Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Ashe.
Alexandra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am 50% Doolittle and therefore connecting with animals is in my blood. Growing up, we always had a houseful of animals — they were family members. My interest for different species grew and expanded into reptiles in my early teens. I was obsessed! I had bearded dragons and iguanas… which were considered very exotic in rural Pennsylvania. This passion continued into my late teens, but by my early 20s, my active addiction had taken off. I am a recovering heroin addict. In 2012, I moved to Florida to get sober and was soon exposed to a world with more exotic animals and reptiles than I could ever imagine!
I soon acquired many different species, and people started giving me animals to rehab and rehome. In 2015, I launched a captive wildlife and exotic animal organization. It grew very large, very fast. I did everything from fur farm rescue of foxes to special needs conservation and education to permanent placement. I acquired my first kinkajou during this time and fell in love with the species. While caring for so many lives, I never took care of myself, and this led me to fall back into old habits. I relapsed. By the grace of God, in March of 2017, I was blessed with the opportunity to earn my life back — and I did.
I took a year away from the animal community and grew as a person. I learned that if I didn’t put myself first, I would be of no service to others. This was one of the more challenging yet rewarding times in my life. I wouldn’t change it for a thing — I am who I am today because of my past.
That year was not only a journey to a stronger well-being but the discovery for a need in the world. I was running into behavior obstacles with my male kinkajou and had no research to fall back on. Information was limited, I saw little stability for these animals, the community was small… and there are so many suffering in various ways. Kinkajous needed a voice. In March 2018, I launched Kinkatopia.
My Kinkatopia haven is home to 16 kinkajous, and I dedicate myself to giving these animals the best quality of life. Additionally, since inception, I’ve consulted in the permanent placement of over 55 kinkajous with various stories needing homes. The more people hear about Kinkatopia, the more cases are brought to my attention. It is a growing and constant battle to assure these animals a permanent, experienced quality of life.
I advocate against these ultimately wild animals being pets — most fall victim to the pet trade and endless cycles of rehoming and terrible conditions. In fact, I have found that only 10% to 15% remain in the homes they start out in. The odds are not in their favor. However, I communicate internationally with zoos, sanctuaries, aquariums, and private owners to ensure that captive kinkajous are receiving the best care possible. My organization publishes information to assure these animals have the best quality of life no matter where they are.
I don’t do this alone. Kinkatopia is a “WE” organization. I have an incredible board of directors and internationally-based volunteers who assist in the care of the animals and function of the nonprofit. I am mentored by some incredibly wise professionals and communicate regularly with vets and university professors. And most importantly, Kinkatopia is a community. I cannot do what I do without the support of our followers, our kinkajou family.
All these animals are given the chance to live two lives in one when they are influenced by Kinkatopia. For example, our ambassador, kinkajou Trashcan was found in a dumpster… now she is living her best life impacting the lives of everyone she meets including going viral on TikTok. This has opened up a platform for me to not only showcase the animals for smiles but to be transparent and normalize mental health obstacles such as addiction and OCD. Kinkatopia is an inclusive community and everyone is welcome.
The concept of a second life is so special to me because I have evolved into living the best version of myself with opportunity. I can relate to the kinkajous and the blessing of another chance. I literally live and breathe kinkajous — in addition to working a full-time career as an editorial manager for a financial advisory company, freelancing content for a recovery company, taking care of my health, enriching myself with other interests, and giving back to the world in other ways. I am a woman on a mission. Today, I am proud to call myself a sober woman in recovery and the CEO of an incredibly unique organization… I am the Mother of Kinkajous.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My mental health is a consistent struggle, but with the appropriate tools, it is manageable on a daily basis. I have to keep my recovery at the forefront of my mind in order to stay sober and achieve my goals.
Another obstacle is that kinkajous are an animal that many people don’t even know exists! This is a blessing and a curse for a couple of different reasons. My mission is to advise people against getting them as pets. This doesn’t mean that I think no one should own them. It means that very few people are equipped to do so. In my opinion, they are not pets. They are wild animals that someone chooses to coexist with, and they need to do so unconditionally. However, not many follow through with that. It is heartbreaking.
When it comes to bringing attention to Kinkatopia’s mission, I am making people aware of kinkajous. They think they are cute and want one. My inbox is full of messages asking me where and how to get a kinkajou. It hurts my soul to think that exposure to this cause needing assistance may also be adding to the problem.
Because my mission is so niche, it is also hard to get funding. I wholeheartedly know that there is a need for what my organization is doing. It’s proven in the numbers of the lives we are helping and amount of growth we have seen in only three years. I am grateful for the support we do have because they are literally carrying Kinkatopia and allowing me to follow my dream. Our main contributors are private donors — our social media supporters who I consider family.
My dream is to grow to be employed by Kinkatopia so I can focus on acquiring land and someday opening a nocturnal sanctuary that is open to the public. There are so many animals needing assistance and even though I consult on permanent placement, I am running out of options.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Kinkatopia is the only kinkajou-specific organization in the world! What is a kinkajou you may be asking? It is a nocturnal, rainforest mammal from South and Central America that gets into the U.S. and other parts of the world because of the pet trade. That is where Kinkatopia comes into play.
I am proud of growing this organization from the ground up after zeroing in on the need. Kinkajous are such an incredibly special species. I am also thrilled with the response we have had on social media. Kinkatopia has grown to have an international following which astounds me. The kinkajous here are literally bringing smiles to the world! I have met incredible people who have shared pieces of their stories with me. What a blessing. My organization has grown into more than its original intent — it has heart. A heart that I can share with the world and shine a little more light.
I am blessed to have an international group of people helping to bring all the pieces of Kinkatopia together! My newsletter staff is made up of amazing people from the Netherlands, Israel, and Florida. And my board of directors ranges from Texas to Delaware. It is literally beyond my wildest dreams. From our supporters to our staff… our Kinkatopia family is the lifeblood of the organization. I cannot do what I do without help from others.
I juggle a lot. My days are long — I wake up at 9 am and go to bed around 4 am. I put in an eight-hour day of work amidst cleaning cages, socializing the animals, executing admin work, running social media, feeding everyone, and keeping up with general operation of the sanctuary. In and around that, I produce content for the recovery company I work for and write a quarterly article for a local pet magazine.
We (I speak for me and the kinkajous) have had the opportunity to participate in some awesome media projects as well as be on the evening news. You can visit these here: https://www.kinkatopia.org/street-cred
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I am a proofreader and writer by profession, so I read and write everyday. All day. So when it comes time for pleasure (which is slim), I usually spend my time in nature or vegging in front of the TV. I keep saying that I need to get into podcasts or audiobooks, but I haven’t taken the plunge yet. I am a social media junkie so you will most often find me on TikTok. Here I am gathering ideas for content, producing media, and communicating with our followers.
Contact Info:
- Email: kinkatopia@gmail.com
- Website: kinkatopia.org, https://www.patreon.com/kinkatopia
- Instagram: instagram.com/kinkatopia
- Facebook: facebook.com/kinkatopia
- Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdMe6Uep/
Image Credits
Alexandra Ashe (credit for everything but what’s listed), Michael Klein (top left, single kinkajou, first submission), Aj’shailia Johnson (top right and second top left aka second and third submissions, rainbow in background and kinkajou in cat tree)
