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Todays conversation is a beautiful full circle moment for me.

20+ years ago when I had freshly arrived in Sydney, long before I became a personal trainer, I worked on behalf some amazing not for profit organisations. During those years in fund-raising, the charity I was most drawn to, was WSPA. The World Society for the Protection of Animals.

WSPA has since changed its name to World Animal Protection, however its vision remains the same:

A world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering.

World Animal Protection has a multi-pronged approach to improving the lives of animals. Their programs include protecting wildlife in their natural habitat and creating a better quality of life for farm animals.

During this conversation with WAP Australia’s Country Director Ben Pearson we touch on the bull in the room. The question, can there ever be an acceptable quality of life that makes it ok to farm animals?

Of course I’m a hard NO here. And yet, I recognise in our non-vegan world where animal agriculture and the huge money and political power behind it are so deeply entrenched it is necessary to work on improving welfare for the animals languishing in factory farms while we relentlessly push for a vegan world.

To quote https://www.worldanimalprotection.org: We’ve always moved wherever the need for animal protection is greatest – from treating more than 70,000 animals following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, to ending bear dancing across India in 2012, to investigating animal trafficking in El Salvador. And as we’ve grown, we’ve focused on protecting more animals in more places.

Today, we have offices in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America.

Please enjoy this conversation with Ben Pearson on World Animal Protection’s work to improve animal welfare.

In this conversation we cover:

• What initially drew Ben to working in animal protection and advocacy. What motivated him to take on the role of country director for World Animal Protection in Australia?
• As the country director for WAP in Australia, what are the most pressing animal welfare issues Ben is currently focused on addressing?
• In Ben’s opinion, what are the unique challenges and opportunities for animal welfare advocacy in Australia? How does WAP navigate these challenges and work towards achieving positive outcomes?
• How does WAP work towards influencing consumer behaviour and encouraging more compassionate choices?
• World Animal Protection’s success exposing travel companies who exploit wildlife for profit.
• Wild animals kept as pets and the normalising impact of social media on this cruel practice.
• Transforming the global food system and how ending factory farming will help end the climate crisis.
• Ben’s goals for World Animal Protection in Australia and a couple current campaigns his is particularly excited about.

I know my animal rights friends might have been cringing at the use of the term welfare not rights in this conversation. Even the use of the term, End Factory Farming instead of End ALL Animal Farming.

However I feel confident that we all want the same thing. Zero unnecessary animal suffering. Around 95% of the individual animals killed for food globally live miserable, short, tormented lives in factory farms.

If that is what we focus on first, to save the most lives, to prevent the most horrific of suffering then I am all for it.

End the factory farms and then YES, of course end all animal agriculture because those “sweet, small, little family run local farms” are not acceptable or necessary either. 

We're not just talking about making these systems incrementally better or less cruel for animals. We actually need to transition these systems entirely. We're actually trying to see the end of #factoryfarming @MoveTheWorldAU Share on X

To connect with WPA and learn more about how you can support their work please head to www.worldanimalprotection.org for the international site and .au at the end for Australia. I will also have you linked up in the show notes below.

Connect with World Animal Protection (Australia) across the socials: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter

Connect with World Animal Protection (International) across the socials: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter

Connect with World Animal Protection (Australia) via the website, https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.au

Connect with World Animal Protection (International) via the website, www.worldanimalprotection.org

That’s it for this week in Healthification.

However dear podcast listener, have you checked out my Plant Positive Journal yet?

I am so very proud of this stunning journal. There is now also a fillable PDF version available for immediate download so wherever you are in the world you can still get Plant Positive with me!

If you are plant-based curious. Or already vegan and need a healthier approach to the lifestyle.

In this daily journal you will learn how to consistently prioritise food, exercise and other healthy habits that build on each other to have a compounding and lasting effect. 

To help you create a BODY and LIFE you LOVE by successfully managing your TIME and your MIND.

It makes a great gift to YOU!

Or, for the loved one who is plant-based curious or who has been a valuable vegan ally to you.

You can check out the printed version HERE:

Plus, the fillable PDF HERE:

Importantly, the journal follows a twelve month format however is not dated so it is perfect to use at ANY time of the year.

With love and gratitude plant friends.

If you liked “Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection, and Taking On The Global Systems That Fuel Animal Abuse.” you’ll also like PETA’s Aleesha Naxakis and Stopping The Victorian Kangaroo Processing Facility.

If you liked “Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection, and Taking On The Global Systems That Fuel Animal Abuse.” you’ll also like 638: PETA’s Ingrid Newkirk | Animals Are Not Ours To Experiment On, Eat, Wear, Use For Entertainment or Abuse In Any Other Way.

If you liked “Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection, and Taking On The Global Systems That Fuel Animal Abuse.” you’ll also like Animals Australia’s Live Export Investigations with Shatha Hamade.

If you liked “Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection, and Taking On The Global Systems That Fuel Animal Abuse.” you’ll also like Jill Robinson and Animals Asia’s Work To End Bear Bile Farming.

If you liked “Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection, and Taking On The Global Systems That Fuel Animal Abuse.” you’ll also like Anita Krajnc and Nicola Harris of Animal Save Movement and the Plant Based Treaty.

If you liked “Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection, and Taking On The Global Systems That Fuel Animal Abuse.” you’ll also like Sea Shepherd’s Captain Paul Watson and Protecting Marine Wildlife Worldwide with Aggressive Non-violence.

If you liked “Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection, and Taking On The Global Systems That Fuel Animal Abuse.” you’ll also like AJP MP Emma Hurst and The Failures Of Our Existing Animal Welfare Legislation.