Few people realize the huge influence of the Victorian Age and Queen Victoria on our view and treatment of animals in Mississippi and across the United States. The Queen’s Critters: Victorian Era Influence on Mississippi Animals explains how Victorian reformers ushered in a new way of looking at animals as companions and not just as beasts of burden or commodities (without implying there is anything wrong with either of those services to humanity.)
As Queen Victoria, Andi will explain how the Queen’s love for animals and her royal support helped shape the domestic destiny of animals on both sides of the Atlantic and present a quick overview of the Victorian laws passed in England and review the history of our current laws that govern animal rights in MS.
She will introduce several species that were popular as pets in Victorian times and some additional species that are popular today, including a rabbit, a common rat, a working therapy dog, a talking bird, and two reptiles. This presentation of the history of animal welfare and advocacy from England to Mississippi is educational and fun and engages both adults and children in a positive look at life with animals in our state.
For over three decades, Andi Lehman has worked in the Midsouth to rescue and protect animals and to teach people about domestic, wild, and exotic creatures. She was a wildlife rehabilitator and speaker in MS for nearly twenty years before opening her own education company called Life with Animals which offers 36 entertaining programs for families of all ages. The Queen’s Critters: Victorian Era Influence on Mississippi Animals features Andi as Queen Victoria and several furry, scaled, or feathered friends! .
Andi has published multiple stories and articles, and most recently a children’s book entitled Saving Schmiddy. She also wrote the land-lease grant that established the Arkabutla Lake Wildlife and Rehabilitation Center just west of Hernando, and she regularly donates her work to support non-profits like Samaritan’s Purse and The Society of St. Andrew.
To learn more about Andi’s work with words and animals, visit AndiLehman.com.
