About Us
The National Animal Rights Day events are organized by a network of animal rights activists in 50 countries around the world, under the sponsorship and guidance of the US-based nonprofit Our Planet. Theirs Too., which created The National Animal Rights Day in 2011. For the sake of power in unity, all the events follow the unique NARD format, which may be adjusted to local culture and rituals.
Our History
The National Animal Rights Day was established in New York City in 2011, by a group of animal rights activists who came together under the name “Animal Freedom International” (later changed to “Our Planet. Theirs Too.”), with the vision of uniting the many animal rights groups in the city around a common cause: to create a massive public event that will give a voice to the billions of animals who languish and die each year by human hands, mourn their loss, and celebrate a better future for them. This vision was inspired by the powerful work of the Spanish animal rights group Igualdad Animal and its mass public events for International Animal Rights Day.
While the event did not create a lasting collaboration in the animal rights movement in New York City, as the organizers hoped to create, it did expose the public to the cause of animal rights in a new and powerful way, and started the tradition of the annual NARD events! The day started with a requiem ceremony for the billions of animals who died that year by human hands, and then proceeded to the first public reading and signing of The Declaration of Animal Rights, which was drafted by the group especially for the event. It then ended with a celebration that included vegan food, live music, speakers, and informational tables from 30 animal rights groups.
Organizers and participants of the 1st National Animal Rights Day, June 5, 2011, New York City.
The following years saw the expansion of NARD to additional cities in the US, and the addition of a new and moving element to its ceremonies – inspired again by Igualdad Animal in Spain: participants holding the bodies of real deceased animals in their hands, to show the public the direct results of their lifestyle choices. From there, NARD spread to Canada first, and then to Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and South America.
The National Animal Rights Day tradition will continue as long as animals are enslaved, abused, and killed by humans, and until the innate rights of all animals are fully recognized and protected by law.
The history of NARD as presented at the 2020 global NARD event online: