The single most powerful step you can take to promote animal rights is to go vegan. This means adopting a diet that is free from animal products, and choosing a lifestyle that avoids harming animals as much as possible.
Animal farming and slaughter are responsible for terrible suffering on a massive scale. Most farmed animals are kept in cramped, filthy and thoroughly miserable conditions. Even so-called ‘higher welfare’ systems can be very different from what you might expect. ‘Free range’ hens for instance, can be packed into sheds with only limited access to the outside.
The good news, however, is that you can do something about this. By going vegan, you can reduce demand for the products of these cruel industries, and save animals from the horrors of farming.
And no matter how they are reared, farmed animals face a brutal and terrifying death at the slaughterhouse. We have placed fly-on-the-wall cameras inside 11 randomly chosen UK slaughterhouses, and we found evidence of lawbreaking inside 10 of them. This included animals being kicked, punched and deliberately burnt with cigarettes.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/125135664
The good news, however, is that you can do something about this. By going vegan, you can reduce demand for the products of these cruel industries, and save animals from the horrors of farming. It’s never been easier to go vegan, with supermarkets now stocking a huge range of animal-free products, and even restaurant chains offering vegan options. To get you started, why not order one of our free Go Vegan packs?
Another area to consider is your choice of cosmetics, toiletries and household products. Thankfully, there is now a EU-wide ban on the sale of all new cosmetics that have been tested on animals. But not all cosmetics are equally cruelty-free, since some companies sell cosmetics in parts of the world where animal tests are required.v And when it comes to household products, no such ban exists.
You may also want to look carefully at your choice of charity donations. Many major medical charities fund research on animals.
Looking for the Leaping Bunny logo is one of the easiest ways to make sure your products have not been animal-tested. Own brand products from Superdrug, Marks & Spencer and the Co-op have all been Leaping Bunny approved. And while the bunny doesn’t guarantee that a product is free from animal ingredients, many companies also label whether their products are suitable for vegans. Everything in our ethical shop is both non animal-tested and vegan.
You may also want to look carefully at your choice of charity donations. Many major medical charities fund research on animals, such as this horrific experiment carried out on furless mice and supported by Cancer Research UK. As well as being cruel, animal experiments are bad science, since the results cannot be reliably translated to humans. Fortunately, there are many charities that fund only humane research. We produce a pocket guide, online list and phone app to help you know what charities’ policies are.
Finally, you can help animals by choosing cruelty-free clothes, rather than fur, leather and silk. The animal-free alternatives are generally much cheaper, and readily available from high-street shops.
Why not get started on cruelty-free living today by ordering your free Go Vegan pack from Animal Aid?
See more information at www.animalaid.org.uk.