Meet Amy Bassett | Co-Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amy Bassett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amy, what inspires you?
People often ask me what inspired me to start a non-profit canid education and conservation center. This is such a loaded question that I typically try to simplify; however the answer behind it could be made into a novel I just may write one day: How to live a life of peace and purpose, taught by The Dog. It truly all comes down to how inspired I am by my dogs and how much I have learned from them on how to live. From the puppy stage to late adulthood, our dogs teach us so much about how to live a life of peace and purpose. The puppy stage brings lessons on how to approach life with excitement and wonder. Be curious in your adventures in life and pursue them with passion. Seek relationships with the boldness that you are loved by all and explore every crevice in your environment. As the dog ages, wisdom brought about by experience is the force behind their teachings. The resilience and acceptance a dog has to adversity is something I rarely see in a human. Whatever life throws at them (abuse, neglect, pain, disease, trauma), they accept this reality and learn how to still be happy and peaceful. We have seen dogs from abuse that heal so quickly once in a loving family. Dogs after surgery so happy to be just home in our loving arms. So many lessons I can share about how we can become better humans by learning the lessons our dogs can share with us. This is one of the reasons I felt such a deep passion for starting a non-profit center dedicated to canids. While the center specializes in all canids, we believe that the lessons they can teach us can help heal the souls of so many humans. That is a mission that inspires me every day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Dave, the Co-Founder of the JABCECC grew up in a kennel and dog training facility owned and operated by Judi (his mother). I have always been a lover of dogs and while we only had one growing up, I knew I wanted dogs in my life as an adult. I embarked on my professional career and Dave and I brought a dog into our lives, a German Shepherd named Bart. This dog was amazing and became such a partner in my journey in life. We added another German Shepherd, Lola and she was the perfect addition to our family. Once Judi passed away, she left us a little bit of money and we decided to use that money to start a non-profit canid education and conservation center in her honor. This was something way outside my comfort zone. I had never started or ran a non-profit. I had never done fundraising, recruited volunteers, or physically built a center. I had no skills in event planning, social media, marketing or PR. I was and still remain a scientist. The one skill set or gift I have is my passion and perseverance. It is hard for me to let go of a dream or passion, especially when it involves saving the lives of animals or helping other people in need. I continue to sacrifice my time, needs, and money in order to obtain a way to save others and I do not give up easily. I think it is that resilience and strength that has allowed our center to grow and achieve so much in such a short period of time. Our center is about hope… it is about sharing… compassion… and grace… and the belief in the mission is the foundation for the work I put into the center every day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have always been a very active person who feels invigorated by being in nature. I would start the day with some coffee, grab a bite to eat and head out to explore a hike. I love hiking Iron Mountain or Mt Woodson. I also like hiking in Julian. We would spend the day hiking, followed by heading over to the coast for some happy hour and some yummy tapas.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
All of the dogs I have been honored to have a part of my family have inspired me to pursue a life of giving back, of healing people through the amazing bond we have with canids. Bart, Nutters, Betty, Archer have all passed and in their time with us have shown me how to live a life of grace. I want to share these beautiful lessons with others and allow them to heal their souls through the loving connection with canids. Of course, this adventure in giving back would not have been possible without David Bassett, my husband who is beside me, in front of me, and behind me as he is needed through my journey of discovery in life. Judy Bassett is the namesake of the center we started and her fight to see the light and love in every single dog has inspired me to share that fight with the world. I believe together, we can save the lives of so many canids through allowing them to save our souls.

Website: www.jabcecc.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jabcecc/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-bassett-0892542b/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoxesCupcakes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JABCECC
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/judith-a-bassett-canid-education-and-conservation-center-santa-ysabel
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcZE1ulqVTbRRQJUIfGqL5A/videos

Image Credits
Ted Walton Photography Buck The Cubical