Did you know that a single slaughterhouse in Canada kills about 10,000 pigs a day? Are you aware that, on average, two hundred  pigs are crammed into each animal transport vehicle as they are moved to slaughterhouses? Have you heard why ending animal agriculture will help solve the climate crisis? 

In this riveting interview, NYK host Kathryn, and Save Movement founder, Anita Krajnc, discuss how and why Krajnc started Toronto Pig Save, and how it has grown into the massive and extraordinarily successful global Save Movement it is today. Listen as Krajnc describes the transformative power of animal vigils at both the political and personal levels, and addresses the critical and much overlooked connection between animal agriculture and climate change.  About eighty percent of the land for agriculture is used for animal agriculture.

Kathryn underscores the philosophy behind Krajnc’s movement, pointing out that despite being viewed by many as a radical activist, Krajnc holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto and has served as adjunct professor at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario. Hers is a philosophy grounded in a well-established and long-standing social movement history that is heavily influenced by such famous and revered figures as Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi. Krajnc describes how their respective strategies of civil rights “momentum organizations,” and how the importance of engaging in advocacy and the focus on system change, motivated and compelled her to develop this world movement.

In 2015, Krajnc was charged with criminal mischief for giving water to pigs outside of a slaughterhouse, but her charge was eventually dismissed. Ingrid Newkirk, founder and president of PETA, called it a “landmark case.”  Since then, hundreds of Pig Save, and other Save groups have started around the world. Krajnc’s courageous and compassionate stance has attracted much international support from the public, including celebrities such as Joaquin Phoenix who made it a point to call attention to the atrocity of slaughtering animals for food during his recent Oscars acceptance speech. 

Kathryn asks Krajnc about her source of inspiration for starting Toronto Pig Save. The answer: her dog that she had rescued: Mr Bean. She describes her morning walks with Mr. Bean, living near a slaughterhouse in Toronto,  observing animal transport trucks with pigs inside, including her heartbreaking promise to one individual that she was powerless to save. 

Next, Kathryn turns the discussion to the transformative power of vigils. Krajnc stresses the political impact of vigils as they increase visibility of an industry that wants to hide the systematic use of extreme violence from the public. Kathryn, gets personal, sharing her recent first experience of bearing witness at a Pig Save vigil in Burlington and how despite having worked in advocacy for many years, was profoundly affected by it.

“It’s not natural to have these industrial killing facilities — that’s why this industry tries to hide it, and so, right from the start, we felt that if everyone saw what we saw, if everyone went up to the trucks and looked in the eyes of these terrified chickens, turkeys, lambs, calves and mother cows, I think that they would not want to participate in this evil of killing them.” – Anita Krajnc

The conversation then shifts to address the scale of the factory farming industry: Krajnc reveals that about 70 billion animals are farmed for food around the world, and that this number does not even include fish. Kathryn shines the spotlight on the startling contrast between the mind-boggling numbers of farm animals that are artificially brought into the world and the drastically ever-shrinking numbers of wild animal  populations.

“Essentially, we are eradicating the world of all the natural animals and re-populating the planet, on this crazy scale, with animals for us to use . . . and when you think of it that way, it’s very clear why the climate crisis is what it is, and why agricultural issues are at the center of it.” – Kathryn Sussman

The take away from this interview: learn why animal agriculture is killing our planet, and how compassion and love-based movements like the Save Movement serve to create a global community that embraces the diversity and well-being of all living creatures – human and animals. 

 

Now you know!

Be Part of the Change

Learn More

 

  • Read books such as Animal Rebellion and This is an Uprising – a book that examines how non-violent revolt is shaping the twenty-first century.
  • Watch documentaries such as The Game Changers – a film grounded in scientific facts about plant-based eating, protein, and strength; Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret – a documentary that examines the impact of animal agriculture on the environment; Okja – a movie about the friendship between a young girl and a pig; and Forks Over Knives – a film that examines the obesity epidemic link with the meat industry.

Learn more about Bill 156 and other Ag-gag Bills and laws that serve to keep the lid on animal cruelty and abuse.

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