Bristol Animal Rights Collective is just that, a collective of people fighting for animal liberation. This campaigning takes many forms, given the large range of issues we deal with. From meat and dairy to circuses and zoos, from horse racing to hunting, from animal testing to fur and leather we stand against all exploitation of animals, and believe they all have a right to live free from harm and cruelty. Because of this we stand for the abolition of all animal slavery, as welfare fights only seek to improve the conditions in which animals are exploited, tortured and killed for human benefit.

Veganism is a key part in our campaigning, as a vegan lifestyle is not only healthier, it also means not contributing to any form of animal exploitation. To promote veganism we hold street stalls that provide the public with information on veganism (e.g., diet, clothing, entertainment, etc.) and to promote it as a lifestyle, and also provide information on all forms of animal cruelty so they can take steps to help us end animal exploitation. This information includes dietary information and recipes, to help you eat delicious healthy and cruelty-free food. We also hold food stalls, giving away free vegan food to show the public that cruelty free food is not only ethical, but also mouth-wateringly tasty! And we give you all the recipes you need to make it at home! We have organised events like cake bake sales, vegan chocolate tasting evenings, and free vegan food fairs for this same purpose, to much success.

We demonstrate against the local places that promote or take part in animal cruelty, including Astrazeneca, Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Bristol Zoo, Blue Reef Aquariam, McDonalds, and more. All of these are organised at our fortnightly meetings. These take place at Kebele social centre in Easton, and are open to anyone. Contact us for the date and time of the next meeting.

As well as these local issues, we take part in, and organise transport for national demonstrations and other events. This includes events like World Day For Animals In Laboratories, and the National Animal Rights Spring/Summer Gatherings. You can contact us for more information on these events as well.

Here are some reasons why some of us got involved:

"I first got properly involved in Animal Rights in 1997. I'd been veggie for years and had been on one or two live exports protests with my family when I was younger. I moved back to the UK after a year abroad and someone I knew was talking about getting a hunt sab group together, so we organised a meeting and some experienced hunt sabs came and gave a bit of a talk and showed us how to crack whips and blow hunting horns etc. We did some fundraising and soon we had our own group van which we put seats in the back of and off we went, meeting up with other groups in Devon and Somerset who had been sabbing for a long time.
"In the summer months when the fox hunts weren't out we used the van to go to demos instead, such as Hillgrove cat farm in Oxfordshire and a mink fur farm in Dorset. Within a short time I was vegan and couldn't remember being any other way. It made so much sense and was so easy to do! Since then many of the places we had protested against are now closed, but we still have a way to go yet! And hunting has been made illegal, hopefully at some point the hunts will realise that too! 
"I now live in Bristol where it is great to be a part of such a vibrant and active Animal Rights group. There are always lots of demos and events to get involved in and transport to protests in other parts of the country. I've made so many great friends through being involved in AR too, all over the country!"

"I wanted to become vegetarian from the age of 8 because several of my school friends were vegetarian.   My family worried about my health as I was always under weight.  I finally persuaded them to let me become vegetarian when I was 14.  At the age of 15 I became vegan.  Our school RE teacher did some brilliant work on the ethical treatment of animals and I decided then that I wanted to become vegan!  Giving up chocolate and cheese was the hardest part but I managed it.  I put on lots of weight so my family and my doctors were very pleased!  I quickly became involved in animal rights groups and campaigned for animals.  I have now been vegan for 12 years and it is getting easier and easier.  Restaurants are putting more and more options on their menus and health food stores, with lots of vegan alternatives, are popping up everywhere!  There are loads more options now than there were 12 years ago, you can get vegan makeup, yoghurt, marg, cheese, icecream , chocolate and  meat replacements -and they don’t taste like cardboard these days!   I will always be vegan as I believe it is the right thing to do.  I will keep fighting for those who can’t speak for themselves and hoping to make a difference!"

"When I was 13, I had been feeding the neighbour's rabbit over the summer holidays. I came home one evening after feeding the rabbit, and my mum had cooked rabbit for dinner. I was horrified. I had never eaten rabbit before, and could not bear the thought of eating rabbit, especially after stroking a lovely rabbit that afternoon.  My mum could not eat the rabbit either.  We fed the rabbit to the cat, who enjoyed her dinner that night, and for a few nights after!  I then started to think about why I had not eaten rabbit, but still ate pigs, lambs, cows, fish, etc. I became vegetarian, as I realised that no animal should be killed to be on my dinner plate.
"I sat comfortably for years, thinking that being vegetarian was enough to help animals.  It was not for another 13 years that I finally made the move to veganism - back in 2003.  I went to the London Vegan Festival, and picked up information about the dairy industry, and looked around at the people there, and realised how easy it is to be vegan, happy and healthy.  I was horrifed about what I learnt about the dairy industry (for more info, see http://www.milkmyths.org.uk) and became vegan over night.  I then learnt too, about the horrors of egg farming, including the shredding and gassing of most male chicks.
"At the same event, I picked up some information about a local animal rights group. I went along to one of their meetings, and started going to anti-fur demonstrations outside Liberty, and then outside Selfridges. (Both Liberty and Selfridges are now fur-free.) Realising how important outreach was, I started to do regular animal rights stalls in Oxford Street with the SHAC campaign.
Being vegan is one of the simplest, and most effective ways that people can save a large number of animals. Because of this, in 2005, I got involved in a vegan campaigning group, which does a number of free vegan food sample stalls, food fairs, and other forms of vegan outreach.
"I moved to Bristol, and was really pleased to find a great and active local animal rights group, with some fab people, called Bristol Animal Rights Collective."