WFAD 2007 Observed with Worldwide Events
People around the world took a stand against cruelty in honor of the 25th annual observance of World Farm Animals Day. Nearly 450 events took place in communities throughout all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries for this global outcry. The occasion, observed on or around October 2nd, exposes and memorializes the pointless suffering and death of 50 billion cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, and other innocent animals in the world’s factory farms and slaughterhouses.
In the U.S. capital, FARM coordinated a dramatic protest in front of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The multi-pronged event depicted "The Stages of Meat,” providing a visual representation of cruel confinement, brutal slaughter, and packaged "food." Rather than animals, people (or human forms) sat inside cages, hung from a slaughter line, and became transformed into a package of meat. View the full DC report with photos.
Other creative and attention-grabbing events took place throughout the U.S.. Georgia Smith coordinated a vigil outside of three slaughterhouses in Hatfield, PA, home of Hatfield Quality Meats. In honor of the 50 billion animals who die each year for food, Georgia and other local activists displayed 10 large pictures of candles (see photo on right), each representing 5 billion farmed animals. Vaughan Dewar and the Memphis Area Food Awareness group dressed in unique animal costumes and somberly marched throughout the streets of with signs.
The Animal Rights Foundation of Florida got active to educate Orlando. Coordinating both a walk and KFC protest, the group made an impact with a body TV (wearable TV/VCR) playing footage of factory farms and slaughterhouses. In Redondo Beach, CA, Diana Allan and the Animal Angel Activists honored October 2nd by wearing farmed animal masks and marching down busy streets with large posters. The Northwest Animal Rights Network dressed in animal costumes and handed out literature in the heart of downtown Seattle.
More than 100 educational events took place, with activists setting up information tables, exhibits, video screenings and leafleting in cities across the nation. The Vegetarian Union of North America held a series of activities at the Regional Library, including information tables and leafleting. Katherine Green and The Erie Vegetarian Society distributed information at the Erie, PA Whole Foods Co-op. In Flint, MI, James and Georganne Irwin incorporated WFAD materials into their community vegetable stand. Tamara Bronaugh set up a table in front of a high traffic area at Whole Life Market in Highlands, NC. Summer Kirson with Gentle World, Inc. had two booths set up at the North Kohala Country Fair in Hawaii.
Included in their day’s activities, the Animal Rights Coalition in Swathmore, NJ put on a screening of Earthlings and encouraged others to sign veg pledges. Dot Hayes, author of acclaimed novel Animal Instinct, distributed handouts at Ferguson Library in Stamford, CT. Margaret Morin with the Vegetarian Society of Texas commemorated WFAD at the Dallas Mystics, Mutts and Moonpies Festival, introducing a compassionate lifestyle to attendees. Additional educational outreach events took place in other locations including Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Boise, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Louisville, New Orleans, Raleigh, San Diego, San Francisco, and more.
Many activists chose to promote a cruelty-free lifestyle through feed-ins, potlucks, and food samples. Jim Skirha arranged for a chef to hold cooking demos accompanied by a nutritionist answering questions at Northwestern University in Chicago. The Syracuse Animal Rights Organization in NY distributed 600 samples of vegan Chik’n ranch wraps donated by the local restaurant Syra-juice. They also distributed veg recipes and information about factory farming. In, Earth Save Miami hosted a vegan potluck dinner with WFAD information. The NMU Veg(an)etarians set up a table on the campus of Northern Michigan University, offering vegan goodies.
In Texas,
the San Antonio Vegetarian Society
(SAVS) invited
others to enjoy an all-vegan meal and a presentation
by guest speaker Rynn Berry (vegan author & historian).
Houston’s Society of PEACE, led
by Kristen
Ohanyan, hosted many activities in honor of
WFAD, including their 2nd annual “Texas Veggin’-Out
Days,” encouraging Texans to ‘dine out’ and
support their local veggie establishments. The Alaska
Vegetarian Society hosted a vegetarian potluck
in Palmer, AK.
Activities took place in 35 universities, educating college students with information tables, exhibits, food samples, video screenings, and more. Chico For Animal Rights (C-FAR) observed WFAD at California State University with an information table, leafleting, and circulating petitions. On the UCLA campus, Bruins for Animals took the day to leaflet. The Student Animal Legal Defense Fund hosted a bake sale and set up an information booth at the University of New Mexico School of Law in Albuquerque. At the University of New Hampshire, the UNH Animal Rights Alliance set up displays at the student center. Other university locations included University of Arizona, University of Georgia, University of Illinois, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Western Kentucky University, Minnesota State University, University of North Dakota, Northwestern University, and more.
Youth outreach was popular this year, as WFAD was introduced to elementary, middle, and high schools. In Springfield, MA, Sasha Jimenez observed WFAD at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts High School, putting on a “die-in,” dressing up like farm animals, painting faces, and hanging posters. In Centennial, CO, Kelley Coffman-Lee and her 8 year-old son, Gabe, educated elementary school students. Gabe distributed 85 WFAD handouts to his classmates on his own! The Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society arranged a visit to the Catskill Animal Sanctuary for a church youth group in Rhinebeck NY. The children received handouts, ate a vegan lunch, and watched a DVD to gain a better understanding of compassion. In Sanford, ME, Jill Harrison and her son gave a talk to 6th graders at Willard Elementary School on the reasons behind veganism.
PETA activists jumped on board, coordinating attention-grabbing KFC protests at more than 50 locations, exposing the horrific conditions chickens are forced to endure. Marches for farmed animals were held in 45 U.S. cities and several other countries. Humane societies, animal shelters, and sanctuaries distributed colorful handouts to visitors, offering free Veg Starter Kits and weekly recipes. Public officials issued proclamations speaking out against the exceptionally cruel crowding and deprivation that prevail in today’s factory farms and stockyards. Proclamations were issued by the governors of Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa and Vermont, and by the mayors of Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Phoenix and Pittsburgh.
Letters to newspaper editors promoting
the WFAD message of compassion were sent to more than
600 publications. Bus cards are currently
running in 500 vehicles throughout Boston, Los Angeles,
Manhattan, New York, and Philadelphia. Billboards are
being placed in major cities, encouraging millions
of commuters to “Choose Veg.”
Groups in Israel contributed immensely with many impressive events. Anonymous for Animal Rights organized a provoking display in the center of Tel-Aviv with naked activists packed like meat. A new group, Black Cat, chose WFAD for its first activity, attending a national sci-fi fair in Tel-Aviv. Referring to a passage from Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the activists dressed as waiters/animals (with some alien accessories). They dragged along a human-being whose body was divided to chunks of meat. Their fake menus included items such as "rare human steak served with fries."
Another dramatic event in Tel-Aviv was held by a coalition of groups including Animal Liberation Israel, One Struggle, and Salon Mazal. Attracting media attention, nearly 200 demonstrators marched for two hours along the streets of central Tel-Aviv, stopping by central branches of McDonald’s. Activists in Canada hosted a dozen events. Animal Friends Croatia offered vegan food samples in downtown Zagreb and held a video screening. The NZ Vegetarian Society (Wellington Branch) hosted a massive Vegetarian Food & Lifestyle Festival in New Zealand. Norway activist Tora Synnøve Kristiansen and others set up an information table and distributed flyers. In India, more than 70 groups held lectures, marches, rallies, educational events, and more.
Compassion in World Farming honored this year’s WFAD with the unveiling of their thought-provoking collection of photos. Taken by award-winning photographers who traveled across Europe, India, China, and the Americas, the display captures a wide range of farmed animals experiences. View the photos. Other participating countries included Australia, Belgium, Chile, Congo, Cyprus, El Salvador, England, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda (visit the Global Events Directory).Thanks to compassionate people everywhere, World Farm Animals Day and related events are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. and around the world. While the official WFAD date is October 2nd, activists continue to take a stand for farmed animals and remain active throughout the month of October, culminating in World GO VEGAN Days (see below). Colorful handouts are still available for distribution in your community – request postcards now at www.farmusa.org! What’s Next? World GO VEGAN Days celebrations, coordinated by In Defense of Animals (IDA) and co-presented by FARM, will be taking place from October 27th through 29th – it’s an excellent opportunity to introduce others to the benefits of veganism by encouraging restaurants in your area to offer discounted meals and specials during the three-day celebration. Visit the website at www.WorldGoVeganDays.com. Coming in November... Gentle Thanksgiving! Now that you’ve informed your friends and community about the suffering of farmed animals, encourage them to choose a vegan diet by hosting a Gentle Thanksgiving. Check it out at www.GentleThanksgiving.org. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ World Farm Animals Day is coordinated by FARM, a non-profit public interest organization based in Washington, DC. This year's observance is co-sponsored by In Defense of Animals. Other participating groups include PETA, Compassion Over Killing, Mercy for Animals, and Vegan Outreach.
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