Aurora's Animal Rights Advocates

Janette's VEGAN STORY

 

I was born in Hong Kong and lived there for 10 years before moving to Canada with my

family. We settled in York Region, and I have spent most of my time there since.  I grew up

as the middle child in a family of three girls.  We ate typical Chinese meals and even though

it wasn’t meat-heavy, there were animal products in almost everything.  I’m the only vegan in

the family but I’m fortunate that my sisters and parents are very supportive of my way of

living and involvement in activism.  When we meet for family gatherings, 90% of the time the

food is solely vegan.  I even got my mom to help me draw up protest signs in Chinese against

the Shrine Circus in Markham, which tends to draw a large Chinese crowd.  I have three

nephews, ages 10, 7 and 4.  I talk to them about why I’m vegan and they are curious about

what vegans do and don’t eat.  They are open to trying vegan food – their favorite is Gardein

Fishless Filets!  My oldest nephew even tried making chocolate pudding using tofu.  Most of

my friends are open minded as well and are willing to try different vegan restaurants with me.

  I’m thankful to have this support system in my life.  Last but not least, I have two dogs -

Emma & Nahla and they are the loves of my life!  They are also very supportive of my

decision and work to save animals. 

 

What inspired her to go vegan?

 

My love for animals started at a very young age.  I remember I was particularly fond of

elephants, thanks to the movie, Dumbo.  But even more than elephants, I loved dogs.  I loved them so much that I said I wanted to be a dog when I grew up. 

 

When I was around 13 years old, my dad, who has a twisted sense of humor joked about going to Asia and eating dog meat.  He said he’d had it before when he was young and it was delicious.  Being the dog lover that I was, I did not appreciate the joke and I forbade him to do such thing.  He reminded me that I ate animals like cows and chickens, and asked me what the difference was.  I was stumped.  I didn’t have the answer.  Deep down I guess I knew that there was no difference but society taught us that there are certain animals that we killed for food so I continued to eat them.  And I forced these questions out of my mind because I didn't know there was a different way of living. 

 

Fast forward 20 years, I was a down, wool, leather wearing, animal flesh eating, “animal lover”.  I was against hunting, fishing, BSL, puppy mills, dog fighting rings, and, of course, the dog & cat meat trade in Asia.  Looking back,  I really was a hypocrite but didn’t know it.  How could I have claimed to love animals but kill and eat some of them? 

 

For a long time I was curious about vegetarianism (I didn't know the cruelty behind eggs and dairy because I figured the animals don't have to die for it, how bad could it be?) but I stayed an omnivore.  I didn't have any vegetarians in my life to inspire me and the typical misconceptions held me back - I thought it would be very hard, I thought I would be deprived, I did not know what I would eat.  I knew that there was plenty of information available, but I was too scared to learn the truth because it would break my heart.  I was also scared because it might mean that I finally have to change.

 

Even though I was resistant to change, I still cared about animals.  I tried to help by signing petitions that came my way, and through that, I started getting more information from organizations like PETA on my Facebook newsfeed.  In November 2012, I came across a story about a pair of oxen, Bill, and Lou.  They were working oxen at the Green Mountain College, an alternative farming school in Vermont.  They arrived at the school as youngsters and for 10 years tilled the land of the school’s farm.  Unfortunately, Lou suffered a leg injury and the school decided to kill both of them, and served their flesh at the cafeteria.  There were petitions to save these two brothers, and people pleaded with Green Mountain (GM).  Vine Sanctuary offered to take them in at no cost to the school but GM refused.  I came across a Facebook group dedicated to saving Bill & Lou so I joined them.  There were protests being organized and letters sent to the Dean. I volunteered to make calls to slaughterhouses in the New York area asking them to not accept the order.  There was overwhelming support from all over the world to save the pair but sadly we did not succeed.  I will always remember Bill & Lou because they inspired me to go vegan.  It was during this time when I first dipped my toes into activism that I really questioned the way I was living.  I remember leaving a message on the GM Facebook wall to show my support for Bill & Lou and in that moment, I thought about my hypocritical ways.  Bill & Lou were not worthy of saving because they have worked for the school and "paid their dues"; they were worthy of saving simply because they had the rights to be left alone without harm.  And if I was advocating for them for those reasons, all other animals would deserve the same.  That's when the lightbulb finally turned on in my head and I started researching veganism.

 

                                                                Around the same time, I came across an article about Toronto Pig Save - a Toronto-based group                                                                     that uses a love-based community approach to building a grassroots animal justice movement based                                                                 on the principles of animal equality and freedom.  They hold vigils outside slaughterhouses to bear                                                                   witness to animals in their final moment on transport trucks.  I was moved by their action and I felt                                                                 motivated to join them at a vigil so I started following the group on Facebook.  For a while, I was                                                                     challenged by work conflict but finally, the opportunity came. TPS organized its first ever 30                                                                           hour all day vigil in July of 2013 at what was called Pig Island downtown near the CNE, close to my                                                                 work.  I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived and truthfully I was anxious to bear witness to                                                                     the suffering of these innocent pigs.  But the love, encouragement and support from all the                                                                             volunteers helped me through my first experience.  I’m grateful to have the opportunity to participate                                                                 in TPS events.  The founder, Anita Krajnc and other activists taught me a lot about the movement                                                                   and the issues, and it solidified my decision to become vegan and to help animals.  I have felt a                                                                       stronger conviction since getting involved with the movement.

 

                                                                Going vegan was the best decision I have ever made.  There are emotional rollercoasters that you                                                                     ride when you care so deeply about the plight of animals, but at the same time, I’m so thankful and                                                                   happy about this decision.  I feel that I have finally figured out who I’m supposed to be, and I have                                                                   found my life’s purpose.  I feel free because I am living true to my values – compassion, kindness and                                                                 justice.  Like many other vegans, my only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner.

 

                                                        How did she get involved with Aurora’s Animal Rights Advocates?

 

                                                                It was also through Toronto Pig Save that I met Katie Barber, founder of Aurora's Animal Rights                                                                     Advocates (AARA).  In Fall 2013, Katie, Grace Morin and I, we started doing potlucks and outreach                                                                   events to raise awareness and spread the joy of veganism in York Region.  Katie and I actually                                                                       crossed paths many months before AARA started.  I attended the first March to Close Down All                                                                       Slaughterhouses in June 2013. On my way to the event, I remember seeing this girl with pink hair                                                                     and a protest sign on the subway.  The introvert that I am contemplated whether to say hello and                                                                     share my enthusiasm with her about the march.  But before I was able to do that, she got off a stop                                                                 early and I never saw her again at the march.  I guess meeting and working with Katie was                                                                             meant to be because a couple months later, I did meet this pink hair girl and the rest is history!