World Farm Animals Day 2008 Reaches Millions!

The 26th annual World Farm Animals Day brought worldwide attention to the plight of farmed animals with nearly 400 observances in all 50 U.S. states and 19 other countries.

Compassionate people around the world got active in their communities in honor of this global outcry. Educational events such as information tables, exhibits, video screenings and leafleting increased awareness about the reality of animals raised and slaughtered for food. Participants displayed banners and posters and distributed colorful WFAD handouts.

Food-centered events such as feed-ins and vegan food samplings demonstrated the great taste of cruelty-free products. Dramatic events such as vigils, cage-ins, die-ins memorial services, and marches captured public attention.

In the U.S. capital, FARM (Farm Animal Rights Movement) organized a protest against the National Chicken Council’s annual conference featuring the leaders of the three largest chicken killing operations: Clint Rivers of Pilgrim’s Pride, Dick Bond of Tyson’s Foods, and Jim Perdue of Perdue Farms. View the report with photos.

Continuing to speak out, FARM hosted a vigil and protest outside of the Perdue slaughterhouse in Salisbury, MD. Killing more than 200,000 innocent birds each day, the slaughterhouse is Perdue’s original, pioneering the assembly-line killing of chickens that is now standard procedure in many facilities. View the report with video and photos.

More than 30 universities and colleges took part in WFAD 2008, hosting information tables, video screenings, walks and other activities on campus. Walks took place in nearly 60 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. The specially designed cards carry the headline, “Because you care about animals” and explain the connection between companion animals and those killed for food. Yoga centers set out handouts with Gandhi’s peaceful message, encouraging clients to eat a compassionate, plant-based diet.

Health food stores and restaurants displayed WFAD materials and hosted information tables and cooking demonstrations. Vegan Etsy, a team of vegan shop owners from around the U.S., publicized World Farm Animals Day and donated a percentage of profits to animal rights organizations throughout October.

Of special note, Arizona State University students put on a funeral for the animals, complete with a coffin, mourners, and a eulogy. DC groups coordinated a two-week college leafleting tour in universities throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Houston activists spread the message in a wide variety of ways, airing PSA’s, hosting feed-ins and food drives, leafleting, and putting on the annual Texas “Veggin’-out” Days. Caring people in Pennsylvania hosted a vigil with large signs of candles in front of a Pilgrim’s Pride processing facility. Others in PA staged a cage-in by McDonald’s. A group in Tennessee dressed in farmed animal costumes and paraded around Memphis leafleting with signs.

The World Veg Festival Weekend in San Francisco featured international vegan cuisine,food demos, renowned speakers,live entertainment, vegan athletes, vendors and more. Similar festivals were held in Boston, Charlottesville, and Durham and other cities.

Hundreds of bus display cards and nearly a dozen highway billboards (pictured left) are posted in major cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Manhattan, and San Francisco. They carry the message “Be Kind to Animals – Don’t Eat Them.” Letters to editors carrying the WFAD message were sent to more than 600 newspapers.

Proclamations recognizing October 2nd as World Farm Animals Day have been issued by the governors of Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Iowa, and Oregon and by the mayors of Houston and San Diego.

Internationally, World Farm Animals Day was well-represented with more than 80 events taking place throughout 19 countries. Australian activists held a funeral march and memorial service. More than a dozen events took place in Canada, including a die-in at a busy park in Calgary.

Activists in Croatia coordinated feed-ins and other events in Zagreb, highlighting the suffering of animals in live transport. More than 70 Indian groups are holding lectures, marches, rallies, and educational events. Israel featured a massive march throughout the streets of Tel Aviv. New Zealand hosted two large vegetarian festivals.

Events took place throughout the UK. In Scotland, activists coordinated a variety of educational events, including one involving ‘Wee Betty,’ the battery hen who describes the world through a chicken’s eyes.

Other participating countries include France, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Nigeria, Scotland, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.

FARM mailed out 250 Leafleting & Event Packs, providing activists around the world with WFAD banners, brand new color posters, display materials, handouts, stickers, and more. Outreach from the past few weeks pulled in more than 1,200 Veg Starter Kit requests

Observances will continue taking place throughout October. Thanks to caring people around the world, World Farm Animals Day continues to provide a strong voice for on behalf of the more than 55 billion sentient land animals who are brutally raised and needlessly slaughtered each year for food.

What’s Next?

World GO VEGAN Days, coordinated by In Defense of Animals (IDA) and co-sponsored by FARM, will be taking place from October 25th through 31st – it’s an excellent opportunity to introduce others to the benefits of veganism. 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 eat a compassionate vegan holiday meal. Find out more at www.GentleThanksgiving.org.

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World Farm Animals Day is coordinated by FARM (Farm Animal Rights Movement), a non-profit public interest organization based in Washington, DC. This year's observance is co-sponsored by In Defense of Animals.