Adopting an Animal- Friendly Menu Policy A Program of Animal Place
What is Food for Thought? Food for Thought is a program of Animal Place, one of the oldest and largest farmed animal sanctuaries in the United States. The program helps animal nonprofits adopt board-approved, animal-friendly menu policies for sponsored events, such as fundraisers or volunteer luncheons. An animal-friendly menu policy is a written guideline which states that no animals will be served as food at shelter-sponsored events. Why adopt a menu policy? Most people agree that cruelty to animals is wrong. Yet we allow for the global exploitation and slaughter of more than 70 billion land animals and a trillion marine animals every year. 1 This is where you come in. Food choices have a powerful impact on furthering compassion toward other animals, human wellbeing, and the health of the planet. For organizations that encourage kindness toward animals, one simple but significant way to make a difference is to offer exclusively animal-friendly foods at your sponsored events. Adopting an animal-friendly menu policy allows your organization to do the greatest good by aligning your menu with your mission. 2
Act in accordance with your mission Rescues are driven by their mission to reduce animal suffering. Today, farming animals is unnecessary and causes immense suffering to these animals. They deserve to be protected from cruelty as much as dogs or cats. Show humane leadership The public expects animal protection organizations to set the bar when it comes to humane standards. They receive a mixed message when these organizations put some species on the menu at an event to help other species. Practice responsible donation use Animal nonprofits act with integrity by using donations in service of their mission to help animals. Buying veg-only foods for events is a responsible and ethically consistent use of donations. Be inclusive A vegan event makes all supporters feel welcome. Many supporters of animal groups are already vegan or vegetarian, and while someone who is not can still attend and eat veg foods, a vegan or vegetarian person will not eat animal-based dishes. Save wildlife and the planet Animal agriculture is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases, causes habitat fragmentation and destruction, results in loss of biodiversity and species extinction, wastes huge amounts of water, and pollutes air and waterways. 2 3
Humane Leaders Speak An animal-friendly menu communicates a progressive and compassionate philosophy, instilling confidence that we are walking our talk. Dr. Shayda Ahkami, Director of Shelter Operations and Veterinary Care, Palm Springs Animal Shelter, California Accepting donations for protecting animals only to then spend some of that money on supporting the very industries that cause so much pain and suffering to animals makes no sense. We are a humane organization; what is the point of protecting animals all day long, only to serve them up on a platter at that evening s donor reception? Nicholas Gilman, Former Executive Director, Montreal SPCA, Canada It sends a mixed signal to the public if you are helping cats and dogs while eating other animals. No one involved in animal rescue would deny cats or dogs have feelings and emotional lives of their own, so it s a natural step to also believe farmed animals are sentient beings capable of feeling emotions as well. Grace Froelich, Founder, Animal Rescue Inc., Maryland There is simply no justification for raising funds or celebrating one type of sentient creature with food made from another. Heather Cammisa, President and CEO, St. Hubert s Animal Welfare Center, New Jersey We provide comfort and care to any animal who comes through our doors or is in need in our community. That includes a regular flow of chickens, but has also included goats and pigs We feel it is ethically inconsistent to work to save and care for animals of a certain species who come through our door but to eat other animals of those same species who weren t so lucky. 4 Stephanie Shain, COO, Humane Rescue Alliance, Washington DC
Menu policies save animals, resources, and money Consumers are increasingly educated about the impact of diet on the environment and animal welfare. Many are now expecting to see plant-based meals at fundraising events. Chefs are happy to prepare delicious plant-based cuisine, and veg events save resources and animal lives. It s a win for people, animals, and the planet! HOST A VEGAN EVENT AND SAVE! MORE SAVINGS 150 PERSON EVENT SAVES Money: Catered plant-based meals are often less expensive. Carbon Footprint: A vegan s footprint is less than 2 3 of the average American s. 1,500 sq feet of forest 55,000 gallons of water 2,000 lbs of grain up to 50 farmed animal lives Community Health: Plant-based meals can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, help prevent heart disease and diabetes, and reduce cancer risk. Wild Animals: USDA Wildlife Services killed 2.7 million free animals in 2016, mostly at the request of those raising animals for food. Infographic Resources 3 4 5 6 7 8 5
Sample policies Hundreds of organizations have animal-friendly menu policies, from small grassroots to large national groups. Meriden Humane Society, Connecticut As a no-kill rescue organization with a motto that every life matters it is with a warm heart that we put forth a new policy that only vegan food will be provided at all of our shelter-sponsored events (fundraisers, staff, volunteer meetings, open house days, etc). Best Friends Animal Society, Utah The vision of Best Friends is very simple: A better world through kindness to animals... It is incongruent with our guiding principles to support industries that raise and slaughter animals for food, as these animals often live in inhumane and even torturous conditions. Given the above, food served at all Best Friends staff meetings and employee events, the food that employees are reimbursed for while traveling, employee food choices when meeting with donors, and food served at any other Best Friends related events should be vegetarian, and whenever feasible, entirely plant-based. Kingston Animal Rescue, Canada We don t hurt animals to help animals. Though our focus is on rescuing domestic animals, compassion for all animals guides our policies and practices. Making the easy choice to serve only vegan/vegetarian food simply serves to extend our impact. Animal Aid Inc, Oregon At the heart of Animal Aid s mission is the desire to prevent animal suffering and promote compassion, respect, and the need to be kind and responsible stewards. In keeping with this, we are committed to serving a vegetarian and/or vegan menu at all functions hosted by Animal Aid. San Francisco SPCA, California The San Francisco SPCA is proud to support the Food for Thought campaign because we think that anytime that a compassionate food choice is made, it s a victory for animals, people, and the environment. 6
How to implement a board-approved menu policy 1 Add Animal-Friendly Menu Policy to the agenda for your next board meeting. 2 Print Food for Thought materials to distribute to your board for review prior to the meeting or contact us for additional copies of our brochure. 3 Facilitate an educated and thoughtful discussion during your board meeting. 4 Adjust the language of the policy to best suit your organization. 5 Bring the policy to a vote. 6 Have your executive director meet with staff to implement the policy. Food for Thought Shelter Grant Animal Place s Food for Thought program is awarding $250 grants to animal organizations that adopt board-approved animal-friendly menu policies! For more information and to apply, visit foodforthoughtcampaign.org 7
Additional resources More resources are available that help nonprofit organizations adopt menu policies: Event planning tips, menus, and recipes Veg-friendly catering directory Materials to present to board of directors Case studies of effective menu policy adoption www.foodforthoughtcampaign.org References 1. Factory Farming. A Well-Fed World. https://awfw.org/factory-farms/ 2. Is Meat Sustainable? World Watch Institute. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/549 3. The Vegan Calculator. http://www.thevegancalculator.com 4. Shrink That Footprint. http://www.shrinkthatfootprint.com 5. Take Extinction Off Your Plate. http://takeextinctionoffyourplate.com/ 6. Animal Agriculture. Friends of the Earth. foe.org/projects/food-and-technology/good-food-healthy-planet 7. Poppick, Susie. Here s How Much Money Vegetarians Save Each Year. Time. Oct 2015. time.com/money/4066188/vegetarians-save-money 8. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. http://www.pcrm.org/ Animal Place 17314 McCourtney Road Grass Valley, CA 95949 www.animalplace.org