Veganuary: More than a diet!

Animal freedom begins with making small but powerful choices every day. Yes, that includes what we eat but it’s also about what we wear, what we buy, and how we spend our free time. That’s why Veganuary is so important, and why it’s so much more than just a diet!

Veganism beyond Veganuary 

Veganuary is a brilliant place to start and is the reason so many people – including some of the Animal Aid team! – are vegan today. But veganism isn’t only about what we eat: it’s a movement dedicated to embracing kindness, compassion, and respect in all parts of our lives, from what we wear and how we spend our time, to how we interact with the world around us. Sadly, society is still set up to prioritise profit over animals’ lives – but it doesn’t have to be. 

Beyond Veganuary, use your consumer power to: 

• Shop cruelty-free. Check packaging for words like cruelty-free or look for the leaping bunny logo. Be careful though, because some products can be vegan but still tested on animals, and vice versa! The Animal Aid shop is completely vegan and cruelty-free. 

• Boycott real fur, leather, silk or wool. Animals suffer horrifically in the name of fashion and even though fur farming was outlawed in the UK in 2000, it’s still legal to import it. You can write to your MP about this, here. 

• Pledge never to attend or bet on the racing of horses and greyhounds, which are cruel and outdated ways to have ‘fun’. Better still, sign our government petition to End Greyhound Racing! 

• Be kind to wildlife. The climate crisis is bringing extreme weather that threatens animals everywhere, including those who share our gardens and local community areas. Look out for our animal cousins with these tips. 

• Boycott the ‘pet’ industry, which perpetuates the idea that animals are products to be bought and sold. If you can offer an animal a home, please adopt and never breed or buy. 

Veganism sees the planet and our animal cousins as an extended community – one that we are a part of, not apart from. With your help, what starts as a Veganuary pledge can blossom into a world where all animals live in peace and safety. 

Image credit: Animal Rebellion protesters in the early morning hours near Billingsgate fish market. Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals