Each year, approximately 58 billion animals are killed in the world’s factory farms and slaughterhouses to produce meat, eggs, and dairy. World Farm Animals Day is dedicated to exposing, mourning, and memorializing the needless suffering and death of cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, and other innocent, sentient animals raised and slaughtered for food.

World Farm Animals Day takes place on October 2nd, which honors the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, an outspoken advocate of non-violence towards animals.

WFAD observances are hosted by volunteers in communities in all 50 U.S. states and 2 dozen other countries. Participants include animal advocacy groups and individual activists- anyone and everyone who cares about animals is encouraged to join us in this global outcry. In addition to promoting a vegan lifestyle, the 2010 observance will reveal the ways that animal agribusiness manipulates the government, institutions, and a well-meaning public in order to sell more cruel products.

Activities traditionally include vigils, marches, leafleting, tabling, and exhibiting. More dramatic events include die-ins, cage-ins and video rigs. Activists encourage governors and mayors to issue special proclamations denouncing cruelty to farmed animals.

Launched in 1983, World Farm Animals Day is an international campaign of Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based just outside of Washington, D.C. FARM pursues animal liberation through vegan education and animal advocacy campaigns and works with local volunteers to host activities and events, and serves as a resource by providing information, guidance, materials, media outreach, and an online Events Directory to animal rights activists.

We need more voices to join us in speaking out for farmed animals! Visit the WFAD Action Center to to get involved.