Claudia T.

As a child living across from an Audubon preserve, Claudia was compelled to help the animals constantly harmed in an urban setting. As an adult, this became an even more urgent calling when the city became so flooded with residents and off-leash dogs, cars, and harassment. With no one to provide more than euthanasia, she chose to dedicate her life to rehabbing animals harmed by human activity. In 1978 she developed a rare auto-immune neuromuscular syndrome causing complete quadriplegia and was given 5 years to live. The unconditional love of the animals, and the observation of their extraordinary abilities has inspired Claudia to excel in science and medicine, arts and open a retail gallery with proceeds to endangered wildlife. She says that animals have saved her life, thus she saves theirs.