My passion for animal rights sparked at a young age. I grew up near a slaughterhouse in Burlington, Ontario. We regularly had to drive by, smelling the foul odour, and - on particularly unlucky days - driving past the transport trucks packed with helpless pigs. I never thought this was right. At the age of 13, I was finally “allowed” to try vegetarianism, and I never looked back.
In 2015, Anita Kranjc fed water to one of those dehydrated pigs on a transport truck on their way to slaughter at this same horrific slaughterhouse. Anita was criminally charged for trying to help a suffering animal. This is the first time I learned about animal law, and began exploring the many different paths to helping animals or helping activists, such as Anita. Luckily, Anita was found not guilty.
Going to law school with the animal law mindset led me to meeting wonderful and inspirational people. Meeting so many people with similar values, I no longer felt alone in my journey. Among them, I met Krystal (my fellow fundraising teammate!) who inspired me, supported me, and was a great resource as I finally transitioned to the veganism life style I had long been contemplating. Making this transition removed so much guilt and depression I was feeling daily towards my own eating habits and choices.
Along the way I had the privilege of meeting and working an internship with the Animal Justice team! I believe in them and their work whole-heartedly. Through another Animal Justice fundraising event, I met my other fellow fundraising teammate Katherine, whose compassion and fantastic vegan food recommendations constantly keep me going!
However, through all my personal growth and lifestyle changes, that same slaughterhouse has not stopped haunting me and many others. This past year, we lost a lovely soul, Regan Russell. She was tragically hit by a truck outside the slaughterhouse while protesting these ag-gag laws. I did not know her, but I have heard great things from the community and I know she will be deeply missed.
For all these reasons and most particularly, for the countless innocent souls who are suffering everyday, I will do this 24hr vow of silence to raise money to support Animal Justice in their legal fight to combat these unconstitutional laws.
Gandhi once stated: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”. We have been ignored, we have certainly been laughed at, but with these new ag-gag laws creeping up, we are definitely in the fighting stage of this social movement. I wish Animal Justice so much luck and I’m honoured to help them in any way I can.
Thank you for reading my story, for your support and your donations!
