Meet Nicole Navarro | Non Profit Founder

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

Hi Nicole, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up on a thirty-acre horse farm in Western Pennsylvania just north of Pittsburgh. Growing up around animals both wild and domestic nurtured the already innate respect I had for them. Our next-door neighbor was the local wildlife rehabilitator for our county so more often than not, wild animals were being brought to our farm for the final stages of their rehab process before they were released. My childhood was definitely one that paved the way for where I would eventually end up starting my own non-profit sanctuary.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Pawistive Beginnings is the only non-profit fox sanctuary in Monroe County, Florida. We provide permanent care to foxes that have been saved from the ongoing fur trade in the United States and advocate on behalf of the millions of fur-bearing animals worldwide that are senselessly killed for their fur in the name of fashion each year.

Pawistive Beginnings was born in March of 2020 after I had spent three years volunteering at a facility that housed two rescued foxes in Key West, Florida. I became enamored with fox as a species and realized there was a need for qualified facilities to be able to care for these animals.

The most important thing that I want readers to know, is that fur farming is still an industry that is very much alive and well in the United States. Fur farms are hidden in rural areas, usually in states that border Canada. Although the exact number of fur farms in operation is not known (due to the USDA making those records private), the estimate is that roughly 350 fox and mink farms are active in the United States.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, my family has been my biggest source of emotional support since day one. Throughout my life they have always supported and encouraged me to follow my dreams. Growing up, my Grandfather, Pasquale Navarro, was a larger than life personality who was well-respected in the city of Pittsburgh. Although he was successful in business, he never let that success get the best of him and would fight for what was right and fair, even if it meant he was standing alone. My mother, Barbara Froelich, has stood beside me, even though the tough times, and always believed that one day I would find my purpose in life, and now that I have, she is still right beside me in my non-profit as she sits on the board of directors as Vice President.

Website: pawsitivebeginnings.org

Instagram: instagram.com/pawsitive_beginnings_inc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pawsitivebeginningsrescue

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pawsitivebeginningsinc