About

Gabriele Eimontaite

I've learned that I do a disservice to myself by wanting to contribute good to the world, and more particularly to animal rights causes, on however small a scale, and not allowing myself to do so out of worry that my contributions won’t be enough. As if any act of kindness, big or small, can ever be a waste. Jana Stanfield said it beautifully: “I cannot do all the good the world needs. But the world needs all the good I CAN do.” So what I can do is try. As I’ve struggled to figure out what I’d like to do with this current part of my life, I’ve started to think more about my calling. What do I enjoy? What can I do for a good part of my life, if not for my entire life, and get fulfillment from? In essence, what am I meant for?

For a while now, I’ve been very drawn to the idea of enjoying work. Steve Jobs has been quoted in saying, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” I think, generally, we all know this to be true. We would all prefer to do the things we love as a career.

I’ve always deeply loved animals, so much so that I’ve always said “I prefer animals to people,” a joke in part but deeply honest too. My childhood dog of 14 years taught me about the love and deep connection possible between living beings, whether grouped as humankind or animalkind. Love is love. And as a lot of writers say, the only subject is love. We write about love, sing about love, search for love, mourn love.

In March 2019, I lost my dog and best friend of 14 years. It was the first time I had experienced loss and a kind of grief I could have never imagined. In August 2021, I made one of the best decisions I’ve ever made: I adopted a 3 year old Jack Russell and Chihuahua mix from Cry For Help Animal Rescue. Gizmo, pictured above, is an incredibly gentle, affectionate, and gracious dog. He was surrendered by his owner, along with two other dogs, and left at a high-kill animal pound in Indiana. Jean, a Cry for Help Animal Rescue organizer, took him in as a foster, cared for him, and listed him for adoption. Now, he’s got me wrapped around his paw.

I aim to live compassionately, make choices that do not negatively impact other beings, and contribute whatever good I can to the lives of innocent animals, to whom we owe our deepest apologies. For me, living compassionately includes the rejection of animal exploitation. I no longer purchase animal leather, fur, or furthers, I choose cosmetics and household products that are not tested on animals, I do not support animals in entertainment (Sea World, zoos, circuses, etc), and I am recommitted to a vegan diet after 6 years as a vegetarian and an on/off vegan. Long term, I would love to begin my own animal rescue organization where I can more directly impact the lives of animals in need. Until then, I hope to make my impact by spreading awareness, rejecting animal exploitation (with the choices I make in food, clothing, and entertainment), volunteering at animal rescues and shelters, and donating to animal rights causes, my local rescue organizations, and urgent need animal rescue efforts. Learn more about my impact here.

This website is a space for me to spread awareness, share my thoughts, ask questions, and chronicle my own journey in living more compassionately. As I look inward, I invite you to do so as well so that our actions can become better aligned with our beliefs about justice. We can all move beyond a state of cognitive dissonance and become more honest with ourselves about how we contribute to the exploitation of animals so that we can then work together to reject animal exploitation and create an overall more compassionate world - for all beings.