About Us

If you look, you will find them. My Mom, Kathe, and I would drive down Main Street in the historical Post Addition neighborhood of Battle Creek, Michigan, seeing dogs sitting hopelessly on the ends of chains attached to rickety wooden dog houses without even the basic comforts of straw insulation in the middle of winter. They sat staked to the ground as permanent lawn ornaments. But that was just our view from the comforts of our car seats. We chose to get “uncomfortable” in 2001, and do something about it.

In these underserved neighborhoods, dogs were just an extension of multiple struggles faced by their humans, and historically, no attention was given to them by anyone. They were disregarded, overlooked and labeled as “fighting” dogs, sitting on guard at “drug houses,” and “owned” by “unteachable” people. We wanted to help the humans and their dogs, and we refused to allow those negative perceptions to stop us. And so, All Species Kinship (A.S.K.) set out to break stereotypes and change lives.

A.S.K. was born in 2001, and promises were made to those dogs that we would make their lives better, always leaving them better than they were when found. We refused to let perfect get in the way of better. Conversations were nurtured with their caretakers, because you cannot help dogs without including their humans.

In 2003 A.S.K. was recognized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity, and services expanded to include both underserved dogs of Calhoun County, and also to other “under dogs” too, including farmed animals and wildlife throughout Michigan. A.S.K.’s dog outreach has since been replicated countless times throughout Michigan by other organizations who were inspired by our work.

Our Values

Over 20 years later and we haven’t just kept our promises to Battle Creek dogs, we have expanded our reach to Albion, and met countless grateful compassionate people along the way.

Kathe and I have traveled the streets with a committed, positive and non judgemental team of volunteers to save and transform the lives of all species of animals–from guinea pigs, cats, rats, coyotes, chickens, snapping turtles and countless others, while serving thousands of people since day one, and we are committed to continuing this tradition of proactive compassion so long as there is a need.

We are a vegan-operated nonprofit. We hope you’ll join us on our journey serving the disregarded families and animals of Michigan, and beyond.

If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.

Confucius

Sophia DiPietro Executive Director & cofounder

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