Changemakers: Strategies for Mainstreaming the Animal Protection Movement

Across many societies and cultures, humans have a remarkable bond to animals. In the US, most households include at least one companion animal, and 88% of those households consider their pet to be a member of the family.

At one point, it occurred to me that, while I doted upon Misty, I was also paying for the exploitation of cows, chickens, and other animals very similar to her, for my own consumption. More than 92 billion land animals are raised and killed for food each year. About 99% of these animals spend their lives trapped inside factory farms, enduring some of the worst living conditions imaginable during their short lives. Despite our general affinity for animals, we subject the vast majority of them to unthinkable cruelty for the sake of a meal.

The harsh realities farm animals suffer in our flawed food system is heartbreaking, but at the same time, a growing animal protection movement is making change possible. Thoughtful strategies are growing our impact and leading to major victories for animals. 

By applying effective tactics, we can make remarkable change possible for animals. In 2018, California voters approved Prop 12—arguably the strongest animal protection law in effect in the US. This legislation, which was recently challenged and upheld by the Supreme Court, grants minimum space requirements for egg-laying hens, mother pigs, and calves raised for veal, and prohibits the in-state sale of meat and eggs that do not meet these requirements. For the millions of animals who previously could not spread their wings or turn around for months on end, this legislation is life-changing. 

To multiply these victories and create a world where our purported love for animals aligns with our treatment of them, we can implement and expand upon key strategies that create an intersectional and inclusive movement. In this article, I'll identify tactics that I see making real change for animals. By applying these strategies, we can transform the animal movement into a mainstream social issue and make a better world for animals possible.

Raising awareness

Arguably one of the most critical strategies for raising the profile of the animal protection movement is increasing awareness. Undercover investigations, corporate campaigns, and legislative change are just a few awareness-building tactics that expand public consciousness regarding the experience of animals on factory farms. By shedding light on the often hidden realities of animal exploitation, raising awareness can ignite a collective awakening to the suffering endured by billions of animals worldwide.

Undercover investigations

Undercover investigations are a powerful tool for illuminating the often unseen cruelty common among factory farms. 

Recent coverage in The New York Times highlights a Mercy for Animals investigation of a Nebraska pig farm. The footage depicts heart-breaking but widespread industry practices. Pregnant pigs are confined alone in cages so small that they cannot comfortably turn around or lie down. Many of these mothers show signs of severe psychological distress. Some refuse to eat or repeatedly bite on the bars that surround them. These disturbing details only scratch the surface of the immense suffering they experience over the course of their short lives.

This investigation—and many others—can heighten awareness of the horrors of animal agriculture. By raising awareness, we can spark empathy and cultivate a broader sense of responsibility to repair our broken food systems.

Corporate campaigns

Corporate campaigns can substantially improve the difficult lives of animals used for food today. Here in my home state of Minnesota, Hormel Foods corporation signed on to improve animal welfare standards through the Better Chicken Commitment in 2020. Facilitated by The Humane League, this commitment requires improved living conditions, better handling of chickens, and transitioning to a breed associated with higher quality of life. Hormel aims to carry out all of the improvements outlined in the agreement by 2026.

Corporate commitments do not entirely transform the brutal realities of animal agriculture, but they're a step in the right direction. Corporate commitments from food industry leaders like Hormel can set new standards for other corporations. Meanwhile, the social pressure applied to gain traction in many of these campaigns raises public consciousness about the conditions of animals used for food.

Corporate campaigns require compromises from animal advocates like me who dream of a future where no animal is bred and raised for human consumption, but I also know these compromises are opening the door to greater and greater wins for animals. The New York Times columnist Ezra Klein summarized the effectiveness of corporate campaigns this way: "This is activism that does not permit itself the comforts of purity. The Humane League and Mercy for Animals have become, in a way, part of a system they loathe. They are fighting to see farm animals treated in a way that's far beneath what they believe to be moral, but far above what's become normal. And they're succeeding."

Legislative change

Prop 12 is just one example of the power of legislative change. More and more states are enacting bills that prohibit the extreme confinement of veal calves, gestating sows, and egg-laying hens. By putting in place laws that safeguard the welfare of farm animals, we can mitigate their suffering in our food system.

Legislative measures also serve as a powerful catalyst for raising awareness and generating broader support for animal protection initiatives. As consumers become increasingly conscientious about the origins of their food and the conditions under which animals are raised, legislative reforms empower them to make informed choices aligned with their ethical beliefs. In other words, legislative change can not only set a legal precedent to protect animals from needless suffering, but also reinforces the moral imperative to create a sustainable and compassionate future for farm animals.

Challenging ethical blindspots

Cognitive dissonance

Widespread cognitive dissonance is a barrier to the progress of the animal movement. Cognitive dissonance refers to the holding of two contradictory beliefs. While millions of people coddle their pets at home, just as I did with Misty, those same millions remain indifferent to the unthinkable suffering of the animals used for their food. Resistance to acknowledging the similarities between the animals we love and the animals we eat can stifle progress for the animal movement.

Speciesism

Cognitive dissonance is one example of speciesism, which is discrimination or prejudice towards certain individuals or groups based on their species. To combat speciesism, the animal movement can offer invitations that challenge widespread beliefs and dismantle our cognitive dissonance. 

For example, a popular concept for print or digital content circulated by animal rights organizations takes the likeness of a well-loved companion animal, like a cat or dog, and pairs it with a photo of an animal used for food, like a pig or a cow. The image text or caption might read something like: "The only difference is your perception," or "Why eat one and love the other?" This simple but thought-provoking content invites the viewer to reconsider their assumption that one of these animals is family, while paying for the exploitation of the other.

Another way to challenge speciesism is to foster meaningful relationships between humans and rescued farm animals. It can be difficult to have compassion for beings we have never met. Once we get to know someone, and see first-hand their capacity for love, friendship, pain, and fear, we can more authentically care for and advocate for their protections. We can facilitate these experiences through storytelling, media, and perhaps most powerfully through visits to farm animal sanctuaries. By getting to know farm animals, we can develop our understanding that they are similar to the cats and dogs so many of us love, and that they are equally deserving of protection.

With a new mentality that all animals deserve consideration, we can work towards a future where our beliefs and behaviors reflect a consistent attitude of empathy for animals.

Creating a big tent

Diverse representation

Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to the success of the farm animal protection movement.

While the animal protection movement is growing increasingly more diverse, white males still make up the majority of formal movement leaders. Evidence shows that diverse teams perform better, and if our movement is homogenous, we are less likely to encounter useful discomfort and explore difficult questions. 

Diverse perspectives enrich the movement's understanding of the complex intersections between animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and other social justice issues. By proactively including people of various backgrounds, we can better guard against unintended biases or blind spots that may arise from a homogeneous perspective. 

Take for example Lara de la Rosa, founder of Casa del Xolo, a vegan café and latinx cultural center in Seattle. Lara's commitment to veganism developed as she explored intersectionality. Coming from a Mexican-American family, Lara wanted to make vegan food more accessible and culturally relevant. The proceeds from her business benefit a mutual aid organization, and she's also using the café to create space for activists to collaborate. When people like Lara feel welcome in the animal movement, they strengthen our cause and create broader representation across the movement. In Lara's case, she's also making plant-based eating more inviting to people rooted in a particular culinary tradition.

Inclusion strengthens the overall impact of the farm animal protection movement by fostering innovation, broadening support, and promoting a more equitable approach to achieving meaningful change for animals.

Diet

The global population of vegans is estimated at around 1%. While the number of vegans in the US is growing, still very few people are willing or able to eliminate animal products from their diet. The idea of creating a vegan world in the near future may be impractical as a strategy to transform the lives of animals.

Moreover, when a dramatic personal change—in this case diet change—is perceived as the price of admission to be part of a movement, the movement remains limited in size and scope. By creating a big tent, where people of all dietary habits are invited to make change for animals through a variety of different strategies, our movement has more potential to grow. In fact, including and elevating the voices of people who still consume animal products can create more trust and buy-in from a general audience to propel the animal movement forward.

Collaboration

With movements

Collaboration between social movements fosters synergy that amplifies the collective pursuit of equity and justice. Even a cursory examination of the animal movement quickly reveals useful intersections with other social justice causes. For example, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations generate staggering quantities of waste, which often exceed the land's capacity for absorption. Manure lagoons and runoff contaminate fresh water, harming the environment. At the same time, the stench and air pollution of these operations disproportionately impact marginalized communities, often situated in close proximity to manure lagoons as a result of more affordable housing.

By joining forces, movements with distinct yet interconnected goals can leverage their strengths, resources, and networks to create a more profound impact. Together, our voices are stronger, and we can create a ripple effect of lasting social change in our society.

With institutions

Institutional change is a crucial strategy for the animal movement. By targeting corporations, governmental bodies, and industries, the movement can influence policies, regulations, and practices that have a far-reaching impact on animal lives. Institutional change can also create an umbrella effect that influences the behaviors and attitudes of the individual consumers who are affected by their institution's norms. For instance, when school systems implement "Meatless Mondays," it can change the way children consume and think about food for years to come. By seeing trays with plant-based proteins and vegetables as an entree, students learn that meat-centric meals are not the only option. As they explore plant-based eating, as a result of an institution change, children become familiar with meatless options they enjoy and think differently about what healthy eating means. The impact of institutional change extends beyond small wins and immediate gains, shaping societal norms and setting new ethical standards.

With other animal non-profits

No movement is one size fits all. Different strategies resonate with different individuals, groups, and communities. By collaborating within the movement between different organizations that employ different programs and tactics, we can leverage our collective connections, knowledge, and resources to generate broader and more enduring change for animals.

This is an example of the inside-outside tactic. "Inside" and "outside" strategies compliment each other and generate greater change together. "Inside" strategies seek to create change from inside existing structures. This could mean lobbying for a bill, initiating a corporate campaign, or getting a job at a government agency. "Outside" strategies include protests, civil disobedience, and strikes, outside of traditional societal structures. 

Together, sympathetic insiders and outsiders placing pressure on traditional power structures can come together to accelerate the movement's progress.

Adequate movement funding

Animal and environmental organizations consistently rank low among categories of charitable giving. Where religious and development nonprofits receive more donated dollars, animal organizations tend to collect fewer gifts. Funding plays a critical role in generating change for any social cause, and while animal protection work remains underfunded and undervalued, progress will remain limited in scope and scale. By increasing the number and size of donations to individuals and organizations advancing the cause of farm animals, we can sustain and expand the influence of our movement.

Long-term commitment

Change takes time. It can take decades or centuries to reshape deeply ingrained beliefs and systems that have evolved in our society over generations. Transforming social norms and values requires persistent efforts to educate, raise awareness, and challenge existing paradigms. While change can appear slow, every new animal advocate, outreach program, or corporate campaign brings us closer to a future where all animals can thrive.

Creating an effective movement

Martin Luther King, Jr. once noted that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Our movement inevitably encounters resistance from the meat industry and others invested in maintaining the status quo. As new ideas take root, they require time to gain acceptance, evolve into policy changes, and manifest in tangible shifts in our food system.

The list of strategies I've outlined here is not exhaustive, but simply an overview of a few strategies making significant change for animals today. I believe we can extend the use of these proven strategies to create a broader and more effective movement and accelerate the speed of change. While the pace of change may appear slow, its lasting impact is profound, as incremental shifts in attitudes and behaviors accumulate to create a kinder world.