Andy Read -
Voice of the Vegan Youth
Although he has felt compassion towards animals for as long as he can remember, when he was 15, Andy stumbled across PETA's fur campaign and, after completing a series of internet searches, decided to drop meat from his plate.
Since finishing his GCSEs, he has been an active campaigner for the rights of animals in laboratories, in circuses, on farms and in fashion.
When not helping animals, Andy spends his time working on a degree in European theatre arts, which he describes as a "posh collection of words for acting".
He loves walking in the countryside, cooking and spending time in his hometown of Portsmouth. His guilty pleasures include watching musicals, visiting art galleries and maintaining a huge crush on Fearne Cotton.
© iStockPhoto.com / THEPALMER
It isn’t surprising that scientists recently “discovered” that pigs have feelings. All the undercover footage PETA has accumulated over the years of animals on factory farms and in laboratories makes it clear that animals feel pain and suffer just as we do. Many of us knew it all along, but it’s still great to see this fact printed in the pages of a major daily newspaper.
When I was 16, I made the compassionate decision to stop eating meat.… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / NadejaReid
I’m no party pooper, but I was horrified to read about the party bloopers that London Zoo is planning for each weekend this month.
Those of us who share our homes with an animal companion already know how easily animals can become frightened by loud noises, flashing lights and crowds of strange people. So whoever came up with the idea of hosting a “silent disco” – a party in which attendees wear headphones to listen to music whilst they dance around – at London… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / yuriz
Earlier this week I saw some video footage which broke my heart. Having volunteered for animals for years now, I’m becoming hardened to the things I see, but this was upsetting in so many ways.
It was a YouTube video which someone had recorded at a British circus during the 2010 season. All the footage was from the ring, what the circus were proud for you to see. It was distressing. I won’t link to it here, but there are plenty of videos… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / VikramRaghuvansh
I’m buffing up. I’ve bought some lovely vegan running shoes (because cows are cool and killing them is cruel), and so far this week, I’ve already run 11 miles. I feel great! I wonder if I could say the same if I was weighed down with all the fat a meat-eater has in their diet?
I eat a healthy and varied vegan diet, so I know that I’m getting everything I need without any of the negative effects and health risks… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / damircudic
If you’re like me, you’ve finished Uni or college for the year. You’ll finally have loads of free time to do something excellent for animals. Remember: animals on factory farms, on fur farms, in laboratories and in circuses all around the world don’t get a summer holiday.
There are a million and one ways you can help animals this summer, and one of the best things about the struggle for animal rights is that there is something for you no matter what your… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / arsgera
I suppose that’s a bit of a weird statement coming from an animal rights organisation, but if you own a fur coat, one of the best things you can do to it is send it to PETA. That way it can be recycled, given to the homeless or used as animal bedding or in one of PETA’s hard-hitting demonstrations. Using fur coats to save animals from being turned into fur coats – genius, eh?
Today I was volunteering in the PETA… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / ugurhan
Question: What do 9p noodles from Sainsbury’s, £1 worth of Redwood sandwich slices from Morrisons and a packet of Bourbons have in common?
Answer: They’re all sitting in my kitchen right now.
Fact: Student food is bad. Other fact: Vegan student food is a million times better. Vegetables are cheap and easy to cook, and their production doesn’t cause animal suffering!
It’s a common misconception that it is expensive to be a vegan student. I follow a strict vegan diet for… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / kerriekerr
When I first volunteered at PETA, in addition to jamming letters in the franking machine, I spent a lot of time each day finding palm oil–free products to list in the vegetarian/vegan starter kit. Up until then, I’d had no idea how palm oil is affecting our planet and the animals in it.
Palm oil is often sourced from the homes of endangered orang-utans and many other forest-dwelling creatures. Greedy businesses cut down the trees and leave the animals homeless… Read more.
© iStockPhoto.com / pxel66
So Boris Johnson has announced a £3 million scheme to reward low-carbon neighbourhoods. I’m hoping this means he will reward some of London’s amazing vegan restaurants for doing their part to clean up the planet. If so, perhaps even more great animal-friendly establishments will start popping up around the city.
The meat and dairy industries are damaging our planet. In fact, the United Nations has said that the meat industry produces more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars in the… Read more.
