The Chicago Tribune shined the spotlight on the work of Cynthia Bathurst, a recipient of the American Veterinary Medical Association‘s 2009 Humane Award. in yesterday’s edition of the paper. The Birmingham, AL native currently serves as the head of Safe Humane Chicago, a “2-year-old effort to fight violence by promoting compassion for animals as well as people,” as reported by the Mobile Press-Register earlier today.

The program works with more than 60 area organizations, including schools and churches and community groups to help get a message of anti-violence out to residents in the city’s high-crime areas.

Bathurst has also been featured on the City of Chicago’s website and was a founder of D.A.W.G.