Under her leadership, APNM spearheaded a successful drive to make extreme cruelty to animals in New Mexico a felony -- an important step in moving away from a utilitarian view of other creatures. This statute, and the coalition developed to pass it, also helped educate the public about the link between cruelty to animals and violence to humans: A warning sign of someone's potential for domestic abuse and other extreme anti-social behavior is often abuse of animals.

Jennings also led her organization to halt a proposed state-sponsored bison hunt, close down a substandard Forest Service-operated road-side zoo, expose illegalities and improprieties in the federal wildlife killing program known euphemistically as "Wildlife Services" (previously Animal Damage Control), begin limiting the number of cougars killed in New Mexico, and help close down the world's largest facility of incarcerated chimpanzees, who were used for vivisection.
Most recently, Jennings founded and leads Animal Protection Voters, which works to hold elected officials in New Mexico accountable for their votes that affect animals.

Over the years, Jennings has drawn inspiration from the wisdom of author and animal activist Alice Walker, who said, "The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites or women for men."

The Fund for Wild Nature is honored to award Elisabeth the 2003 Wild Nature Award.

To nominate someone for the Wild Nature Award please send us a letter about your candidate: FWN, PO Box 42523, Portland, OR 97242