All Animal People are Not Alike

Most animal people work on animal welfare issues, legislation, and education that will improve the quality of life for animals and end their suffering. Progress can be slow. In fact, we are still working on many of the same issues that we were working on 20 years ago. But there is some measurable progress. People check labels now to see if products are tested on animals; 48 states have mandated animal cruelty as a felony; more people are spaying and neutering their pets; and people do report and recognize animal abuse more often.

Some people, however, commit crimes to speed things up. Bad move for both them and the animals they are trying to help. These tactics always end up hurting the work that more mainstream kind of animal people are trying to achieve because every one assumes all animal people are alike.

They are not.

Joseph Harris, a doctor of molecular biology and cancer scientist, broke the law recently because of his passion for animals. Convicted under the Serious and Organized Crime Act, Harris will spend three years in jail for damaging the premises of three companies that test on animals. Professionally, Harris was working on treatments and potential cures for gastro-intestinal and pancreatic cancers.

His actions made no difference for animals. And now three years in prison means he can make no difference for people either. It’s very sad.

While I can understand his frustration, I can not understand his approach to the problem. We’re watching a world where people act on their supposed convictions using violence. But I think instead that people are using those convictions to act on their own violent impulses. I miss the peacemakers — Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi — who created powerful change through dialogue and peaceful protest. One only has to look at the changes that have occurred in South Africa over the last 30 years to understand that violence loses and patience and peace eventually rises to the top.

I worked on Capitol Hill for several years for a woman who had a passion for farm animals. Rather than think she could persuade millions of people to simply not eat them, she thought a better approach — and a quicker one at that — would be to ensure farm animals were treated more humanely. She initiated the concept of humane certification for farm animal products in the U.S. –the first of its kinds. More and more companies are following her guidelines and making changes to get the certified humane label on their products because they know that is what people want. That is progress, accomplished in a meaningful way.

Most animal people work on behalf of animals using powerful images, messages, and stories to persuade people to consider a more compassionate approach to their welfare and care. The animal people who use violence, force, or even undiplomatic strategies to get results are thankfully in the minority.

Don’t get the two confused.

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