conditions for animals. Through these experiences, she became convinced that lasting progress requires stronger laws.

Ana believes the compassion many people feel for animals should be reflected not only in personal values, but also in public policy.

As co-founder of Humane Options New York, she works with advocates, citizens and policymakers to identify gaps in New York’s animal protection laws and support thoughtful legislative reforms. As a mother raising a daughter who also cares deeply about animals, she hopes to help build a more humane future for the next generation.

A quote: “Humane Options helps everyday people turn their concern for animals into meaningful policy change.”

Akhil is an Animal Rights activist from Buffalo NY, an animal lover and an AI Engineer by profession. Akhil has been advocating for animal rights for 4+ years in various forms like Cube of Truth, protests, writing to the law makers, street and online activism.