By Jordan Schaul | National Geographic | December 3, 2013

Renowned celebrity animal activists, the Barbi Twins tell me she is the “it” girl. I don’t know what that means, but I wanted to find out more about the Polish-born actress/model’s life off the runway and off the screen, including the Big Screen. After all, Joanna Krupa is one of the biggest celebrity animal activists...December 3, 2013

Renowned celebrity animal activists, the Barbi Twins tell me she is the “it” girl. I don’t know what that means, but I wanted to find out more about the Polish-born actress/model’s life off the runway and off the screen, including the Big Screen. After all, Joanna Krupa is one of the biggest celebrity animal activists on the planet.

In fact, she is considered to be PETA’s most successful model from their famed anti-fur campaigns, which have drawn worldwide acclaim over the years, making “fur-bearing” anything, but trendy on anything but animals.

Joanna also joined the Barbi Twins and other celebrities in supporting Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd (http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/05/19/the-sea-lebrities-are-supporting-captain-paul-watson/).

Joanna Krupa has been featured on Dancing with the Stars, Poland’s Next Top Model, not to mention other Primetime shows like CSI and Las Vegas. She currently stars on The Real Housewives of Miami.

Ms. Krupa is not just another model to emerge on the scene as a hardcore animal welfarist. She is an animal rescuer and started her own non-profit to help rescue the voiceless. She may be one of the most sought after models on the internet and frequently voted one of the sexiest models in the world, but she is grounded and dedicated, and like the Barbi Twins, she walks the walk.

On Thursday Dec. 10th, the supermodel will host an inaugural celebrity-packed fundraiser at the Beverly Wilshire to help Angels for Animals—her LA based, non-profit animal rescue organization.  The event is just over a week a way, but I got a chance to sit down with Joanna and learn about her advocacy work.

Skeptics might say that this is just another celebrity trying to make a name for herself by starting an animal charity, but Joanna, like the Barbi Twins, is the real deal. She and her friend—LA-based Gabi Gutierrez teamed up in the independent rescuing of companion animals in need and then as their passion and dedication started to pay off, decided to start their own animal rescue organization.

Interview:

Jordan: Can you tell us about your LA-based animal rescue organization and how you got started in advocacy?

Joanna: Gabi first became interested in rescuing animals when she was 15 and started volunteering at the Carson Animal Shelter. Seeing all the animals in need made her want to make a difference and help save them so over the course of a few years she quickly learned the ropes of what it takes to rescue animals . With the help of her great mentor and friend Randee Goldman she started learning the “ins” and “outs” of animal rescuing. She and I became friends during this time.

I was always a huge animal lover, but it wasn’t until 2005, when I saw a life-changing video of the fur trade and how innocent animals suffer. It was after that video that I essentially became an avid animal rights activist.

Jordan: I hear you also have a soft spot for wildlife. What is your favorite cause?

Joanna: I helped organized a protest against the Kardasian-owned Dash retail clothing store for their selling of a fur vests earlier this year, that turned out successful and they stopped selling fur!

Together Gabi, my partner in Angels for Animal Rescue, and I hope to make a difference in the lives of animals by saving them and by being their voice. We speak up for the voiceless. We save the forgotten who are left behind. I save those who are truly in need of rescuing. I am an animal rescuer.”

Jordan: Tell us about your upcoming event on behalf of companion animals?

Joanna: I hope everyone can make it to support my own animal rescue. There is no fee to get into the event, but we will be selling raffle tickets for those that are interested to win a pink sapphire necklace made especially for Angels for Animal Rescue. You can RSVP at angelsforanimalrescue@hotmail.com.

Dr. Jordan Schaul is an American zoologist, conservationist, journalist, and animal trainer based in Los Angeles, California.

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Jordan Carlton Schaul With training in wildlife ecology, conservation medicine and comparative psychology, Dr. Schaul's contributions to Nat Geo Voices have covered a range of environmental and social topics. He draws particular attention to the plight of imperiled species highlighting issues at the juncture or nexus of sorta situ wildlife conservation and applied animal welfare. Sorta situ conservation practices are comprised of scientific management and stewardship of animal populations ex situ (in captivity / 'in human care') and in situ (free-ranging / 'in nature'). He also has a background in behavior management and training of companion animals and captive wildlife, as well as conservation marketing and digital publicity. Jordan has shared interviews with colleagues and public figures, as well as editorial news content. In addition, he has posted narratives describing his own work, which include the following examples: • Restoration of wood bison to the Interior of Alaska while (While Animal Curator at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and courtesy professor at the University of Alaska) • Rehabilitation of orphaned sloth bears exploited for tourists in South Asia (While executive consultant 'in-residence' at the Agra Bear Rescue Center managed by Wildlife SOS) • Censusing small wild cat (e.g. ocelot and margay) populations in the montane cloud forests of Costa Rica for popular publications with 'The Cat Whisperer' Mieshelle Nagelschneider • Evaluating the impact of ecotourism on marine mammal population stability and welfare off the coast of Mexico's Sea of Cortez (With Boston University's marine science program) Jordan was a director on boards of non-profit wildlife conservation organizations serving nations in Africa, North and South America and Southeast Asia. He is also a consultant to a human-wildlife conflict mitigation organization in the Pacific Northwest. Following animal curatorships in Alaska and California, he served as a charter board member of a zoo advocacy and outreach organization and later as its executive director. Jordan was a member of the Communication and Education Commission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (CEC-IUCN) and the Bear Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (BSG-SSC-IUCN). He has served on the advisory council of the National Wildlife Humane Society and in service to the Bear Taxon Advisory Group of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA Bear TAG). In addition he was an ex officio member of council of the International Association for Bear Research and Management.