Read more: EU Making Animal Diets ‘Artificially Cheap’ With Subsidies, Report Finds

KlimaSeniorinnen (Swiss Elders for Climate Protection), a collective of around 2,500 Swiss women with an average age of 73, told the court that several of their basic human rights had been violated. For example, because older women are more likely to die during severe heat waves, the group argued that Switzerland has not done its share to mitigate global warming.

KlimaSeniorinnen spent several years unsuccessfully battling Swiss courts before escalating the case to the ECHR, found that the Swiss government had not prepared a suitable plan to cut emissions and that applicants had not had access to justice in national courts.

“This ruling is a landmark in the struggle for a liveable climate for everyone,” said Anne Mahrer, Co-President of the Swiss Senior Women for Climate Protection, in a release. “We have been fighting for climate justice for nine years with the support of Greenpeace.”

“After the Swiss courts refused to hear us, the ECHR has now confirmed that climate protection is a human right,” added Mahrer.

Read more: Switzerland Votes Against Ban On Factory Farming

ECHR rules that Swiss inaction on climate change breaches human rights

Two other climate cases were unsuccessfully brought to the ECHR – one by a group of 32 young Portuguese people against 32 European countries, and one by a French mayor against France. While cases are notably different, all three were based on the question of whether government inaction on climate change violates human rights. The ECHR also rejected four cases brought by individual applicants from the KlimaSeniorinnen.

The decision to hold the Swiss government accountable has been described as a historic one by many observers, and the ECHR, which refers to itself as “the conscience of Europe,” has still set a precedent for all 46 member states moving forward.

“The significance of this decision cannot be overestimated,” explained Cordelia Bähr, the lead lawyer for the Swiss Senior Women for Climate Protection.

“It will be of great importance for further climate lawsuits against states and companies worldwide and increase their chances of success. The judgment shows citizens, judges, and governments across Europe what is needed in terms of climate protection,” added Bähr.

Read more: I’m Taking The Government To Court Over Farmed Chickens – Here’s Why

The post Switzerland’s Inaction On Climate Crisis Breaches Human Rights, Says Landmark Court Case appeared first on Plant Based News.

The inaugural Vegan Animal Rights Conference (VARC) combines workshops and panels led by industry experts with networking opportunities and information on impactful advocacy. Taking place over two days, VARC has over 43 different sessions in total.

Read more: Vegan Women Summit Announces Celebrity Speakers and More for 2024

The event aims to unify and energize the vegan and animal rights movement by connecting activists of all kinds and fostering a sense of “shared purpose” through talks and activities.

The organizers say that VARC “promises to be an inspiring gathering, aiming to ignite new initiatives, strengthen ongoing efforts, and enhance the sense of community among advocates for animal rights and veganism in the UK.”

Speaking to Plant Based News (PBN) VARC Founder and Director Liz Flynn said: “The UK is a hive of animal rights and vegan advocacy, imagine what we could achieve with our own conference here, dedicated to looking at our unique challenges and opportunities.”

There are now approximately 2.5 million vegans in the UK, a 1.1 million person increase compared to 12 months ago. Meat consumption fell to record lows in 2023, and an increasing number of people are moving away from animal diets for their health, the planet, and the animals.

What is the Vegan Animal Rights Conference about?

Along with Flynn, VARC was co-founded by Emily Huang and Esther Salomon, who have collectively spent years within UK animal rights working on training and leadership development, direct action, strategizing, and mobilization in various parts of the movement.

Read more: Vegandale Is Coming To The UK – How To Get Tickets

The trio describes VARC as a strictly grassroots effort, involving many different people working in their free time to design and organize. In a statement on the event’s website, Flynn, Huang, and Salomon write: “Each of us believes that in order to achieve animal liberation, the movement needs many people working on a variety of different strategies.”

These different strategies include – and combine – both corporate campaigning and direct action, challenging laws and disrupting the food industry through alternative proteins. The organizers add that VARC welcomes both established strategies and “novel” ones.

“The strength of our movement lies in our diversity and unity. With VARC 2024, we aim to showcase the incredible range of voices and tactics within our community, demonstrating that there is not just one way to advocate for animal rights, but a multitude that can unite to form a powerful force for change,” explained Flynn.

VARC aims to ‘challenge, inspire, and educate’

The event will begin with a keynote speech titled “Lessons from 30 Years of Vegan Advocacy” by Generation Vegan’s Director of Communications Kate Fowler, while panel discussions range from “How We Can Use Science to Improve Public Support for Animal Freedom” to “Why We Need to Work Effectively With the Farming Community.”

“We’ve curated sessions that challenge, inspire, and educate. From undercover investigations to legal battles for animal rights, each session is a piece of the larger puzzle of advocacy. It’s about showing the multifaceted ways we can fight for change,” said Flynn.

Other speakers and discussion leaders include Plant Based Universities’ Regional Co-ordinator Alistair Stewart; Humane Society UK’s Senior Public Affairs Manager Amro Hussain; Animal Justice Project founder Claire Palmer; Animal Think Tank founder Laila Kassam; Viva!’s Head of Investigations Lex Rigby; and ALF founder Ronnie Lee.

For the full VARC agenda including timing, read on here.

Vegan Animal Rights Conference 2024: dates, location, tickets, and more

The inaugural VARC will take place at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel from April 13 – 14, 2024.

Ticket prices are tiered depending on income from GBP £89 per person up to £168. (There is also an option to donate an additional £10 plus fees to subsidize someone else’s entry.)

Read more: The UK Is About To Open Its ‘First Ever’ Vegan Theater

“VARC 2024 is more than an event; it’s a beacon for change in the animal rights and vegan community. We’re crafting a space where advocacy meets action, knowledge meets passion, and individuals become a movement,” added Flynn.

Find more information on the VARC website here and purchase tickets here.

The post A Major New Vegan Conference Is Coming To The UK – How To Get Tickets appeared first on Plant Based News.

A new investigation has shone fresh light on the reality of “free range” eggs in the UK. 

Vegan organization Animal Justice Project looked into a number of cage-free egg producing farms in the UK. The farms, which are RSPCA Assured and part of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA), are key suppliers to major supermarkets. 

Investigators described the findings as “deeply concerning.” Tens of thousands of hens were packed into dark barns and forced to live in “nightmare” conditions surrounded by bodies and skeletons of birds who had passed away. Photos and videos uncovered instances of bullying, including one hen being pecked to death on camera. Birds were seen bald and covered in blood, sporting injuries, and many were unable to access food and water.

Many birds were denied outdoor access, which goes against RSPCA guidelines. Drone footage acquired by the organization found that the birds were not let outside on any of the days that they filmed.

“What we uncovered at these three free-range egg farms was nothing short of a nightmare for these poor hens,” Tayana Simons, Campaigner at Animal Justice Project, told Plant Based News. “What we exposed is a stark reminder that assurance labels can be deceiving, and behind the façade of ‘cage-free’ lies a world of suffering for millions of hens.”

What is ‘free range’?

Free range is the name given to eggs that have come from hens who supposedly have access to the outside. Free range eggs make up around 60 percent of eggs sold in the UK, and people have long been prepared to pay extra for them to avoid supporting caged systems.

The UK public tends to free range eggs as an ethical animal product, as adverts and marketing often depicts birds out in large fields and breathing fresh air. The reality, though, is very different. 

Modern egg laying hens have been selectively bred to produce as many eggs as possible, and lay around 300 a year (in the natural world, they would lay around 12). This takes a huge toll on their bodies, and they often suffer from broken bones due to calcium deficiencies. When they stop producing eggs, they will be slaughtered.

The “free range” label just means that hens legally have to have access to the outdoors for some part of the day. Birds in this system will often spend the vast majority of their lives in huge barns with tends of thousands of other birds, with barely any room to move. While they should have access to the outside, they are often unable to make it to the door of the barn due to injuries or strict pecking orders in flocks. 

Free-range as a marketing tactic

As the Animal Justice Project investigation proves, even the minimal legal guidelines for free range eggs are often not met or enforced properly by farms. A report published last year found that less than three percent of UK animal farms are inspected each year, so breaches of minimal so-called “welfare guidance” are commonplace.

The investigation comes just months before all major UK supermarkets will make all their eggs cage-free. Under the “cage free commitment,” major retailers will only sell whole eggs that have come from free range farms. This move has, according to Animal Justice Project, been met with a surge of “high welfare” claims for eggs. 

Welfare labels like free-range, as well as Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured, are often used to convince customers that what they’re buying is ethical. But investigation after investigation shows that animals suffer hugely on farms run by these schemes.

“It’s time for the public to realise that these accreditations make no meaningful difference to the lives of animals who are farmed,” said Simons, “The only way to protect animals is to leave them off your plate.”

More like this:

• I’m Taking The Government To Court Over Farmed Chickens – Here’s Why
• The ‘Shocking’ Rise In US-Style Mega-Farms In The UK
• How Many Animals Are Killed For Food Everyday?

The post Think Free Range Eggs Are Ethical? Investigation Exposes Reality Of ‘Cage-Free’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

On Wednesday, March 27, the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters officially confirmed that a citizen-led petition to ban factory farms qualified for the ballot. Volunteers from the Coalition to End Factory Farming (CEFF) submitted over 37 thousand signatures earlier this month.

The Registrar of Voters will now deliver the initiative to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, which will then decide when it will actually go to a vote. The CEFF believes that this will likely be in November of this year. This means that Sonoma County will become the first in the nation to vote on such a ban, with potentially huge implications for the rest of the US.

The measure, if adopted, would impact around two dozen local agricultural businesses which are classed as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO), or factory farms, per federal guidelines. (The USDA defines a CAFO as confining more than 1,000 “animal units.”)

The proposed measure would also take into account the species of the confined animals, the duration of animals’ confinement, and how significant its pollution of the local environment, including where two or more operations could be together considered a CAFO.

Existing CAFOs would be required to register, and would have three years to phase out operations before facing increasingly severe financial penalties: USD $1,000 for the first day, $5,000 for the second, and $10,000 for the third and all subsequent days spent in violation.

The measure would also require a phase out process developed in collaboration with a California-based humane society or society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, along with a job-retraining program for CAFO workers created by the Agricultural Commissioner.

Why end factory farming?

CEFF is a coalition of over 30 organizations including various environmental advocacy and animal protection groups along with several small animal farms and even local businesses. They are as diverse as the Organic Consumers Association, Farm Sanctuary, the Food Animals Concerns Trust (FACT), and Direct Action Everywhere (DxE).

“Sonoma County is a beautiful place with strong values around protecting animals and the environment. Unfortunately, dozens of factory farms are operating counter to the public’s values,” DxE communications lead Cassie King told Plant Based News (PBN). “Now, ordinary people are uniting and utilizing a form of direct democracy to end factory farming in Sonoma County.”

Factory farming’s impact is felt far and wide. Extensive scientific studies combined with repeated undercover investigations depict the myriad of ways factory farming impacts the environment and wildlife, public health, and CAFO workers, as well as the animals themselves.

In fact, several years of factory farm investigations in Sonoma County specifically have exposed shocking cruelty, including three separate investigations (2014, 2019, and 2023) into the Reichardt Duck Farm in Petaluma which each found diseased and dying animals.

“Cheap food has come at the cost of our local economy and rural landscape,” said Roy Smith, operator of a Sonoma-based diverse animal farm and vocal supporter of the CEFF’s measure, in a release sent to PBN. “The first step in rebuilding our food system, and making family farms viable again, is to level the playing field.”

“There is no playing field for small farmers as long as CAFOs occupy it,” added Smith. “And they won’t leave without an eviction notice.”

More like this:

• How Many Animals Are Killed For Food Everyday?
• Amazon Rainforest Faces ‘Unprecedented Stresses’ As Tipping Points Near
• Antibiotic Overuse On UK Factory Farms ‘Could Kill Over 52,000 Humans By 2050’

The post ‘Groundbreaking’ Vote To Ban Factory Farming To Be Held In US County appeared first on Plant Based News.

On Thursday of this week, the Miami-Dade commission served eviction papers to The Dolphin Company (the park’s owner). The papers state that Miami Seaquarium must close by April 21. 

A letter sent to the company said that it had failed to “maintain animals in accordance with applicable law.” It was also accused of “violations of lessee’s contractual obligations to keep the property in a good state of repair.”

Established in 1955, Miami Seaquarium is one of the oldest marine parks in the US. It makes its money from captive animals, many of whom are forced to perform unnatural tricks for crowds of paying customers. 

Miami Seaquarium controversy

The news of closure comes after years of campaigning from animal rights groups. At least 120 whales and dolphins have died at Miami Seaquarium, and public opinion has been rapidly turning against the park in recent years. 

In November last year, a 30-year-old dolphin named Sundance died soon after a USDA inspection had noted they were suffering from “gastric stress.” Just weeks earlier, a dolphin had been found with a two inch nail in their throat. 

The death of Lolita

Miami Seaquarium’s most famous animal, an orca named Tokitae (also known as Lolita), died of a suspected renal condition in August last year. She had been captured from the ocean in 1970, and was sold to the park for $6,000. She spent 52 years in a small pool. A year before her death, she had been retired from performing, and activists had been working to secure her relocation to a sea pen. 

The park’s closure has been widely celebrated by animal groups. “The world watched as the Miami Seaquarium let the lone orca Lolita waste away and die, allowed animals to eat trash in crumbling enclosures, and ignored its attending veterinarian’s instructions until she finally resigned,” PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman told Plant Based News. “But now the world can cheer at the news that help is finally on the way for the long-suffering animals held captive there.

Reiman described the park’s closure as “long overdue,” and urged Miami-Dad County authorities to ensure that the animals are sent to “reputable facilities” to get care.

More like this:

• Amsterdam Zoo Should Become ‘Cultural Park For All,’ Animals Party Suggests
• Cape Town Residents Sent Home From Work Due To Smell From Live Export Ship
• Prisoners Could Be Served Deer Meat In The UK

The post Miami Seaquarium Ordered To Close After 120 Animal Deaths appeared first on Plant Based News.

The fake corpses of a dead cat and dog, and a real dead pig, hung from butcher’s hooks with a sign above them asking “Are you an animal lover?” The dog and cat were each labeled as “pet” and the pig was labeled as “animal.” The aim was to challenge perceptions of “food” animals as different from the animals we think of as pets.

Stopping at the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, and Parliament Square, the stunt provoked strong responses from members of the public, says Viva!. Some expressed their disgust, but others had long conversations with campaigners and decided to reduce their meat consumption. According to Viva!, one woman was so affected by the sight of the pig that she decided to go vegan then and there.

“Tens of millions of people in the UK eat factory farmed animals but very few are happy to look at them dead, see how they are farmed or witness how they are killed,” Viva! Campaigns’ Director and leading vegan advocate Juliet Gellatley said in a statement. “This stunt serves as a reminder that the beef burger you order or the bacon sandwich you cook isn’t a faceless ingredient; it comes from a living creature that experienced similar emotions to your beloved pets.”

Disparities in how we treat animals

As part of its new campaign, Viva! highlights how much consideration British people give to companion animals compared to farmed animals. Nearly £10 billion is spent each year on pampering and caring for dogs and cats, while pigs, chickens, and cows often live and die in terrible conditions. 

“As a society we treat cats and dogs as part of our families but see animals such as pigs, chickens and cows as commodities,” said Gellatley. “Pigs are sensitive, emotional and highly intelligent. The only distinction between a deceased pig and a deceased cat or dog is your perception. If the sight of a dead cat or dog disgusts you, that same sentiment should be applied when seeing a dead pig.” 

Drawing attention to factory farming

The majority of the billion animals killed for food in the UK each year spend their lives on factory farms. Their lives and deaths remain hidden from the public behind closed doors, with misleading marketing further obscuring the realities of the meat industry.

Viva! points out that most farmed pigs in the UK are killed by being stunned with gas before having their throats cut. The carbon dioxide used to knock them out them makes acid form on their eyes, nostrils, mouth and lungs, meaning the feel as if they’re burning from the inside out. In 2023, animal activist Joey Carbstrong released footage showing pigs gasping and in distress as they were gassed at a Pilgrim’s Pride slaughterhouse.

In June 2020, the European Food Safety Authority published a scientific opinion on the welfare of pigs at slaughter. “Exposure to CO2 at high concentrations is considered a serious welfare concern by the panel because it is highly aversive and causes pain, fear and respiratory distress,” it said.

“The abhorrent process of breeding and slaughtering sentient beings has no place in a civilised society,” said Gellatley. “How can we claim to be nation of animal lovers when we engage in such moral hypocrisy? It’s time we apply the same consideration to farmed animals, as we do our pets at home.”

New campaigning tactics

Yesterday’s stunt marks a new era of campaigning by Viva!, the charity said. It will start using more such provocative tactics to encourage people to go vegan. The group says that such tactics are becoming more necessary as factory farming continues to expand. 

Larger and more intensive animal farms are on the rise in the UK. The number of so-called mega-farms rose from 818 in 2016 to 944 in 2020 in England alone. The majority – 745 – are for chickens and other birds, while 199 hold pigs. 

Undercover investigations by groups including Viva! continue to reveal that even minimum legal animal welfare standards are often not being met in the UK’s factory farms. 

More like this:

• Joey Carbstrong Releases New Documentary ‘Pignorant’ – How To Watch It
• What Is ‘Red Tractor Assured’ Meat?
• ‘I’m 9 Months Pregnant And Was “Milked” In A Dairy Art Installation – Here’s Why’

The post Dead Animals Were Driven Through The Streets Of London – Here’s Why appeared first on Plant Based News.

Students at the Universities of Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Wageningen among others are now campaigning for their institutions to transition towards plant-based catering. 

Dutch health experts have shown their endorsement of the campaign by adding their names to an open letter coordinated by Plant-Based Universities. The letter has already been signed by more than 1200 academics, healthcare professionals, politicians, and public figures.

“Eating habits must change substantially in order to address the urgent societal challenges of personal, public and planetary health,” signatory Professor Pieter van ’t Veer, Chair of Nutrition, Public Health and Sustainability at Wageningen University, said in a statement. “Universities should be frontrunners in the dietary transition and showcase the possibilities of providing nutritious and sustainable plant-based foods.”

Time for change

The campaign has launched at a time when meat consumption in the Netherlands is declining. According to government data, Dutch people are eating less red and processed meat and more fruit, vegetables, and legumes.

Research by ProVeg in 2021 found that the Dutch were also eating more plant-based meat alternatives than other Europeans. The Health Council of the Netherlands recently recommended a shift to plant-based diets as better for the environment and people’s health.

At the same time, the country’s agricultural sector is in deep turmoil. Dutch farmers began protesting in 2022 after the government announced plans to cut nitrogen emissions from animal manure. The protests have continued since, spreading across Europe. Last week, farmers blockaded the Dutch-Belgian border partly in protest against European climate policies.

Part of the Dutch government’s plan to tackle nitrogen pollution involved paying farmers to reduce the number of animals they farm. More than half of the Netherlands’ agricultural emissions come from animal farming, with dairy alone contributing 36 percent. But most of the meat produced there is consumed abroad; the Netherlands is Europe’s largest meat exporter.

Working with farmers

Plant-Based Universities, which is part of Animal Rising, aims to work with farmers for a just transition away from animal farming.

“The recent farming protests across Europe, including the Netherlands, make it absolutely vital that we all work to engage in conversations – together – to create a society that is just and equitable, from farmers producing food right through to consumers,” Nathan McGovern, Plant-Based Universities Co-Founder, told Plant Based News. “We hope that the fact farming is centre stage in political discussion right now will enable productive co-creation of a safer, sustainable food system.”

Another initiative from Animal Rising members, “Vegans Support Farmers,” aims to work specifically on bridging the gap between vegans and farmers.

A growing movement

The new campaign in the Netherlands comes in the wake of several successes for Plant-Based Universities. Motions to make university catering plant-based have already passed in eight UK University Students’ Unions and one in Austria.

There are Plant-Based University campaigns also running at institutions in Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, and the US.

More like this:

• More Than 650 Academics Urge UK Universities To Go Plant-Based
• Agricultural College Shuts Down Veganuary Initiative After Pressure From Farmers
• World Health Organization Head Calls For Plant-Based Diet Shift

The post Plant-Based Universities Launches In The Netherlands appeared first on Plant Based News.

Before you consider helping sanctuaries, you should always make sure they are legitimate. Check out PETA’s guide on how to tell the difference between sanctuaries and zoos and other animal businesses here.

How to help your local sanctuary

Donate your time

The majority of animal sanctuaries have a relatively small core staff and are heavily dependent on volunteers donating their time and energy to keep things going. Jobs might include anything from feeding and grooming animals to mucking out stables or helping to organize open days, whatever needs doing at any given time.

It’s likely that the workload will be physically demanding but extremely rewarding, if the countless first-hand accounts of volunteers around the world are anything to go by. If you’re not able to help out in person, you could also volunteer any creativity or specialist skills you might have. (Think illustrating merchandise, taking photographs, that kind of thing.)

Donate your money

Most animal sanctuaries have a fundraising or donations page, and giving monthly or one-off donations make a huge difference to the day-to-day practicalities like purchasing food and paying bills. Some sanctuaries even offer the opportunity to sponsor a specific animal, or even provide gifts and perks for regular supporters such as magazines and updates.

Running an animal sanctuary is expensive work. Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary in Bristol costs approximately £650,000 GBP per year to run – that’s over £1,780 every single day. So when sanctuaries say that every penny donated makes a difference, they really mean it.

Donate resources

Sanctuaries and shelters may take physical donations, and often have specific lists of required items as well as goods they are unable to accept. (For example, many are unable to take opened or partially used bags of food or heavily used beds.) Sometimes shelters may put a specific call out for goods they require a lot of – such as blankets, towels, or toys.

There are also many everyday things that the majority of people – and particularly those with family animals – have in the house already. Cleaning products, detergent, and cleaning sprays are often welcomed, as are grooming supplies or lightly used colars, harnesses, and leads. The easiest way to donate is to contact your local sanctuary and see what they need.

Browse the store

Many animal sanctuaries and shelters may have a physical or online store where you can buy things like merchandise, postcards, guided visits, and even calendars. The online store is usually where you can find an option to sponsor a specific resident of the sanctuary, and some even have animal-specific wishlists for toys, bedding, or specialist foods. Many even have holidays-specific gift options, making them a great ethical choice for the friends and family you still need to find presents for. (Who wouldn’t want to adopt Blue the pig?)

Spread the word

Finally, whether you’re able to donate in other ways or not, simply spreading the word online and offline is a really simple, free way to signal boost individual sanctuaries and the work they’re doing. Some may also have specific animals or causes they are seeking to promote, so again it’s worth checking out your local sanctuary and seeing what they need right now.

Below, we have mentioned just a small selection of sanctuaries to support in the UK and US. Please note: this is far from an exhaustive list. We wish we could mention every sanctuary doing amazing work. Please do your own research to find animal sanctuaries close to you.

Animal sanctuaries to support in the UK and Ireland

Pear Tree Farm

Based in Somerset, Pear Tree Farm was started in 2018 after the owners welcome three pigs (who were booked into a slaughterhouse) into their home. The sanctuary is now home to a wide range of animals, including horses, pigs, and chickens. “Love, compassion and understanding is at the heart of everything we do,” the sanctuary states on its website. “We believe that every life is of equal value.”

Learn more about Pear Tree Farm here.

Dean Farm Trust

Dean Farm Trust is an animal sanctuary based in Chepstow, Wales, and is now how to over 200 rescued animals, including miniature Shetland ponies, donkeys, pigs, sheeps, and chickens. Dean Farm has been at its current 62-acre home since 2016, and is currently fundraising to try and stay open through the coming winter months. “Every penny helps, no matter how small please come together as a community to help our residents,” says the Dean Farm Team.

Learn more about Dean Farm Trust here.

Friend Farm Animal Sanctuary

Kent’s Friend Farm Animal Sanctuary has rescued approximately 3,000 animals since its foundation in 1994, nearly 30 years ago. Friend Farm says that its “mission” is to offer a “lifelong, no-kill, free-roaming, safe-haven, forever home to unwanted, neglected and abused non-human animals, while educating about animals, veganism and ecological sustainability.”

Learn more about Friend Farm Animal Sanctuary here.

Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary

Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary is based in Bristol, and provides “shelter from harm and the promise of a brighter future” to dogs, cats, and sometimes smaller furry animals like rabbits. First registered as a charity in 1982, Holly Hedge has changed a lot over the years and is now based in an up-to-date network of kennels that were modernized thanks to its many supporters and donations. Holly Hedge takes as many “death row dogs” from council run dog pounds as possible, and works to place them in forever homes with new families.

Learn more about Holly Hedge here.

Eden Farmed Animal Sanctuary

Eden Farmed Animal Sanctuary is actually located in the Republic of Ireland in County Meath. It’s self-described as a “vegan home where farmed animals who have been rescued from the animal use industries are given sanctuary for life.” Eden was founded in 2008 with two orphaned lambs, and exists today as an animal sanctuary with an explicit dedication both veganism and animal rights and the motto “liberty, equality, veganism.”

Learn more about Eden Farmed Animal Sanctuary here.

Hillside Animal Sanctuary

Norfolk’s Hillside Animal Sanctuary has been campaigning for animals since 1995, and has been home to approximately 2500 horses, ponies, and donkeys, along with many residents rescued from the farming industry. The sanctuary is currently home to over 4000 animals, and offers a variety of different support and donation options via its shop. (Did you know you can feed a rescued dog at Hillside for a week for just £10?)

Learn more about Hillside Animal Sanctuary here.

Animal sanctuaries to support in the US

Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 with a goal of combating factory farming, advocating for institutional reforms, encouraging awareness of farm animals, and promoting the benefits of plant-based living. Based across two locations – Los Angeles, CA, and Watkins Glen, NY – Farm Sanctuary is home to over 600 rescued animals, who the nonprofit says are “ambassadors, representing the billions of farm animals currently in the system.”

Learn more about Farm Sanctuary here.

Rowdy Girl Sanctuary

Rowdy Girl Sanctuary had a notable start when newly vegan Renee King-Sonnen managed to fundraise $36,000 USD, enough to purchase her rancher husband’s beef cattle. The Waelder, Texas-based sanctuary cares for approximately 80 animals at any given time, which requires specialist equipment and constant upkeep. Some of the basics listed by Rowdy Girl Sanctuary include enclosures, fencing, other infrastructure, tools, and large farm equipment, along with staples like food, water, and veterinary care.

Learn more about Rowdy Girl Sanctuary here.

Catskilll Animal Sanctuary

The Catskill Animal Sanctuary is based on a 150-acre piece of land in New York’s Hudson Valley and is home hundreds of rescued farm animals of various different species. (You can meet the residents of Catskill Sanctuary here.) The charity also carries out signature Humane Education programs to help inform about the realities of animal farming and the unique individual personalities of each CA Sanctuary resident.

Learn more about Catskill Animal Sanctuary here.

The Gentle Barn

Spread across three sites – Santa Clarita, CA; Nashville, Tennessee; and St Louis, Missouri – The Gentle Barn is currently home to nearly 200 animals. According to founder Ellie Laks and co-founder Jay Weiner it has saved thousands of animals and hosted over 900,000 people since its humble beginnings in 1999. The Gentle Barn offers tours, field trips, and special events where visitors can interact with and learn about each individual sanctuary resident.

Learn more about The Gentle Barn here.

Pigs Peace Sanctuary

Located just north of Seattle, Washington, Pigs Peace Sanctuary is dedicated to providing a home for “unwanted, abused, or neglected animals in need.” All of the pigs who call the sanctuary home are able to roam freely, choosing where they sleep, graze, and root. Some pigs get up early, some choose to sleep in, and all of the pigs are free to form the friendships and social groups that they are denied within animal agriculture.

Learn more about Pigs Peace Sanctuary here.

More like this:

• Why This Texas Beef Cattle Ranch Transformed Into A Vegan Sanctuary
• Record-Breaking Vegan Runner To Run 500 Miles For Animal Sanctuary
• Why This Dorset Dairy Farmer Gave His Cows To A Sanctuary

The post Animal Sanctuaries Need You This Winter – Here’s How To Help appeared first on Plant Based News.

Co-founded by Sarah Foy, Tom Gardener, and Kerri Waters, Vegans Support Farmers (VSF) backs a farmer-led transformation of the food system. The project will also fundraise to support the mental health of farmers. Suicide rates in the agricultural sector are particularly high, and the broken food system is to blame, says VSF.

“We realised that farmers and vegans have many more things in common than divide us – a need for a sustainable future for the next generation,” Waters told Plant Based News. “As vegans, we oppose injustice against all living beings, including farmers, because it is the right thing to do … It is time the movement matured to a level where we can have honest and humble conversations with farmers.”

The project aims to achieve three goals. First, a fair price for farmers from retailers. Second, for the government to boost home-grown produce and move away from importing cheap food. Third, to make farmers’ voices heard in policymaking above those of retailers and agribusinesses.

Finding common ground

Vegans and farmers are often pitted against each other in the news and on social media. Not only does promoting animal rights bring vegans into conflict with animal farmers, so too does supporting a shift to plant-based diets on environmental grounds.

English councils adopting motions to make make council catering plant-based, for example, have been interpreted as an attack on farmers.

Animal Rising received some backlash on social media after announcing the initiative, with many questioning its support of those perpetuating the very animal food system that veganism stands against. But VSF says it wants to help vegans and farmers move past unconstructive arguments. “We are unapologetically clear and honest that our vision of a just and sustainable food system is fully plant-based,” said Waters. “But if we are ever going to make any real changes it must be done with the involvement of farmers and the knowledge they carry.”

The idea for VSF came out of Animal Rising’s efforts to build relationships with the farming community. Animal Rising supported farmers at Save British Farming rallies in December 2021. In 2022, Animal Rising toured farms and animal auction houses to explain its blockades of Muller and Arla milk depots.

Over the past year, Animal Rising volunteers have been trained up to visit animal auction houses to help establish a dialogue with farmers.

“A just transition must take place in collaboration, not in defiance, of the community which needs to change otherwise the result will be resistance and individuals who suffer,” said Waters.

A broken system

Current farming practices are having a devastating effect on animals the environment. In the UK, the number of factory farms has risen by a quarter since 2011. Serious incidents of water pollution have been traced to such farms, which also feed animals on imported crops linked to deforestation in the Amazon.

The proliferation of intensive poultry farms has also helped to spread and make more deadly avian flu. Britain’s wild birds have been ravaged by the virus in the past few years.

The 2023 State of Nature Report found that nearly one in six species in the UK are at risk of extinction – and intensive farming is the main culprit. This is not just from animal agriculture itself, but also growing crops using pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Growing feed for animals helps drive these harmful practices, and 40 percent of the UK’s most productive agricultural land is used to grow for this purpose. Increasingly in the UK, crops are farmed intensively to feed the biofuel industry.

But overlapping environmental, financial, and political crises are also hammering food production, says VSF. Imports of cheap food and the concentration of food production in the hands of large agribusinesses leave smaller farms struggling to compete. Costs for farmers have been rising due to the war in Ukraine, while Brexit and the fallout from Covid have led to labor shortages.

Extreme weather caused by the climate crisis is making matters worse. There have been warnings that vegetables such as potatoes and broccoli will be in short supply this Christmas due to a series of significant storms. 

Working together

“Our goals are ones that we know both farmers and vegans can align with,” said Waters. “A fairer price for farmers, growing more food and importing less, and listening to farmers instead of corporations.”

VSF plans to attend 50 farming and vegan events across 2024 to discuss the crisis in British farming with as many people as possible. Though not all farmers want to engage with VSF or Animal Rising, Waters says the majority they speak to “appreciate” their support.

“[W]e stand the best chance of fixing our broken food system if we work together,” she said.

More like this:

• WATCH: 5 Times Dairy Farmers Went Vegan
• Vegan Food Should Be Cheaper And More Accessible, Say UK Climate Advisers
• New Investigation Warns Of Factory Farming’s ‘Silent Takeover’ In UK Dairy

The post Vegans Support Farmers In New Animal Rising Project appeared first on Plant Based News.

Three women were “milked” in their underwear in close-to-freezing temperatures while holding signs reading “milk is not humane.” The installation came just a few weeks after a similar demonstration in London. It was organized by Stephanie Lane, the founder of vegan organization SPECIESISM.WTF. One of the women taking part, 34-year-old Ashleigh Tasker, a hairdresser from York, was nine months pregnant with her first baby. 

“Seeing myself and two other brave women, on a cold day in Liverpool, shackled, beaten, bloody and filthy, one of whom is pregnant, can hopefully make an audience feel shocked, confused, intrigued and hopefully disgusted,” she tells Plant Based News (PBN). “Once they make the connection to what they’re seeing and the dairy industry I want them to feel enlightened and changed. My pregnancy, especially the visual aspect of my nine month round belly, has the power to help bring about this change.”

The dairy industry harms mothers

While the significance of her presence may not be apparent to some, the dairy industry makes its money through exploiting the female reproductive system. “Dairy cows” are forcibly impregnated once a year via artificial insemination, and each time suffer the trauma of having their baby taken from them so humans can take their milk. 

“I felt vulnerable yet empowered and kept my motivation at the forefront of my mind the entire time – to be a voice for the voiceless, for the mothers whose bodies aren’t their own and whose children are stolen and killed.”

Dairy is often viewed through rose tinted glasses in the UK. Society, storybooks, and the dairy industry itself all perpetuate the idea that cows produce milk because they’re cows, not because they’re mothers, and that friendly farmers are doing them a favor by relieving them of it. Many people therefore believe dairy to be a more ethical product than meat, and vegetarianism to be a kind dietary choice. 

“I remember once saying to one of my colleagues, who is vegan, that I’d made the decision to stop eating meat but didn’t think I could be vegan as I love cows’ milk too much,” says Tasker. “I have now been vegan for four years. After doing more research into factory farming, seeing documentaries such as Dominion, my eyes were opened to the atrocities dairy cows are subjected to every day.”

The fate of “dairy cows”

Cows used in the dairy industry have been selectively bred to produce around 4.5x the amount of milk they naturally would. This takes a huge toll on their bodies, and they often suffer from mastitis (a painful udder inflammation) as a result. 

Lameness is also very common on dairy farms. It’s thought that around 30 percent of cows suffer from it. Lameness refers to a reduced ability to use limbs. Cows may develop the condition because of injury, ineffective hoof trimming, or infectious disease. Most commonly, though, it arises because they are forced to stand on hard surfaces for long periods while being milked. 

To prevent them from falling over, cows often have their legs shackled together. Workers have been regularly documented hitting and beating cows who are struggling to walk. When cows become too injured or stop producing enough milk, they are sent to the slaughterhouse. 

A recent investigation into a Red Tractor-approved UK dairy farm found dead cows “eaten to the bone” and a catalogue of other “horrific” abuses. In footage recorded by animal advocacy organization Viva!, cows were subjected to “extreme” rough handling, dead animals were left outside, and calves were taken from their mothers less than 12 hours after being born. In one piece of footage, a cow was hit more than 55 times in seven minutes.

Raising awareness of dairy through art

This is the first time Tasker has taken part in this installation, but it was previously done outside the Tate in London in October. “My husband, Calvin, had the privilege of photographing one of the installations at the Tate in London and the art he captured was so striking and thought provoking,” she says. “I imagined how Stephanie could use my pregnancy in her art to further reflect the dairy industry’s treatment of mothers.”

“Our aim is to accelerate the aims of the animal rights movement by leveraging the wide acceptance of the arts by the masses, and instill the critical animal rights messaging, normalising a world free of nonhuman animal exploitation,” Lane tells PBN. “The arts have been instrumental to change throughout history in all social justice movements, and never before has it been more critical to use this incredibly powerful vessel for change to educate the public on speciesism and the impact our choices we humans have on the lives of trillions of nonhuman animals per year globally.”

The other women who took part in the latest installation were Liverpool-based activist Rayner Croft and actor Antonia Whillans, who previously starred in a vegan advert from Viva!. Activist Susan Clarke played the role of a “farmer” and used a megaphone to inform passersby about the reality of the industry. “This is Veganism through Art. It is inspirational,” Clarke says. “The art world is open minded and ready to consider the meaning of a piece of art and what the artist is trying to portray, and because of this it is incredibly powerful and effective in reaching people with animal rights messaging.’ “

As well as the installations, SPECIESISM.WTF organizes anti-dairy billboards depicting similar images of women being milked. The next one is set to be erected in Liverpool on December 18.

Find out how you can support the campaigns on the SPECIESISM.WTF here. 

More like this:

• Person Shouting ‘Help’ Was Actually A Dairy Goat Crying Out For Her Babies
• Queen Latifah Takes Aim At ‘Milk Shaming’ In Dairy-Funded Advert
• ‘Cheese Paradox’: Why Some Vegetarians Are ‘Disgusted’ By Milk But Eat Dairy

The post ‘I’m 9 Months Pregnant And Was “Milked” In A Dairy Art Installation – Here’s Why’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

More than 500 rescued animals live at Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary (THS) in Essex, founded by vegan runner Fiona Oakes in 1993. A world record-holding distance runner, Oakes picked 500 miles to represent the number of mouths that need feeding everyday at the sanctuary.

“The Sanctuary was borne out of a need to find a safe haven for the animals I already had in my care,” Oakes tells Plant Based News. “But when I had my own land I was given the potential to be able to rescue animals from the farming industry – pigs, sheep, cattle, turkeys, chickens etc. From there things have just grown and grown. Sadly, the demand for safety and sanctuary is still massive and sadly, in the scheme of such demand, we can only facilitate the rescue of a very few of those beautiful souls.”  

A Christmas tradition

Oakes uses Christmas as a time to raise much needed funds for the sanctuary. Last year she ran 52 miles on Christmas Eve. This year, she decided to up the ante and run every day of December. She will cover around 20 miles a day to reach her 500 mile target and has just passed the 100 mile mark.

The fundraising goal is £5,800, and is already more than halfway there. Oakes decided on the goal after Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay’s recent completion of a 100 mile ultramarathon to raise money for Children in Need. Kay raised £5.8 million, so Oakes chose to aim for a modest 0.1 percent of that.

She has called her challenge “Miles for Mouths and Smiles” because she not only wants to feed her rescued animals, but also spread a little joy.

“I am doing a lot of my running in various seasonal themed outfits,” she says, to give onlookers a smile. These include an elf, a snowman, and a cow.

World champion

For most people, running 20 miles a day would be pretty big challenge. But Oakes already holds four Guinness World Records for marathon running. These include fastest female to complete a marathon on each continent including at the North Pole, and fastest to complete a marathon in an animal costume (as a cow). She has also completed “the toughest footrace on Earth” – the Marathon Des Sables – three times.

Oakes started running after she set up the sanctuary. “After starting the Sanctuary I soon realised just offering refuge to a very few animals was not enough. I wanted to do something which might stem the flow of the need for Sanctuaries – i.e. to promote a vegan world where animals were not bred for food or other exploitative agendas,” she says.

At the time, champion long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe was gaining a lot of media attention for winning marathons. Oakes was inspired to try running herself. This was despite having had her right knee cap removed as a teenager due to the discovery of a tumor.

Lifelong vegan

“I just thought if I could compete in, and hopefully complete, a Marathon it would be all the definitive proof anyone would need to see that a long term, vegan diet was not prohibitive to anything – let alone the most extreme of endurance events,” says Oakes. Now in her 50s, she has been a vegan since she was a child. In 2004 she co-founded Vegan Runners.

Of her current challenge, she acknowledges it will be tough to complete. Not just mentally, but “logistically,” she says, as running 20 miles a day “is a large commitment no matter what your experience.”

But she believes, “If there is a will, there usually is a way. And my will has always been focussed on the creation of a better, more positive and fairer world for all. With peace on your plate, love in your heart, empathy in your soul and justice in your mind there are no limits to the environment we can create together, for each other and the animals.”

You can donate to Miles for Mouths and Smiles here.

More like this:

• Vegan Runner Fiona Oakes Wins Stage In Extreme 250km Race
• ‘Age Is Not A Limit’: Vegan Athlete, 66, Secures 1st Place In 48-Hour Ultramarathon
• Vegan Documentary ‘Running For Good’ Launches Globally

The post Record-Breaking Vegan Runner To Run 500 Miles For Animal Sanctuary appeared first on Plant Based News.

In a letter sent to the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), signatories called on the government to increase enclosure sizes for snakes. Currently, snakes are the only animal in the country who are not legally required to stretch while kept captive. This goes against a huge body of scientific evidence that these conditions significantly impact their physical and psychological well-being.

Edie Bowles from law firm Advocates for Animals wrote the letter, which was sent on behalf of PETA, Born Free, Animal Protection Agency, Freedom for Animals, and World Animal Protection.

“Failing to provide a snake with an enclosure that provides them the ability to fully stretch in all dimensions could constitute a breach under the Animal Welfare Act 2006,” Bowles tells Plant Based News (PBN). “Defra appears to be increasingly blatant in its preference to favour the pet industry and disregards any scientific evidence that counters those interests.”

But how has this been allowed to happen? And Why isn’t Defra doing anything about it? Here’s everything you need to know about the situation facing snakes in England, the government’s apparent disregard for science, and the reasons why snakes should never be kept as “pets”.

‘Pet’ snakes in the England

There are around 400,000 snakes being kept as “pets” in the UK. Many of these snakes are kept in glass enclosures that don’t allow them to fully stretch their bodies. Experts have long argued that snakes need to stretch out just as much as any other animal, and that their conditions have a significant impact on their welfare. Currently, Defra guidelines state that cages two thirds of the length of their body is an adequate length for the case. 

Dr Clifford Warwick, a consultant biologist and medical scientist, is one of the scientific advisors who has told Defra that snakes must be able to stretch. He has written 100 scientific books and articles on snakes.

“There is very little scientific evidence that dogs need to be able to stretch, because it’s obvious,” he tells PBN. “The same for cats, the same for birds. It’s implicit, and it’s common sense, and it’s right. With snakes we have a whole raft of papers, dozens, for peer reviewed scientific reports published in high quality journals that shows snakes must be able to stretch.”

According to Dr Warwick, snakes in these conditions are susceptible to conditions like muscle cramping, arthritis, digestive disorders, and psychological stress. Research has found that around 22 physical, and 20 psychological, conditions are caused by the cages. 

“No other species, no other animals, have that much scientific evidence that they need to stretch,” says Dr Warwick. “And Defra has not only ignored that for five years, but it has left in place the provision that causes all that harm.”

Defra ignores advice

According to Dr Warwick, Defra had initially planned to make it a requirement that snakes must be able to stretch. After a letter from the pet industry, however, the department is said to have changed its guidelines. 

Following pressure from PETA, Defra subsequently commissioned a review of its guidance. Dr Warwick was one of the scientists who took part in the consultation. The pet industry was also allowed in. Despite the pet industry’s presence, the findings of the report concluded that snakes must be able to stretch. Defra has yet to act on the report findings, however, and has been accused of ignoring scientific advice and acting in favor of the pet industry. 

“Defra increasingly appears to demonstrate a preference for evidence provided by the pet industry, while overlooking or dismissing evidence from independent bodies that counter industry interests,” the letter from Advocates for Animals states. 

PBN contacted Defra for comment. A spokesperson said: “We are carefully considering the recommendations in the Animal Welfare Committee’s Opinion paper on the housing of snakes.

“The wide diversity of snakes in the pet trade is associated with a range of natural behaviours and therefore welfare requirements. This creates a complex picture when defining snake selling requirements. We are considering our next steps.”

What impact would increasing space have?

While England has not updated its guidance, neighboring Wales does permit snakes to be able to stretch their bodies. According to Dr Warwick, this hasn’t had a huge impact on the pet trade. 

“The Welsh government has stated that compliance has been good, pet shops have actually accepted this. Larger tanks, and smaller animals to go in them. Not a problem,” he says. “There have been few complaints, and a lot of the bigger producers of snakes do actually use conditions that would comply with this.”

Should snakes be kept as ‘pets’ at all?

While it’s undeniable that an increase in enclosure size is essential to improve their wellbeing in the short term, this does not mean that “pet” snakes would have anything remotely resembling high welfare in larger cages. Dr Warwick, alongside many other experts and animal groups, does not believe that snakes should be kept as companion animals at all. 

“They’re simply not adapted to captivity,” he says. “They are wild animals and they have wild animal needs. They’re incarcerated. They’re prisoners. They’re in many cases taken straight from the wild and then thrust through the horrendous system that is the pet trade.”

PETA, which is calling for the government to increase cage size, does not see this proposed legislation as an end goal. In the long-term, the organization wants to see an end to wild animals kept as pets. 

“In even the best cases – in which people have some understanding of these animals and their needs – a domestic environment can never meet their most basic needs or provide any semblance of a real or pleasant life,” Elisa Allen, vice president of programmes, tells PBN.  ”A ban that prevents people from keeping wild animals in a domestic environment, where they don’t belong or thrive, is long overdue. In the meantime, the least we can do for snakes is make their miserable lives in captivity slightly less so by ensuring, at a minimum, they can stretch to their full body length in a sufficiently large enclosure.”  

As well as the huge impact being kept in their permanent enclosures has on snakes, they are also subjected to brutal conditions prior to being sold. Many are kept in small tupperware-style boxes while being transported to the pet shop, and they can also be kept in a box at the back of the shop for up to three months after arriving. “No animals should be in substandard conditions for more than 24 hours, that I think is a long time, but done in the spirit of trying to be as pragmatic as possible,” says Warwick.

‘Escape artists’

In the summer of 2023, it was reported that snakes across the country had been escaping their enclosures during the hot weather. At the time, the RSPCA issued a warning that the heat was making them eager to ​​“escape a lot more”.

Like they do with most animals, humans have shown time and time again that they appear to underestimate snakes’ sentience and abilities. Snakes want to escape because of the huge psychological and physical impact their cages have on them, and they are successful because they’re intelligent.

“Snakes are famous escapologists, they have many ways of getting out,” says Warwick. “It’s not just a case of pushing on a lid until it opens, they will actually try and work it out… They want out of that entire life. They want to get back to the life that they should be living.”

If you want to join the campaign urging the government to increase the cage size for “pet” snakes in England, find out how to send Defra a message here. 

More like this:

• UK Issues ‘Snake Warning’ – Here’s Why They Should Never Be ‘Pets’
• ‘A Historic Move’: Moulin Rouge Ends Live Animal Performances After 134 Years
• ‘I’ve Tried To Be Polite’: Chris Packham Slams Ant And Dec Over ‘I’m A Celeb’ Animal Use

The post ‘They’re Prisoners’: Why The UK Government May Face Legal Action Over ‘Pet’ Snakes appeared first on Plant Based News.

Earlier this month, Hsiung was found guilty of felony conspiracy and misdemeanor trespass. He faced up to three-and-a-half years in prison for his role in liberating 70 birds – 32 ducks and 38 chickens – from two farms in Sonoma County.

In the trial, Hsiung used the “necessity defense” to argue that rescuing animals in situations of suffering is a legal right. He was also blocked from speaking about the conditions of the animals at the farms.

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) after the sentencing, DxE wrote “Judge Laura Passaglia also ordered that Wayne have NO CONTACT with the other named ‘co-conspirators’ including several of his closest friends…Wayne and other DxE activists took action to aid animals directly as a last resort after county authorities ignored repeated reports with evidence of criminal animal cruelty at these factory farms. Despite continued reports including new evidence of neglected, injured and dying animals from this year, the authorities are still failing to intervene.”

Who is Wayne Hsiung?

Hsiung is a co-founder of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), a global network of animal activists. The group is leading a campaign to enshrine the legal “Right to Rescue” sick and injured animals from commercial operations.

A practising attorney, Hsiung represented himself at the trial. He has previously been acquitted after animal rescues, including in 2022 after a five-year legal battle with Smithfield for the rescue of two sick piglets in Utah. Earlier in 2023, he also led the successful legal defense for another DxE animal rescuer who was acquitted of theft in Merced, California. 

From his jail ceil, where he was held for four weeks awaiting sentencing, Hsiung published blog posts reaffirming his belief in the power of non-violent direct action. He also reported successes in educating fellow inmates on veganism and animal rights.

Why was Hsiung arrested?

Earlier this month, Wayne Hsiung was found guilty of felony conspiracy and misdemeanor trespass. Hsiung was convicted after an eight-week trial, which included six days of jury deliberation.

Alongside other DxE activists, Hsiung openly rescued animals and provided emergency medical aid to animals at two factory farms in Sonoma County. Over 100 people affiliated with DxE were arrested on felony charges during the rescues at Sunrise Farms (a Whole Foods and Costco egg supplier), and Reichardt Duck Farm (a major duck meat supplier). In total, 38 chickens and 32 ducks were removed from the facilities by the activists.

Zoe Rosenberg, a DxE rescuer, previously told Plant Based News (PBN) about the abuses. Scenes she saw at Sunrise included chickens trapped in wires and dead birds on the floor. “Yet every time that DxE investigated this facility and reported it to the authorities, nothing changed and nothing happened. That’s obviously what prompted Wayne, myself, and others to take action to rescue the animals in 2018.”

What next for open animal rescue?

Throughout the criminal proceedings, DxE investigators have continued to document animal cruelty at Sunrise Farms and Reichardt Duck Farm.

“Open rescue is one of the most powerful tools that we have to challenge animal cruelty,” Rosenberg told PBN. “We are not going to stop rescuing animals we find in situations of distress.”

More like this:

• An Animal Activist Was Found Guilty After Rescuing Farmed Animals – Here’s Why He Did It
• 3 Lambs Destined For Slaughter Rescued From King Charles’ Land
• 5 Times Animals Escaped Slaughter, And How To Support Those Who Saved Them

The post Animal Activist Sentenced To Three Months In Jail For Open Rescue appeared first on Plant Based News.

The residents of NC might eat the pigs, smell their waste, and be made sick from the pollution the waste causes. But they may never actually see the animals, who are hidden from view inside the state’s many factory farms.

To try to make the invisible animals visible, two photographers decided to show that pigs are not just food, but feeling creatures. Mary Shannon Johnstone and Jane M Casteline took pictures of rescued pigs, intending to put the images up on billboards in NC, a project they called “Picturing Pigs.”

But finding a home for those innocuous images proved rather difficult in a state where farming and killing pigs is a USD $10 billion industry.

“Pigs are friends”

Johnstone and Casteline, who met at Wake County Animal Center in NC where they were volunteering in 2015, created two billboard posters. One shows Iris and Brianne, bonded sisters who live at Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary, with the caption: “Life is better with friends. Pigs think so too.” 

The second features Daisy, who has lived at Sisu Animal Refuge since 2019, and reads: “Enjoying summer? Pigs like sunshine too.” Both posters bear the words, “Pigs Are Friends. Not Food.” The posters are up on billboards beside the I-40 highway that runs through Duplin county and Sampson county in NC. 

While the pig farms generally aren’t visible from the road, trucks transporting them often travel on the I-40. Johnstone and Casetline think that people in NC are “aware” of the factory farms and the trucks, “but try not to think about it.”

Until recently, NC had some of the most restrictive “ag-gag” laws in the US, criminalizing whistleblowing in agricultural facilities. Under these laws, anyone who took footage inside a farm building, even if it was of serious animal abuse, would be punished. 

But in February 2023, the US Court of Appeals struck down the law for being unconstitutional. In October, the Supreme Court declined to review the decision, meaning the ruling of unconstitutionality still stands.

Don’t look at the pigs

Getting the billboards up took a lot of persistence. Johnstone and Casteline initially signed a contract with Admiral Outdoor, a Duplin-based billboard company. But when Admiral saw the pictures, it pulled out and wouldn’t explain when the photographers asked why. 

It turned out that Admiral Outdoor is owned by the Murphy family, which also operates Murphy-Brown, one of the state’s largest pig farms. In 2000, Murphy-Brown became a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods – the company behind the majority of NC’s large intensive pig farms and the largest pork processor in the US 

A further four billboard companies refused to put up the posters once they saw them. One even said they didn’t understand the project and asked if it was a joke. National billboard company, Lamar Advertising, said they would not “participate in this campaign” but would give no further reasons. 

Lamar’s billboard clients include fast food chain Chick-fil-A, with a campaign featuring sleeping cows figures and the slogan “Beef puts u 2 sleep.” It also hosts a “Back to Nature” campaign for Kraft, which makes products including processed cheese and meat products aimed at kids.

In the end, one company was willing to put the posters up, though the billboards are both hidden from the road by overgrown foliage. The obstacles Johnstone and Casteline have encountered “speaks to the difficulty in even getting our message heard,” they said. They have found the experience “disheartening and frustrating” given that their message is “love and compassion” and shouldn’t be controversial.

“It is as if the very act of looking at a pig enjoying their life on their own terms is too radical for the public and is threatening to the pork industry,” they said.

The power of meat advertising

Advertising for meat products is so ubiquitous and misrepresentative of the realities of animal farming that campaigners are calling for it to be banned. In NC, things are no different, with plenty of misleading marketing peddling pig meat to the public.

“The ads and marketing that depict pigs are mostly caricatures,” Johnstone and Casteline tells Plant Based News (PBN). “We looked at a sampling of local BBQ restaurants in NC and identified a few common tropes. They include pigs with knives, pigs happily roasting themselves, and pigs outlined into flanks of meat.”

Smithfield Foods also spends a lot of money to burnish its reputation. In 2022 alone, it spent $147 million on advertising, projecting an image of healthy food and wholesomeness. 

Its ad campaigns use many of the tactics that campaigners have criticized for misleading consumers. Erase the animals, romanticize animal farming, and portray meat as the key to loving, happy relationships.

It’s perhaps no wonder, then, that Smithfield is America’s most trusted pork producer, according to a 2022 consumer survey. Assessments of trustworthiness were mainly based on a product’s pricing, quality, and transparency.

Challenging the narrative

Many animal advocates expose the lie of the meat industry’s transparency through undercover investigations on farms. While social media is awash with horrific footage, including of Smithfield pig farms, Johnstone and Casteline chose to use a different approach.

“We don’t want people to pity pigs,” they say. “Shame and guilt can be a powerful motivator, but we believe love and compassion are stronger.” 

Shame, they believe, “risks turning more people away and makes it easy for people to reject an idea because it produces uncomfortable feelings. We chose to focus on pigs because of how many there are in our home state and because of how powerful the pork industry is in lobbying our state legislation.”

Their contract with the billboard company has expired, but the pig posters will remain up, obscured by the still uncut foliage, until another advertiser wants the space. Johnstone and Casteline are finding other ways to get their message out, though, including an upcoming documentary film.

“We chose to depict positive imagery because we truly believe that pigs are extraordinary creatures,” they say. “They are kind, social … They grieve, love, share, bicker, and snuggle … seek companions and foster relationships. Pigs are truly spectacular.”

More like this:

• It’s Rare That Farmed Pigs Get ‘Happily Ever Afters’ – But This Family Of 11 Did
• Seb Alex On Photographing The Animals Society Doesn’t Want To See
• An Animal Activist Was Found Guilty After Rescuing Farmed Animals – Here’s Why He Did It

The post ‘Picturing Pigs’: Billboards Challenge Perceptions in Pig Farming State appeared first on Plant Based News.

Early Black Friday, Black Friday, Cyber Monday… it’s exhausting. 

You can almost hear the global sigh of relief when Giving Tuesday comes around and most of the relentless email promotions end. 

Giving Tuesday follows the infamous Cyber Monday, and this year it falls on November 28. Over the last few years, it has grown into a massive movement that encourages people to embrace the spirit of generosity and contribute to various charitable causes. 

And if you have the means, it’s a great opportunity to give. 

But if you spent all your money on a new TV and skis during Black Friday like I did, or if you prefer to give your time and energy instead of money, here are three impactful ways you can support vegan charities or causes this Giving Tuesday without spending a penny. 

1) Volunteer at a Farm Sanctuary 

Farm sanctuaries are safe havens for rescued farmed animals, providing them with the love and care they deserve after experiencing a lifetime of exploitation. 

Sanctuaries need financial support to run, but most also offer volunteer opportunities, which can be as eye-opening as it is helpful. 

Here’s how you can get involved:

1. Find a local farm sanctuary. While not complete, this farm sanctuary directory is a great place to start. 
2. Inquire about how you can help. Every sanctuary will have different needs. And while farm chores may be on that list, other needs may be more suited to your expertise, like event planning, community outreach and advocacy, social media support, etc.
3. Recruit your friends. It’s always more fun to volunteer with others, and you can amplify your impact by recruiting friends or family to come along with you. 

2) Organize a Local Vegan Outreach Event

Getting involved in a local vegan charity or group is not only a great way to grow the movement, it’s also a fun way to meet new people and communities. 

How you do that will depend entirely on where you live and what’s available, but here are a few examples of how you could get involved: 

Flier for an activist organization like PETA

Contact organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to inquire about distributing informational flyers in your area. These activites organization frequently produces eye-catching and informative materials that can help educate people about animal rights and the benefits of veganism.

Help Organize a Vegfest

If your community hosts a Vegfest or similar event, consider joining the organization team. It’s likely all volunteer-based, so chances are they are looking for additional help. 

Organize a Vegan Drinks Meet-up

In most cities, it’s usually not hard to find a vegan running or social club. One of my favorites in the Washington DC area was Vegan Drinks, which is a social group that meets in cities all over the world. 

If you don’t have a group like this where you live, consider starting one! This type of community-driven group can lead to growth in the movement and support for those new to a plant-based diet. 

Partner with Vegan Charities

Collaborate with vegan charities like Mercy For Animals, The Humane League, or Viva! to amplify your outreach efforts. They can provide resources, materials, and guidance to make your events successful.

Or if you’re in the UK, consider supporting vegan charities such as The Vegan Society, Animal Aid, or Veganuary.

3) Donate a Vegan Meal to Kids in Need with Complement

The vegan nutrition company, Complement, has partnered with Food for Life to provide plant-based meals to kids in need around the world. 

Food for Life partners with local organizations to feed over 1 million people plant-based meals per day. But to keep up that momentum, it needs support. 

To help, Complement has committed to donating a meal for anyone that signs up to join the campaign through its website. 

It’s completely free to join, with zero commitments on your part, but can have a big impact on helping those that need it most. 

Click here to donate a free vegan meal.

Bonus: Donate Leftover Canned Goods or Veggies to Your Local Food Bank

While this one isn’t technically free, chances are you won’t have to spend any additional money. 

As you celebrate various holidays this year, you may have leftover canned goods, veggies, or uncooked beans. 

Consider donating these items to your local food bank, even if that food bank isn’t exclusively vegan, to help make a tangible positive impact on the health and nutrition of your community.

Go Beyond Giving Tuesday 

Even if Giving Tuesday isn’t the right time, keep these opportunities in the back of your mind. 

By volunteering to support animals, outreach, or local food banks, you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of animals, children in need, and your community — all while staying true to your vegan values. 

And be sure to check out Complement’s vegan meal donation campaign. The brand is committed to donating meals for anyone who signs up through this Christmas, making it an easy, free way to make a difference today.

* This content is produced in collaboration with Complement. Our commercial partnerships with organizations like this help us to provide our free services to millions of people each week.

The post 3 Ways to Support Vegan Charities This Giving Tuesday (That Won’t Cost You a Penny) appeared first on Plant Based News.

“UNCAGE – Total Liberation” has been more than two years in the works. Players of the game will take the role of an undercover animal rights activist. 

The game is currently in prototype version, and Baboumian has launched a Kickstarter to turn it into a “fully fledged animal rights gaming experience.”

Baboumian told Plant Based News: “With UNCAGE, I aim to instill compassion in players. I also want to cultivate enthusiasm for developing more animal rights games.”

Animal rights video game

In “UNCAGE – Total Liberation,” players enter an animal testing facility. Once inside, they face a choice between rescuing animals or documenting animal abuse. “There is more than one way to play UNCAGE,” the concept trailer declares.

Interactive storytelling for the animals

Baboumian’s decision to focus his vegan activism on producing a video game stems from his belief in the power of storytelling.

“Our brains process information most effectively when woven into a compelling story,” he explained. “Interactive storytelling stands out as the most influential – immersing audiences into a narrative, allowing them to experience its world and characters from within.”

In Baboumian’s vision, players of animal rights video games will have the chance to perceive the world through the eyes of animals. This, he hopes, will help engender compassion for all animals.

Patrik Baboumian’s animal advocacy 

Baboumian is known by many for his appearance in the Netflix documentary The Game Changers.

He sees gaming as the next frontier for animal rights activism. “Despite the abundance of impactful documentaries advocating for animal rights and veganism, the gaming realm has seen only a handful of attempts to communicate this critical issue,” he explained.

“It feels like our movement is missing out on utilizing the most significant and powerful platform to speak for animals.”

More like this:

• An Animal Activist Was Found Guilty After Rescuing Farmed Animals – Here’s Why He Did It
• Vegan Documentary ‘The Game Changers’ Is Getting A Sequel
• New Research Shines Light On The Benefits Of Beans As A Protein Source

The post Patrik Baboumian To Release Animal Rights Video Game appeared first on Plant Based News.