Every so often there are people who tell me that even if they aren't into animal rights themselves, they respect my commitment to helping animals. Everyone has a different story to tell about why they became so dedicated to a cause, and this is mine.

When I was four-years-old, I went on vacation with my family to Hawaii, and we went to a luau while we were there. I saw a pig being roasted over a fire (typical for a luau) and was horrified when I actually made the connection as to what the "ham" that everyone would be eating was—a once living, breathing, animal. I refused to eat any ham that day, and not that long after I became a vegetarian.


'Nuff said
Part of me is ashamed to admit that although I was a vegetarian for about 15 years before I went vegan, I never knew anything about what happens to animals on factory farms and in slaughterhouses. I was a vegetarian simply because the idea of eating an animal was absolutely horrifying to me. I would pass this giant feedlot on the 5 in California several times a year on my way down to LA to visit family, and I remember the stench being absolutely unbearable—for me. I always thought, "Eww, this is so disgusting!" and the smell would last for miles. I can't imagine breathing that in day-in and day-out without ever having a break from it—though that's definitely not the worst thing cows suffer through.

Anyway, I came across a card for a free vegetarian starter kit when I was in college and it mentioned having vegetarian recipes, so I thought I'd order it for that reason alone. Never did I imagine that by taking that simple step, my life would be changed forever. I remember coming home a few weeks later and finding that my kit had arrived and I was so excited!

I was really hungry and was planning on making a cheese quesadilla, but decided I was going to look through the kit first. The first thing I read was a story about a downed cow—a cow who was used by the dairy industry and then simply cast aside like she was nothing but a potato sack. I read about how cows in the dairy industry are hooked up to rape racks to impregnate them so they have babies—who are then taken from their mothers soon after birth—so that WE can use the milk intended to nourish the calves. As if that wasn't horrifying enough, I found out that these calves were used for veal—crated up, devoid of their mothers' love and milk, and lonely.

And then their mothers? What happened to them after their time as dairy cows were spent? Did they get put out to pasture to enjoy their "retirement"? Nope. They became what people like to call hamburgers. I was absolutely horrified to find out that I was supporting such a terrible, heartless industry. And let me tell you, I did not have a cheese quesadilla for dinner that night.

Something I find as each day passes is that I only find more and more reasons why animal rights is so important to me. Some other reasons I remain committed to animal rights:

- The chicken who some friends and I found and rescued on the highway that had fallen off a truck while being transported to a slaughterhouse—the chicken that no one else cared about.
- The dog who had been hit by a car four days before and hadn't been taken to the vet, despite the fact that she was limping, obviously bruised, and shivering because the people she lived with had her outside in the freezing temperatures.
- The elephants who I've seen on Ringling's so-called "Elephant Walk" before shows—the elephants with bullhook injuries that trainers try to cover-up
- The pigs that heartless people have objectified so much that they write "KILL" across their backs.
- The 850 million chickens that KFC suppliers slaughter each year.
- The animals who are brutally skinned alive, have their necks broken, or are vaginally or anally electrocuted all just to make someone appear more "fashionable."


Me doing an anti-fur demonstration
And I remain so committed to animal rights because these animals have no voice—they need mine. I remember that once I, too, knew nothing about the way animals are being treated, and why it's that much more important that I strive to make sure everyone becomes aware of the suffering, of the torture, of the loneliness, of the fear, of the hopelessness that these animals endure. They deserve better. Much better. And I know I can't simply rely on other people to help these animals—I have to do whatever is within my power to help them, too. This is why I am so committed to animal rights.

<3 Marta