During the annual National Animal Rights March, which was attended by around 500 people, supporters of Animal Rebellion successfully handed over a letter addressed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street.

The group is demanding support for farmers and fishing communities in a transition to a plant-based food system, whilst also rewilding the land that is freed up as part of a wider scheme of carbon drawdown and nature restoration.

Nathan McGovern, 23, one of those who delivered the letter has said “We hope that Boris Johnson uses his last few weeks as Prime Minister to begin the necessary and urgent transition to a plant-based food system. The benefits of this transition are incredible and everyone wins. We hope that our government implements them as soon as possible, otherwise hundreds will be forced into action against the dairy industry to ensure they are”

The full text of the letter follows:

“Dear Boris Johnson,

You have been Prime Minister for nearly three years, with your tenure as leader of The United Kingdom shortly coming to an end. During this time Animal Rebellion has consistently and non-violently disrupted industries that play a devastating role in the climate and ecological crises. All this time you have chosen to ignore our words, actions, pain, and sacrifice. All whilst billions of lives were extinguished worldwide.

You have the opportunity to work towards addressing these wrongs and displaying the compassion an elected official should have for the people they represent. In May, Animal Rebellion issued a statement with two demands for yourself and your Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice:

1. Government supports farmers and fishing communities to move away from animal farming and fishing as part of an urgent and immediate transition to a plant-based food system.

2. Government commits to rewild the freed-up land and ocean as part of a broader programme of wildlife restoration and carbon drawdown.

Joseph Poore, Oxford Academic, and co-author of the most comprehensive academic analysis of food production in history concluded that a global switch to plant-based food production would give incomparable positive changes to greenhouse gases, global acidification, eutrophication, and water use. Whilst also using a staggering 76% less land to produce the same amount of food.

A 2019 Harvard University report on UK farmland and food production from Helen Harwatt and Matthew N. Hayek strongly recommends a complete shift to plant-based production. The benefits of this are twofold: a reduction of the emissions produced and land used from animal farming and fishing, whilst also rewilding the freed-up land to absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This would result in net negative emissions from food production.

At Animal Rebellion, for the past three years, we have been reaching out to you so we could stop the disruptions and begin negotiations. Only when honouring the innate worth and value of every single person, can any government lovingly transform our economic, agricultural, healthcare, financial, and political systems to build a better world. These are choices not only for this country, but for the globe. You have the chance to lead the world into a plant-based future and we urge you to grasp it with both hands.

For one last time, before you leave the office, we ask you to accept our invitation for negotiations. We need emergency action on climate and we need strong leadership on this issue. If either you or George Eustice has not agreed to meet and enter negotiations for these demands by the end of August, hundreds of people all over the UK will be forced into taking nonviolent direct action to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to preserve their livable world.

Versions of this letter have been sent to both candidates to take up the mantle of Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. We hope that if you fail to act with love and compassion that they will.

We will await your response with love for human and nonhuman animals and the living planet.

Your Sincerely,

Nathan McGovern and Dora Hargitai, on behalf of Animal Rebellion”

ENDS

For further comment or interview please contact pressoffice@animalrebellion.org 

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOq2Jqqga9E&t=5s 

The post Supporters of Animal Rebellion Deliver Demands For a Plant-Based Future To Downing Street first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

On the 31^st of August, 2021, Animal Rebellion blockaded an Arla factory in Aylesbury responsible for processing 10% of the UK’s dairy¹. 

The climate and animal justice group claim that they occupied the road outside the site for 18 hours because the dairy industry is fuelling our climate and ecological crises. 

Today, 8 of those arrested and charged with obstruction of a public highway were acquitted at High Wycombe Magistrate’s Court. The verdict comes just days after England saw a record-breaking heatwave and wildfires. 

Kat, one of those acquitted, said:

“Today’s verdict shows that judges are waking up to the urgency of our climate and animal emergencies. Without immediate action, we will see more extreme weather events, crop failures, and conflicts over resources we currently take for granted.

Now, more than ever, governments need to support farmers in a transition to a plant-based future. Rewilding the land freed up by such a transition could draw-down the same amount of carbon released by burning fossil fuels each year, as well as returning vital habitats to species at risk of extinction. 

This September, we have no choice but to take disruptive action against the dairy industry again because scientists have declared a code red for humanity. The climate crisis changes everything, and the solution is clear: a plant-based food system will ensure a liveable future for all.”  

ENDS.

Notes:

• ¹https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-58396352 
• For more information or interviews, contact pressoffice@animalrebellion.org
• https://animalrebellion.org

The post 8 Protestors Found ‘Not Guilty’ after Blockading the UK’s Largest Dairy Facility first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

On 8/7/22 Birds Solicitors and Commons Legal, who were representing the 12 defendents, recieved the news that the CPS and MBR would not allow the British public the opportunity to condemn animal testing via a jury trial. This is an astonishing move of cowardice, that displays both the CPS and MBR know ordinary people will not stand for the outdated and barbaric use of animals for experimentation. This is despite new footage released by AFM showing 3 of the dogs with Ben Newman and Dan Kidby.

Ben Newman, one of the 3 who took accountability for the liberation, has said “I broke in to MBR and freed the beagles, always with the intention to have a jury trial as I believed that a jury would be able to see that we were right and animal testing was wrong. I thought I would have to let a jury decide, but it appears the government haven’t got the guts to even have the trial. I hope this sends a clear message around the UK and around the world that there is no place for animal testing in 2022”

The CPS and MBR are both acutely aware that the people of this country are against animal testing [2]. They must know that a jury of 12 ordinary citizens will find the “MBR 12” not guilty of burglary, and animal testing guilty of unimaginable and unneccesary cruelty against millions of innocent animals each year [3].

Dan Kidby, another liberator, said “We rescued 5 beautiful dogs from the animal testing industry because it was the right thing to do, and we knew any jury in England would see it that way. We handed ourselves into the police station voluntarily and took full accountability for our actions because we wanted to put animal testing on trial. We still want to do this, animal testing must end.”

The decision to drop the charges against the 3 who openly admitted to rescuing the 5 beagles from torture and death, alongside the 9 who were outrageously brought up on the same charges of burglary, marks a watershed moment for the animal rights movement in the UK. It should mark the death knell for the industry, and a definitive step towards total animal justice. AFM plan to continue their campaign of nonviolent direct action (NVDA) until their demands have been achieved.

The unprecedented decision to drop all charges is an admission that animal testing must be immediately suspended and a public inquiry into the practice carried out as soon as possible, as has been promised since Barry Horne’s hunger strikes that ended in his 2001 death.

AFM demand an immediate suspension of all animal testing in the UK, pending a public inquiry.

AFM is a project by Animal Rebellion, who are also working for animal justice.

ENDS

High quality images can be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11P7tMYma2tRqHNHoWPhI2QRxBnxXcuzW?usp=sharing

The latest video showing the liberation of 3 of the 5 dogs can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JsXyY5DndSeBrSYEUVKunARXgTEIEDjC/view?usp=sharing

For further comment or interviews see the following:

Email: AnimalFreedomMovementPress@protonmail.com ​​​​​​

Notes To Editors:

[1] https://animalrebellion.org/animal-freedom-movement-supporters-liberate-5-beagle-puppies-in-a-second-day-of-action-against-mbr-acres-beagle-farm/

[2] https://yougov.co.uk/topics/health/articles-reports/2021/11/17/where-do-britons-stand-animal-testing

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2020/annual-statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2020

The post Crown Prosecution Service Drop All Charges Against Animal Freedom Movement Beagle Rescuers- Claiming “Lack of Evidence” first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

Dr Lindsay Marshall, biomedical science advisor to the Humane Society International UK, has recently stated “The UK cannot expect to have world-leading science innovation whilst we rely on failing animal-based research methods that are rooted in the past.” [1]

Earlier this morning, Animal Freedom Movement accessed sheds containing young beagles and liberated 5 dogs. This marks a significant escalation in the nonviolent direct action (NVDA) against MBR Acres and Animal Testing in the UK.

In 2020, 2.88 million instances of animal testing were recorded in the UK [2]. 4,340 of these were carried out on dogs, with 4,270 of these on beagles like those bred by MBR Acres. The procedures often result in vomiting, internal bleeding, organ damage and seizures; the tests can last for months, after which the dogs are killed.

AFM urge anyone who supports an end to animal testing to attend a peaceful demonstration outside The Home Office on Monday June 27th at 4.30pm.

ENDS

High quality images can be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11P7tMYma2tRqHNHoWPhI2QRxBnxXcuzW?usp=sharing

For further comment or interviews see the following:

Email: AnimalFreedomMovementPress@protonmail.com

Oliver (Back Office Press): 07706 066859 ​​​​​​

Notes To Editors:

[1] https://www.hsi.org/news-media/home-office-statistics-reveal-no-decline-in-uk-animal-experiments/

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2020/annual-statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2020

The post Animal Freedom Movement Supporters Liberate 5 Beagle Puppies in a Second Day of Action Against MBR Acres Beagle Farm first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

In the video, the group outline their demands for a transition to a plant-based future where workers are supported to move away from the “destructive industries” of meat, dairy, and fishing. They call for the land freed up by such a shift to be devoted to rewilding in order to draw-down carbon from the atmosphere and restore biodiversity. 

The group is targeting dairy as a key contributor to the climate and ecological emergencies: promising to cause “large scale material disruption to the supply of dairy” in the month of September. 

Spokesperson for the group, Emma de Saram, 21, says: 

“Decades of climate research has shown that we are running out of time to secure a liveable future for everyone. We are calling on our Government to urgently begin a transition to a plant-based food system where we would use significantly fewer natural resources, less energy, and less land. 

Rewilding spaces previously misused for animal farming and fishing would have the dual benefit of drawing-down carbon from the atmosphere and restoring precious biodiversity. 

We are hoping that people will hear our message and support us in sustained action to stop the supply of dairy this September.”

Co-founder of Animal Rebellion, Dan Kidby, added “We are going to be mobilising 500 people to shut down the supply of dairy to the UK. What this will mean in practice is for a 1-2 week period there will be no milk on the supermarket shelves. This has never been done before in the UK or around the world.”

ENDS

1. https://animalrebellion.org/animal-rebellion-disrupts-platinum-jubilee-to-demand-a-plant-based-future-and-rewilding-of-royal-land/
2. https://animalrebellion.org/protestors-disrupt-epsom-derby-in-a-call-for-an-end-to-animal-exploitation/
3. https://show.pics.io/animal-rebellion-breaking-news-/search?tagId=62a898f30dff6e00121b2038
4. Read more about the Plant-Based Future Campaign: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OBRqYuCK_C3BprM8k5OB1kN5KU_iS4Dl9jHkHolkUh4/
5. For interviews and more information, please contact:  pressoffice@animalrebellion.org

The post Animal Rebellion plans to cause “Large scale material disruption to the supply of dairy” first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

Protestors from Animal Rebellion stormed the Epsom Derby to disrupt the race and urge for an end to animal abuse and, instead, a transition to a fair and compassionate plant-based future. This comes just 2 days after the group disrupted the Platinum Jubilee in an effort for Royal land to move to plant-based production and rewilding. [1]

Orla Coghlan, one of those at Epsom today, said “Horse racing took the lives of 220 animals on racecourses in the UK last year, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. In this country over a billion land animals are killed for food each year. Exploitation of, and violence against, animals is fuelling the climate emergency and suffering across the globe. It is obvious we must choose life over death and stop animal exploitation.” [2] [3]

Today’s disruption is a definitive statement, and act, against the cruelty and harm the horse-racing industry represents. Riding horses damages their skeleton, spinal nerves and skin. Whilst horses used in races commonly suffer from heart failure, bleeding lungs and gastric ulcers. Most people recognise the cruelty of bullfighting in Spain [4] and, therefore, should also stand against other forms of animal exploitation.

Currently in The UK around 1.9 million dairy cows [5] are in a constant cycle of artificial insemination, pregnancy, birth, their baby calves being taken and killed, and being repeatedly milked beyond their natural capacity due to selective breeding and artificial hormones. All this whilst industries like meat, fish, and dairy directly contribute to climate breakdown and loss of nature [6].

Emma De Saram, spokesperson for Animal Rebellion, said “Whether it’s horse racing, dairy, or the meat industry, animal exploitation has no part in our world. By moving beyond this and into a plant-based future we can ensure happiness and justice for all life. Transition into a plant-based future would offset 68% of carbon emissions this century, whilst also putting an end to the horrendous suffering animals face right now.” [7]

Moving to a plant-based food system would free valuable land that could, instead, be rewilded. This would bring forests, woodlands, nature, and life back to land across the UK. Rewilding has the potential to absorb massive amounts of carbon from the Earth’s atmosphere and form a key solution to the climate and ecological emergency. [8]

The action today comes as part of Animal Rebellion’s demands for a plant-based future, which were announced on Monday 23rd of May. [8] The group is urging for wholesale governmental support for a transition to a plant-based food system and programme of rewilding that will secure a future for generations to come. 

Animal Rebellion is a mass movement using nonviolent civil disobedience to call for a just, sustainable plant-based food system. 

ENDS

High-quality pictures and videos: http://show.pics.io/epsom-04-06-22

Featured image from Press Associated

For interviews or further comment please contact:

Oliver (Press Back Office): 07706 066859

press@animalrebellion.org

[1] https://animalrebellion.org/animal-rebellion-disrupts-platinum-jubilee-to-demand-a-plant-based-future-and-rewilding-of-royal-land/

[2] https://www.animalaid.org.uk/record-numbers-of-race-horses-killed-in-britain-in-2021/

[3] https://viva.org.uk/animals/number-animals-killed/

[4] https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/bullfighting-spain

[5] https://viva.org.uk/animals/cows/dairy-cows/

[6] Jia. G, Shevliakova. E et al, “Chapter 2: Land-Climate Interactions” in UN Special Report: Climate Change and Land (2019.) https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/

[7] https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pclm.0000010

[8] https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00431-5

[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOq2Jqqga9E&t=5s

The post Protestors Disrupt Epsom Derby In A Call For An End To Animal Exploitation first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

So how have the stakeholders in our current, archaic, and destructive food system reacted? Supermarkets, restaurant chains, and producers alike have come up with a desperate lie: less but better. Telling us, the public, “less but better” ignores the simple fact that no meat, dairy, or fish is sustainable. Case in point: even the supposedly least sustainable plant-based milk is still more sustainable than the supposedly most sustainable dairy one!

The need to go beyond the less but better agenda is glaring. So why is it that less but better exists? Simply put, it is the death throe of a losing industry. It echoes the sheer fantasy of the tobacco industry in decline that “falsely marketed and promoted low-tar and light cigarettes as less harmful” than regular cigarettes to keep people smoking and sustain revenues”. The industries driving deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate breakdown are using the same tactics to maximise profits at the expense of people, animals, and the planet.

The parallels are undeniable. Meat, fish, and dairy industries are clamouring to deceive the public and not do what is necessary to safeguard the future. How can less but better work when every observable plant-based alternative is more sustainable than one coming from meat, fish, and dairy industries? 

The greenwashing of the meat industry is an emerging scandal, with a DeSmog investigation shedding light on the sustainability sham. They’re not alone in highlighting the underhand practices rampant throughout meat production, that harm workers, animals, and the planet. Underreporting emissions, making false promises, and manipulating sustainability labelling are just a few tactics used to give the illusion of sustainability. 

Why would these industries be working so hard to cover up their practices if they were actually sustainable?

Plant-based options are less land intensive, more productive, and infinitely repeatable. Adopting them will allow us to nourish the world’s population for generations to come, rewild land, end the suffering of billions of farmed animals, and allow for adequate carbon capture! None of this is possible with any food-system reliant on meat, fishing, and dairy.The stories that the likes of McDonald’s want to tell us about “Sustainable Agriculture & Beef“ are laughable in the face of swathes of evidence to the contrary. The only way to achieve sustainability is through a just transition to a plant-based food system. Our planet is on the brink of collapse, and already millions of people are experiencing the deadly impacts of climate breakdown.

Now is not the time for governments and corporations to lie to the world; now is the time for real change, real action, and a just and sustainable plant-based food system.

How?

• Volunteer with us!
• Demand McDonald’s and Arla go plant-based by 2025. 
• If you’re a student and want to make the change with the Plant Based Universities campaign at your university, please contact us using the details, or fill out this form now!

The post Why 100% Just and Sustainably Plant-Based? first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

This is the system that drives Amazon deforestation¹, contributes a staggering amount of greenhouse gas emissions², leaves 805 million of the world’s most vulnerable people hungry³, whilst simultaneously slaughtering trillions of animals needlessly each year⁴.

The oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford, has published several papers exploring and explaining the environmental benefits of transitioning to plant-based foods⁵. Besides this, dozens of British universities have declared a climate emergency, evidently these institutions are recognising the need for drastic change⁶. This gives them the responsibility to act on the emergency that they recognise.

Therefore it should come as no surprise that students from several universities including KCL, UCL, and Warwick are now pushing for change. With the demand for their university transition to serving a 100% plant-based menu throughout their cafes and restaurants by the start of the 2023/24 academic year.

Students are listening to the science that, very often, their own universities publish. They are holding their institutions accountable to their sustainability promises and commitments. By transitioning to just and sustainable plant-based food systems, universities will be securing a future, not only for their students, but for the rest of humanity, animals, and the planet.

Universities are already showing the transition is possible! KCL now has a fully plant-based Cafe whilst UCL’s daily hot food is at least 25% plant-based too⁷. The time has now come  to expand this to include the entirety of university’s menus. The answer is staring these powerful institutions in the face! By transitioning to 100% plant-based catering, universities will be helping break down an archaic and damaging food system and simultaneously be investing in one that is just and sustainable.

Plant-based universities are an unavoidable step on the road to human, animal, and climate justice. This is a fact that is evident to the ever-growing group of students pushing for the transition. Animal Rebellion is only too happy to empower and support groups of students on this mission.

If you’re a student and are excited or driven to make this change at your university, please contact us using the details, or fill out this form now!

1. De Sy. V, et al,”Land use patterns and related carbon losses following deforestation in South America,” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 10, no. 12 (2015.)
2. Jia. G, Shevliakova. E et al, “Chapter 2: Land-Climate Interactions” in UN Special Report: Climate Change and Land (2019.) https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/
3.  Cassidy. E.S, Foley. J. A, Gerber. J.S and West. P.C, “Redefining agricultural yields: from tonnes to people nourished per hectare,” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 8, no. 3 (2013.)
4. Zampa. M, “How Many Animals Are Killed For Food Every Day” (2018,) https://sentientmedia.org/how-many-animals-are-killed-for-food-every-day/
5.  Clark. M.A, Hill. J, Springmann. M, Tilman. D, “Multiple health and environmental impacts of foods,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 46 (2019.)
6.  Latter.  Briony, “Climate Emergency Declarations: What Do They Tell Us About Universities’ Response To Climate Change?,” https://pcancities.org.uk/climate-emergency-declarations-what-do-they-tell-us-about-universities-response-climate-change
7.  https://www.peta.org.uk/living/vegan-universities-uk/

The post Introducing Plant-Based Universities first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

In fact, an entirely plant-based planet is not as far away as many may think. As more and more people become aware of the environmental footprint of animal products and the suffering involved in their production, plant-based diets are rapidly becoming more popular all around the globe. Earlier this year in January, a record half a million Brits signed up to Veganuary, a campaign which inspires people to eat vegan for January and throughout the rest of the year. It is projected that vegans and vegetarians will make up a quarter of the British population by 2025. 

That’s not all. In Latin America and the Caribbean 8% of the population identify as vegetarian or vegan and in Mexico  this figure is at a staggering 20%. In the United States, the number of Americans following plant-based diets has risen by nearly 9.6 million over the last 15 years, a 300% increase. It’s safe to say support for a plant-based food system is widespread and growing rapidly. We are well and truly on the way to a plant-based world, but how would a plant-based food system be beneficial to our planet?

It’s no secret that animal agriculture is one of the very largest polluters on Earth. An Oxford University report concluded that if the world were to follow plant based diets, food-related emissions would drop by 70% by 2050! Emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide would all plummet, giving us a much better chance at fighting off climate catastrophe and ensuring our survival on Earth. 

This drop in pollution would help us avoid extreme weather disasters, as the report highlights that a plant based food system could avoid climate-related damages of $1.5 trillion US dollars. In addition to a considerable drop in greenhouse gas emissions, a plant-based food system would help us to limit air pollution levels, water pollution and would be a chance for our forests, species and biodiversity to thrive again. With animal agriculture responsible for up to 91% of Amazon destruction, its replacement with a plant-based food system would see deforestation in the Amazon and around the world fall dramatically.

Via Pexel Felix Mittermeier

A plant-based food system would see an end to the eating of animals and their products for food. We would no longer raise and kill the billions of land and aquatic animals we currently consume. Slaughterhouses would cease to exist. Billions of animals would be spared a life in factory farms and premature deaths. A plant-based food system would undoubtedly make the world a fairer, and more just place for animals. 

Extending this compassion to marine life and halting seafood consumption and fishing would give marine populations the time they desperately need to recover. Our oceans absorb far more C02 than the Amazon rainforest, with about 93% stored in their waters. Not only do oceans absorb almost all of the Earth’s excess heat, but they provide up to 85% of the world’s oxygen. Intense industrial fishing and pollution are jeopardising this natural balance so much so that we could potentially see the extinction of all sea life.  A plant-based food system would be an important step to helping our oceans to heal. 

Not only would life under a plant based food system be revolutionary for the health of our planet, but for our own health too! Plant-based diets are healthy and sustainable for people at all stages of life, as they provide all necessary nutrition and do not contain many of the disease-causing properties found in animal products. Under a plant-based food system, people all around the world would undoubtedly lead longer and happier lives, and would potentially be free from many of the major diseases and conditions millions suffer from today.

In addition, a plant based food system would help ensure that everyone on Earth has access to nutritious, healthy food. On a plant-based planet, world hunger would practically cease to exist. Rearing animals for food consumption requires 83% of our total farmland, but produces only 18% of our caloric intake. Under this incredibly inefficient system we have billions of farm animals who are well or even over-fed, whilst the majority of the world’s population goes hungry.  

Via Pexel Johannes Plenio

Converting the land we use for animal farming and animal crops to growing plant foods for the population would virtually put an end to world hunger. With almost half the world’s land freed up, we would have the chance to use it for other purposes and would have more than enough space to rewild large parts of the planet, allowing once industrialised terrain to become teaming with life. 

A world with a plant-based food system would undoubtedly be a better place for people, animals and the planet itself. We need to start the transition to a plant-based food system and we need to do it now! We’ve seen how much better a world it could be, why not join us in fighting for it? Find a role which suits you here and help us get one step closer to a plant-based world! 

The post How a just and sustainable plant-based food system could change the world first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

She innovates. When you first encountered her, she was so shy she hid herself beneath an improvised shield. Discreet, she scrutinised you with one of her keen eyes. Always eager to learn, perhaps she wondered: are you a threat?

Plunging in clear water to clear your mind from the chaos of the world, and here you are – meeting her. Entering her world of mesmerizing colours and diverse communities. Slowly, you build trust with her. Day by day, you both become closer. You let her hold your hand… 

She becomes your teacher.

As she is an octopus and you are a human, she teaches you how to relate to other creatures. You slow down to notice the traces of each and every animal1, the diversity of the environment. In the three dimensions of the South African ocean, you learn to reconnect with your own inner animal as the rift between the animal and you narrows. You discover that you too belong to the natural world.

She was striking, a tiny creature full of wonderful arms, and you became enthralled. Because she was the only one of her species, she stood out and you saw her as one of a kind. You saw schools of fish since you conceptualised them as a group, not individuals. You perceived the individuality of this octopus.

You spent time with her, got to know her and her temperament. Through your daily encounters you created a cross-species bond like you had never encountered before. She was living in such a different world, she had neurons in her arms, no bones, and still she was witty. How strange is it that you had to dive so far away from your comfort zone to connect with another animal to such a deep extent?

A surprising relationship.

From over 20 years of filming documentaries, and living in a divide between most humans and other animals, between our civilisation and what we distantly call « nature », Craig Foster became depressed. The documentary maker was scuba diving into the eerie forests of kelp to heal his soul. Deep under the sea, the octopus taught him he was part of the natural world. For she has purpose, can fear and love, she is an actress in her environment. My octopus teacher, a 2021 Oscar winner documentary, tells their story.

« A lot of people say an octopus is like an alien. But the strange thing is, as you get closer to them, you realize that we’re very similar in a lot of ways. » Craig Foster

Octopuses have an exquisite ability to camouflage and communicate through their skin coloration and changes in texture and shape. After she disappeared for several days, Foster acted like a detective and investigated where she could live, looking for traces of her movements. When finally he spotted her, it is as if he had metaphorically rejoined « nature » and the animal kingdom; he was embedded in the environment. He was not a visitor anymore when she chose to develop a bond with him.

We are a social species where trust is deeply important. Cephalopods live very different lives from ours, swimming, alone, dying at one year old, before their babies hatch. Yet we share with them this curiosity for another being, a capacity to learn and be playful. What is more beautiful than the trust and curiosity of another being that experiences the world through a strikingly different nervous system?

His deepest joy is feeling the trust of the octopus, this tiny wild mollusc, towards him.

Sentient animals are individuals.

This film shows that if humans can relate to a mollusc, then surely we could relate to pigs, chickens and fishes who have far more similar nervous systems to us and who, like us, can feel emotions.

From a distance, we only see a school of fish, a flock of sheep or a factory farm full of chickens. Yet far from being a mass of indistinguishable creatures, animals are individuals. This intuition has often become lost by the human domination of other animal species, the disconnect from the natural world and consistent exploitation of animals for money. Yet, we can rekindle it. We all share emotions, the possibility to move and make decisions, and the desire to live. Each animal wants to be free of suffering. Should we kill animals who want to live when we can thrive on plant-based food ? Absolutely not.

Let’s switch the narrative from resources to conscious beings.

Increasingly, movies portray animals as relatable characters with goals and aspirations, while keeping them different from humans. “Babe” pioneered the representation of farm animals with a piglet making decisions and, crucially, making friends. In “Finding Nemo”, we root for a father clown fish as he embarks on a quest to rescue his son. In “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”, a horse refuses to let go of his hope to find back his freedom and loved ones. These movies depict animals as creatures who differ from one another, who forge relationships and memories through painful and happy moments.

We need more trust, compassion and empathy. We can learn so much by simply slowing down and observing closely. The octopus taught us friendship extends across the frontiers of species. If we can relate to a mollusk, surely we can relate to animals who have a spinal cord, such as pigs or salmon. We need to reconnect with other animals and see them as individuals rather than concepts. Let’s learn from individuals from other species.

Anti-speciesism challenges the prevailing status of non-human animals, where speciesism is the belief that humans are superior to non-human animals and therefore can be exploited. You can watch our talk about anti-speciesism and the fight for global climate justice. Together, let’s build a world fair for all animals.

What’s coming next?

On the 31st of October, the COP26 started, the UN Climate Change Conference which aims to speed up changes we must implement to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Despite causing at least 18% of global greenhouse gas emission, animal agriculture and fishing are rarely challenged,  or even mentioned in the COP26 goals. The governments can choose to transition away from a system that kills billions of animals and destroys the planet and build a just and sustainable plant-based system. You can join on the ground or remotely. We need everyone to rise as massive waves to create a kinder, more sustainable world!

Volunteer to help build the rebellion.

1: Here « animal » to refer to non-human animals that feel emotions (scientific evidence are compelling for birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and cephalopods) to make it more accessible and easy to read.

The post How does one octopus teach us to reconnect with animals? first appeared on Animal Rebellion.