Today I am taking part in a fast for World Day for Farmed Animals (WDFA), a day dedicated to exposing the needless suffering and death of animals, raised and slaughtered for food. Every day, as millions of animals are transported to slaughterhouses across the world, they are denied food and water for several hours, up to days. So in protest of this, I am going just one day without food.

Whilst I believe it would be naive of me to think everyone in the world should be vegetarian or vegan, but I also believe it’s down to all humans to show compassion and give animals the best life as possible; farmed or not. This is why, although I chose not to eat meat myself, I still support organisations like Compassion in World Farming, as they are at least actively working to ensure farmed animals are treated in the best possible way. This doesn’t mean I support the meat industry, I just see the improvements of standards as a step toward the reduction, or even demise, of mass industrial industries. The world won’t change overnight, so all moves toward compassion and humanity should be embraced.

Throughout history, fasting has been used as a tool to make a political statement, to protest, or to bring awareness to a cause. One of the most famous animal protesters to use fasting was Mahatma Gandhi, who shares his birthday with World Day for Farmed Animals. He undertook nearly 20 fasts throughout his life, and his influence on human and non-human animal history is undeniable.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandhi

World Farm Day facts:

• Each year approximately 65 billion animals are killed to produce meat, eggs, and dairy. More animals are killed for food than for all other reasons combined.
• Most of these animals are raised on factory farms, where they are confined, mutilated, and raised to grow so large, so quickly, that many of them literally suffer to death.
• Even animals raised on small family farms endure many of these abuses, and all animals raised for food face a gruesome slaughter.
• Learn more about animal agriculture here.

What we can do?

• If you’re not ready to take the step toward veganism, consider reducing your intake eating meat, dairy, and eggs; or even having “vegan days”
• Join the protest! With events scheduled in dozens of cities across the globe, find the one nearest to you.
• Fast Against Slaughter today. Click here to pledge to Fast Against Slaughter and join millions of people across the world who have also pledged.
• Share the 10 Billion Lives video online. The video is quite hard to watch at first, but denial of agricultural cruelties will never help to stop them.