10 Ways To Celebrate International Animal Rights Day This December

December isn’t just the holiday season (or Sagittarius season, for our Divination lovers out there). It’s also a month which includes a very special day—International Animal Rights Day! 

International Animal Rights Day was introduced on December 10th, 1998 by the Sheffield, England-based anti-vivisection society, Uncaged. It marked the nonprofit taking an active stance against animal abuse and experimentation and was their demand for the need for universal rights for animals. 

Now, over twenty years later, International Animal Rights Day continues to be an important day to practice love and kindness towards animals. 

Here are 10 things you can (safely) do to celebrate International Animal Rights Day this year!

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1. Start a conversation with someone you know

Be like Hermione Granger and Newt Scamander and lead by positive example! By sharing your love of animals and magical creatures and the need to treat them with respect and kindness, you can plant seeds of change in your friends, family, and the people around you. Many people aren’t completely aware of what animals go through. By gently speaking out about, for example, why it’s so important to buy products not tested on animals, you’ll be spreading knowledge and empowering the people around you to make more informed choices. (You can even point them to our blog!)

​2. Bake some yummy vegan treats 

Vegan baking is its own kind of magic. Animal products like eggs and dairy have no reason to be  used in baked goods, especially today when plant-based alternatives are so affordable and widely available. Making cookies and other confections are a holiday tradition for magical people and Muggles alike, so why not whip up an animal-free batch of Hagrid’s signature treacle fudge, or make some gingerbread cut out cookies that would make even kitchen witch extraordinaire, Mrs. Weasley, proud?! You could also do a riff on Harry’s first birthday cake and frost “Happee Christmas Harry” onto the cake, or you could make some of your very own Chocolate Frogs! 


3. Stream an empowering animal rights, environmental, or vegan documentary 

​There’s a difference between being trauma-led and trauma-informed. This is a day of celebration and remembrance, not a day to buckle down on the most graphic and violent footage. Two vegan documentaries that take a kind approach to educating and engaging viewers are Live and Let Live and Peaceable Kingdom. 

Live and Let Live follows six individuals who break away from their meat-eating and animal-exploiting lives to become advocates for change and compassion. The “cast” includes a factory farmer turned farmed sanctuary founder and a butcher who became a vegan chef. Peaceable Kingdom looks at traditional farmers and how they come to re-examine their relationship with farmed animals, realizing that things need to change.

4. Support your local vegan restaurant 

​Many small businesses have been suffering during the pandemic. Choosing local vegan restaurants (or restaurants with vegan options) is also a great way to play a role in strengthening your community and to show that there is a demand for vegan food. If you’re unsure of where to find vegan-friendly restaurants, Happy Cow is an invaluable tool on the Muggle internet. Also available as an app, this cheerful little website finds vegan (and vegetarian) restaurants, bistros, cafes, and other eateries in your area. There might just be a vegan Three Broomsticks-like pub you never knew existed!


5. Consider buying cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics and personal care products 

​Testing beauty products and cosmetics on animals is still, unfortunately, common. The Humane Society reports that over 500,000 animals worldwide undergo cruel and excruciatingly painful experiments for cosmetics development. These practices include having chemicals dripped into their eyes and forced down their throats. Thankfully, more and more companies are refusing to make animals suffer with these outdated and often lethal tests. We adore Pacifica, an entirely vegan and cruelty-free company, and the monthly subscription box Kinder Beauty, which is curated by vegan goddess and Luna Lovegood actress, Evanna Lynch. 

6. Listen to a vegan or animal rights-themed podcast

Conversations about veganism and animal rights are also becoming more prominent in the podcasting world. For one, did you know we have our own podcast? It’s called ProtegoCast! In Season 2, hosts Ali Matthews (Protego’s Finance & Development Director)  and Emma Pocock (Senior Editor of The Leaky Cauldron and a dedicated vegan) explore how veganism and animal rights intersect with our favorite magical creatures and characters in the wizarding world! 


7. Donate to an animal charity or organization 

​Whether it's your favorite animal rights organization or animal sanctuary, every Galleon, Sickle, or Knut you can donate goes a long way! But if money is a bit tight, there are plenty of other ways you can practice generosity and make a huge difference in the lives of animals. For one, you can help Kneazles and Crups! Shelters, humane societies, and independently-run nonprofit companion animal rescue organizations all benefit from food, blanket, and toy donations. With over 6 million abandoned cats and dogs entering shelters and rescues each year, there’s a constant need for healthy food and supplies to give these loving animals the best care. And if you need help finding a shelter or rescue to drop off much needed supplies to, there’s a Muggle website for that, too! ​

8. Buy some vegan holiday gifts for your friends and loved ones

What better way to express the need for love and compassion for all animals and magical creatures than to give the gift of animal-friendly presents? There are so many fantastic fan-made Potterish gifts that don’t harm animals. Think: Hogwarts-themed candles made from soy wax, incredible Honeydukes-inspired soap confections made without any animal products, and sweatshirts and jumpers made from cotton and acrylic, not wool! We even summoned up a magical wizarding world-inspired gift guide for the holiday season. And if you’re shopping for someone who isn’t a Potterhead, you could also hit the Muggle internet to find gifts that support your favorite sanctuaries, rescues, or animal rights organizations, like Mercy For Animals and Farm Sanctuary. 


9. Read or download a book about animal sanctuaries or veganism

For the Ravenclaws among us, there are dozens of informative and empowering books about animals, veganism, and the organizations and rescues that care for them. We love PETA founder, Ingrid Newkirk’s, latest book, Animalkind, an educational (but still siriusly entertaining) page-turner that looks into animal behavior. We also love Isa Leshko’s Allowed To Grow Old, a heartwarming tear-jerker that spotlights rescued farmed animals in sanctuaries, like pigs, goats, and sheep, who have gone through horrific abuse and tragedy but who have gone on to live well into their elderly years in safe and loving sanctuary environments. We suggest taking these books out from your local library or buying them from an independent bookstore.


10. Spend some quality time with your animal companions. 

​Don’t underestimate the power of giving your undivided attention to your companion cats, dogs, Crups, and Kneazles. Not only does this strengthen the bond you share, but it shows them just how much they mean to you! Whether it’s taking your pup for an extra walk or giving your kitty an extra treat or some catnip, simply loving your animal friends is one of the best things you can do this International Animal Rights Day! 

​Written by Victoria Tomis

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