Kristin Bauer Standing Up For Animals is in Her “True Blood”By Melissa Maroff

© Grace Chon / Shine Pet Photos

Growing up on a farm in Wisconsin, riding horses and shooting guns… Kristin Bauer never dreamed her path would lead to Hollywood, acting and animal activism… let alone playing a vampire on a hit TV series.

Part of the stellar ensemble of HBO’s True Blood, Kristin plays“Pam De Beaufort,” second in command to the head vampire and bouncer at the Fangtasia Bar. Her acting chops are evident as she transforms from her easy-going, real-life self into the blunt, unapologetic vampire with a morbid sense of humor (a rare quality in vampires), which makes her popular among True Blood devotees. “I used to watch HBO shows, which were my favorite, and think, I’d kill to be on a show like that. Now I get to be on a show like that…and kill,” she laughs.

Between dogs, cats, horses, her pet chicken on the farm, and pets throughout her adult life, Kristin says, “I was always around animals; I never not had animals living with me, not even for one week my entire life.” This is precisely why she feels at home with True Blood. “There are many dog lovers on the set who have brought their dogs, which I believe are mostly rescues,” she says. “I am so lucky to be included in this cast and to be part of such great writing , but dog friendly is the cherry on the sundae!”

Although never a hunter, Kristin had a penchant for shooting guns in her youth, with her favorite target: tin cans on the fence. Her father loved the Old West and was an avid gun collector, but also not a fan of hunting. In fact, Kristin relays the story of how he went hunting once in his life and shot a goose. He learned that geese mate for life when the mate of his target started circling around. “My Dad was 6’4 and a John Wayne type, but did all he could not to cry in front of the other men.” Needless to say he never went hunting again.

The Southern California climate led Kristin to LA in the early ‘90s after studying fine art on the East Coast. “I prepared for a life of ‘menial labor’ to support my art craft,” Kristin says, which led to a stint doing makeup on sets, which segued into acting. She went on to rack up a variety of film and TV roles including Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and a classic Seinfeld episode as “Gillian,” Jerry’s beautiful date with the “man hands.” She admits that “Pam” is her favorite role thus far. “I’ve had fun roles and great guest-starring roles, but those would end in a week. It’s great to do something you love and continue doing it,” she says. “I’m enjoying it; the network is enjoying it; the fans are enjoying it. It’s a trifecta that doesn’t always happen…an incredibly lucky thing.”

Kristin, who devotes a good portion of her time to animal advocacy, was elated to hear the news that the True Blood episode “Hitting The Ground,” which tackled the horrors of dog fighting, is nominated for the Humane Society’s 2011 Genesis Award for Best Dramatic Series.

“Dog fighting is such a horribly cruel, harsh world that I could not be more repulsed by, and I support organizations like Best Friends who work so beautifully for change, and have even taken in and are successfully rehabilitating Michael Vick’s severely abused dogs,” says Kristin. “I wasn't in the dog fighting scenes, so I read the script and then had to wait to see how it was filmed, and of course when it aired, was once again overwhelmed with how fortunate I am to be part of this group of people.”

She continues, “I don’t think entertainment and fiction need to have social constraints, and should be free to be entertaining, but this group always infuses an under layer that is ripe with thoughtfulness.”

In 1997, Kristin met actress Teri Austin, who runs the Amanda Foundation, a Los Angeles animal rescue. “Teri did an incredible job, so I started bringing my friends there and volunteering,” she says. “When you go to a shelter and see it with your own eyes, it changes you. Like with anything, the more you know, the more you evolve,” she says. “I saw cage after cage after cage filled with amazing, beautiful animals…puppies too…just sitting there due to no fault of their own, just because people move, get married, divorced or have a kid. They’re a symptom of a culture not paying attention,” she laments. Cruelty and suffering is unnecessary; that’s what’s so sad to me.”

“Rescue is an education process,” says Kristin, who always had cats as an adult and came upon her first rescue dog by chance. Her girlfriend worked at a vet’s office and told her about a dog they had in a cage for 9 months because the owners never returned. The big, white, shepherd-looking dog ended up going home with Kristin. The next dog she rescued was from a backyard breeder in a rough part of LA when she was on her way to the gym. “He had one Rottweiler puppy left that he was holding by the scruff of the neck and showing to a gang-looking guy,” Kristin says. “I literally ran over there and said I’d pay more for the dog.” After that she went to a Doberman rescue and adopted a year-old dog as a companion for her Rottweiler.

Kristin is currently proud guardian of two rescued dogs: Ozmand aka “Oz,” a yellow Lab she rescued from LA’s Forte Animal Rescue and Asher, a Rottweiler mix she saved from death row at the Carson shelter. Two 7-month old brother and sister kittens she took in as “bottle babies” round out the brood. She marvels at how her dog Asher had one day left at the shelter when she rescued him. “He was sitting in a cage with four other dogs, scared and underweight with scars down his back, but he was kind, gentle and I took him home and he was the easiest dog in the world,” she says. “I didn’t really have to train him. You show him something once and he learns.”

She never hesitates to extol the virtues of rescue. “No way that I could ever have purchased a dog as good as Asher. This is the most perfect dog. People think they research and know what they’re getting just because they go to a breeder, but just like with humans, you never know how they’ll turn out,” she notes. “Also, purebred dogs tend to have health problems. My purebred Rottie died of bone cancer, which is common in the breed, so I told myself I’d get mutts from then on. Mixed breed is no different than pure…dogs are dogs.”

Kristin offers this advice if you’re seeking a pet: “Go to a rescue, tell them about your life, your energy level, your personality, and they will find the perfect companion for you. It is so crucial to match your energy level with your new friend. Are you a couch potato? Maybe a bulldog type is for you (and not a puppy…they have lots of energy). Are you a marathon runner? Maybe a Staffie. Breed is not important; personality is…just like when looking for a mate!” Kristin adds, “And remember, none of us are pure breeds, so to be wonderful, your pet doesn't need to be either.”

Not long ago, Kristin found her wonderful mate in Abri van Straten, singer/guitarist for the South African rock group, The Lemmings. His music moved her so much; she was inspired to track him down. The feelings were mutual and they married. Abri, an animal lover as well, whom she says grew up with Staffordshire Terriers and thinks they’re the sweetest dogs in the world, doesn’t understand the fuss in the U.S. about Staffies (and pit bulls). She also notes how his life in South Africa with his dogs was much different because of all the land and space. “I asked him if he would have ever imagined sharing a bed in Los Angeles with an actress and four animals; he said never in a million years.”

Kristin, who’s been an artist since she was a teenager, started doing portraits of friends’ dogs that passed, which led to her donating to animal charity events and occasional commissioned works, with a percentage donated to rescue. She still does dog portraits when her schedule allows, and also did a pencil sketch of True Blood castmate, Alexander Skarsgard, that they both signed, and auctioned off to benefit the Amanda Foundation. Limited edition signed prints are available at truebloodnet.com.

Kristin’s advocacy/activism has included: participation in a pet store/puppy mill protest at Posh Puppy in Beverly Hills, work with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), including touring with her husband as ambassadors for their whale program with all proceeds from Abri’s song Voices going to the campaign. (A percentage of the proceeds from his solo album go to the campaign as well). Kristin also works with PCRM (Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine). She notes that PCRM got 95 percent of universities to stop animal testing. “They’re pretty incredible,” she says of the organization, which is campaigning for the Great Ape Protection Act to end painful, invasive and unnecessary experiments on chimpanzees. “It’s beyond silly and sad that we’re still doing experiments on our closest genetic relatives, which hasn’t yielded any advancements in decades,” Kristin explains. “Suffering is bad enough…but unnecessary suffering is the biggest tragedy.”

A vegetarian on and off for 15 years, Kristin says she doesn’t have a problem with people eating free-range meat because the animals have better lives than on factory farms. “Animals should be roaming around fields, not living an unnatural life in a pen where they are sad, sick and stressed,” she says. “There are two issues: how the animal lived and if you believe it’s OK to eat animals for food. I prefer not to eat animals, but it’s a personal choice…and in terms of how the animal lived, there is no argument…suffering is not OK.”

Says Kristin: “I hope for animals the same thing I hope for humans: that we can find a way to pay more attention to each other…to look and listen more…to stop and think who and what we are affecting when we shop for a car, a dog, a purse, a meal. Animals have thoughts, feelings, hungers, loves, hates, hopes…just like we do. I hope for animals that we can just be kinder…and I believe all we need to do is just pay more attention.” 

Season Four of HBO’s True Blood is scheduled to air in June.

For information and to help support Kristin and Abri’s animal causes, visit: www.kristinbauer.com and www.abrivanstraten.com, The van Stratens on Facebook and @BauervanStraten on Twitter

(Melissa Maroff is a Los Angeles-based writer and animal advocate.)