List of animal rights advocates


Advocates of animal rights as well as activists for animal liberation hold the view that to deny the most basic needs of sentient individuals—such as the avoidance of pain—to non-human animals, on the basis of species membership alone, is a form of discrimination akin to racism or sexism. Many animal rights advocates argue that non-human animals should be regarded as persons and members of the moral community whose interests deserve legal protection.
The animal rights movement emerged in the 19th century, focused largely on opposition to vivisection, and in the 1960s the modern movement sprang up in England around the Hunt Saboteurs Association. In the 1970s, the Australian and American philosophers, Peter Singer and Tom Regan, began to provide the movement with its philosophical foundations. Singer argued for animal liberation on the basis of utilitarianism, first in 1973 in The New York Review of Books and later in his Animal Liberation, while Regan developed a deontological theory of animal rights in several papers from 1975 onwards, followed by The Case for Animal Rights.
A distinction persists within the movement—based on the utilitarian/deontological divide—between those who seek incremental reform, a position known as animal protectionism, and those on the abolitionist side, who argue that reform that aims to regulate, rather than abolish, the property status of animals is counter-productive.
Historically speaking, it can be argued that the genesis of the animal rights movement was in India given the impact that both Buddhism and Jainism had on people in India and the neighbouring countries in Asia. The largest number and highest percentage of Vegetarians per population for any country is in India. Buddhism among the global religions is an animal rights religion par excellence. It has long subscribed to the belief that all life forms including that of non-human animals are sacred and deserving of respect, and extolls kindness and compassion as utmost virtues worthy of cultivation. Buddhism unreservedly embraces all living beings in its ethical cosmology without discrimination on grounds of species, race, or creed. Buddhist tenets—including the first precept, "Do not kill"—extend to both human and non-human sentient beings. The Buddha was so adamant and protective of the more vulnerable members of the moral community—namely the animals—that he declared that: "He who has laid aside the cudgel that injures any creature whether moving or still, who neither slays nor causes to be slain—him I call an Arya ".

List

The following is a list of impactful animal rights advocates from all positions within the movement, from academics to activists.
NameBornImageCountry of birthOccupationSource
Elisa Aaltola1976 FinlandPhilosopher, author of Animal Individuality: Cultural and Moral Categorisations and Animal Suffering: Philosophy and Culture
Carol J. Adams1951 USEco-feminist writer, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat
Bryan Adams1959 CanadaMusician, campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Douglas Adams1952–2001 UKWriter, campaigner for the Great Ape Project
Casey Affleck1975 USActor, animal rights activist
Cleveland Amory1917–1998 USFounder of the Fund for Animals, president of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society
Pamela Anderson1967 CanadaModel, campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
James Aspey1986 AustraliaFitness trainer, animal rights lecturer
Michael Aufhauser1952 GermanyFounder of Gut Aiderbichl, an animal sanctuary
Greg Avery1963 UKCo-founder of the Consort beagles, Hillgrove cats, and SHAC campaigns
Alec Baldwin1958 USActor, narrator of Meet Your Meat
Matt Ball1968 USCo-founder and President of One Step for Animals, Senior Media Relations Specialist for The Good Food Institute, vegan, co-author of The Animal Activist's Handbook
Martin Balluch1954 AustriaCo-founder of Vegane Gesellschaft Österreich, president of Verein Gegen Tierfabriken
Neal D. Barnard1953 USPresident of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Shane and Sia Barbi1963 USModels
Brigitte Bardot1934 FranceFormer actress, animal rights activist, founder of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation
Bob Barker1923 USFormer host of The Price Is Right, animal rights activist-
Kim Basinger1953 USActress, model, animal rights activist
Gene Baur1962 USFounder of Farm Sanctuary
Tom Beauchamp USProfessor of Philosophy at Georgetown University, co-author of The Human Use of Animals
Marc Bekoff1945 USProfessor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, co-founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Jeremy Bentham1748–1832 UKPhilosopher, author of the oft-quoted "The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?"
Steven Best1955 USPhilosopher, former Animal Liberation Press Office spokesperson
Michela Vittoria Brambilla1967 ItalyPolitician
Brigid Brophy1929–1995 UKWriter, author of article, "The Rights of Animals," in The Sunday Times, London, 1965.
Mel Broughton1960 UKCo-founder of the SPEAK campaign
Geezer Butler1949 UKVegan since the age of 17, advocate for animal rights, devoted animal lover, bassist and founding member of the rock band Black Sabbath.
Ned Buyukmihci UKDoctor of veterinary medicine, founder of Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights
Lydia Canaan LebanonSinger-songwriter, first rock star of the Middle East, United Nations delegate, animal rights activist, animal welfare supporter
Paola Cavalieri1950 ItalyPhilosopher, campaigner for the Great Ape Project
Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne1623–1673 UKWriter, anti-vivisectionist
Cesar Chavez1927–1993 USCo-founder of the National Farm Workers Association
Alan Clark1928–1999 UKConservative Member of Parliament, historian, diarist
Stephen R. L. Clark1945 UKProfessor of philosophy at the University of Liverpool, author of The Moral Status of Animals
Jean Clemens1880–1909 USDaughter of Mark Twain
Frances Power Cobbe1822–1904 UKFounder of the National Anti-Vivisection Society and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
Alasdair Cochrane1978 UKPolitical theorist based at the University of Sheffield; author of An Introduction to Animals and Political Theory and Animal Rights without Liberation.
Sue Coe1951 UKArtist, illustrator, author of "Cruel: Bearing Witness to Animal Exploitation"
J. M. Coetzee1940 South AfricaNovelist, recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature, author of The Lives of Animals
Priscilla Cohn1933–2019 USProfessor Emeritus of Philosophy at Pennsylvania State University, associate director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
Rod Coronado1966 USAnimal rights activist, formerly for the ALF, Earth First!, and ELF
Scott Crary1978 USFilm director
James Cromwell1940 USActor, played the farmer in Babe
Karen Davis1944 USPresident of United Poultry Concerns, author of The Holocaust and the Henmaid's Tale
David DeGrazia USProfessor of Philosophy at George Washington University, author of Taking Animals Seriously
Alain Delon1935 Franceactor, businessman, animal rights activist,
Chris DeRose1948 USFounder of Last Chance for Animals
Rukmini Devi1904–1986 IndiaDancer, founder of the Animal Welfare Board of India
Nina Douglas-Hamilton, Duchess of Hamilton1878–1951 UKCo-founder of the Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society
Hugh Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding1882–1970 UKCommander of RAF Fighter Command, president of the National Anti-Vivisection Society
Muriel Dowding, Baroness Dowding1908–1981 UKFounder of Beauty Without Cruelty
Alice Drakoules1850–1933 UKLifelong supporter and treasurer of Humanitarian League et al.
Joan Dunayer USAuthor of Animal Equality and Speciesism
John Feldmann1967 USMusician, appeared in Behind the Mask
Lawrence Finsen USProfessor of philosophy at University of Redlands, co-author of The Animal Rights Movement in America
Waka Flocka Flame1986 USRapper
Roger Fouts1943 USPrimate researcher known for his work with Washoe the chimpanzee, adviser to the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
Gary L. Francione1951 USDistinguished Professor of Law and Nicholas deB. Katzenbach Scholar of Law & Philosophy at Rutgers School of Law–Newark, leading abolitionist, author of Animals, Property, and the Law
Bruce Friedrich1969 USExecutive Director, The Good Food Institute
Maneka Gandhi1956 IndiaPolitician, founder of People for Animals
Robert Garner1960 UKProfessor of political theory at the University of Leicester; co-author of The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation?
Juliet Gellatley UKFounder and director of Viva!
Tal Gilboa1978 IsraelFounder of the Israeli Animal Liberation Front
Antoine Goetschel1958 SwitzerlandLawyer, animal advocate for the canton of Zurich
Jordan Halliday1987 USAnimal Rights Activist, Grand Jury Resister & co-host of Which side Podcast
Celia Hammond1941 UKFormer model, founder of the Celia Hammond Animal Trust
Stevan Harnad1945 HungaryCanada Research Chair in Cognitive Sciences, Université du Québec à Montreal
Annie Harvilicz1977 USNational Veterinary Medical Board of The Humane Society of the United States,
Alex Hershaft1934 USFounder of Farm Animal Rights Movement and the Chairman of the U.S. Animal Rights National Conference
Barry Horne1952–2001 UKAnimal rights activist, hunger striker
Oscar Horta1974 SpainAnimal activist and moral philosopher who is currently a professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela and one of the co-founders of the organization Animal Ethics
Wayne Hsiung1980 USLawyer, open rescue activist, co-founder of Direct Action Everywhere
Chrissie Hynde1951 USSinger-songwriter
Harish Iyer1979 IndiaAnimal, LGBTIQ and Child Rights Activist,
V. R. Krishna Iyer1915 IndiaFormer judge of the Supreme Court of India
pattrice jones1961 USWriter, educator, activist, co-founder of VINE Sanctuary
Melanie Joy1966 USSocial psychologist and vegan activist, primarily notable for promulgating the term carnism
Roberta Kalechofsky1931 USWriter, author of Animal Suffering and the Holocaust: The Problem with Comparisons
Shannon Keith USAnimal rights lawyer, director of Behind the Mask
Lisa Kemmerer USPhilosopher-activist, author, and educator
Kesha1987 USASinger-songwriter and rapper
Marti Kheel1948–2011 USEcofeminist writer, founder of Feminists for Animal Rights
Anna Kingsford1846–1888 UKPhysician, anti-vivisectionist, author of The Perfect Way in Diet
Niko Koffeman1958 NetherlandsSenator, Party for the Animals
Christine Korsgaard1952 USArthur Kingsley Porter Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University, author of Fellow Creatures
Dennis Kucinich1946 USCongressman
Elizabeth Kucinich1977 UKDirector of public affairs for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
:fr:Tiphaine Lagarde|Tiphaine Lagarde 1982 FranceActivist and co-founder of French antispeciesist association "269 Libération animale"
Carla Lane1928 UKTelevision scriptwriter, ran Animaline animal sanctuary
k.d. lang1961 CanadaMusician
Gill Langley1952 UKScientist, campaigner against the use of animals in research
Charlotte Laws1960 USAuthor, TV Host and Animal Rights Activist
Ronnie Lee1951 UKFounder of the Animal Liberation Front
Lizzy Lind af Hageby1878–1963 SwedenFounder of the Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society, known for the Brown Dog affair
Bob Linden USHost of Go Vegan Radio
Ludvig Lindström1975 SwedenAnimal rights activist, founder of Global Happiness Organization
Andrew Linzey1951 UKTheologian, founder of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
Dan Lyons UKCEO, Centre for Animals and Social Justice
Jo-Anne McArthur1976 CanadaPhotographer, founder of the We Animals project and subject of The Ghosts in Our Machine
Linda McCartney1941–1998 USPhotographer, musician, founder of Linda McCartney Foods
Mary McCartney1969 UKPhotographer, has taken photographs for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Paul McCartney1942 UKMusician, campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Stella McCartney1971 UKDesigner, campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Melody MacDonald UKAnimal rights activist, author of Caught in the Act: The Feldberg Investigation
Colin McGinn1950 UKPhilosopher
Charles R. Magel1920–2014 USProfessor emeritus of Philosophy and Ethics at Moorhead State University, animal rights activist and bibliographer
Bill Maher1956 USComedian, board director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Keith Mann UKAnimal rights activist, author of From Dusk 'til Dawn: An Insider's View of the Growth of the Animal Liberation Movement
Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson1941 USFormer psychoanalyst, author of When Elephants Weep
Dan Mathews1964 USSenior Vice-President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Gauri Maulekhi IndiaAnimal Rights Activist, Member Secretary People for Animals Uttarakhand, Trustee People for Animals, Consultant Humane Society International, Trustee People for Animals India
Brian May1947 UKmusician/guitarist of Queen and founder of Save Me
Lea Michele1986 USActress, campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Mary Midgley1919 UKSenior Lecturer in Philosophy at Newcastle University, author of Animals And Why They Matter
Heather Mills1968 UKCampaigner for Viva!
Moby1965 USMusician, DJ, released Animal Rights
Shaun Monson1958 USDirector of Earthlings
J. Howard Moore1862–1916 USZoologist, philosopher, educator, socialist and author of The Universal Kinship
José Ferrater Mora1912–1991 SpainPhilosopher, honoured by the Ferrater Mora Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
Morrissey1959 UKMusician
Jesús Mosterín1941 SpainProfessor of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of Barcelona, honorary president of the Spanish Great Ape Project
Ingrid Newkirk1949 UKCo-founder and President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
David Nibert1953 USAbolitionist, Professor of Sociology at Wittenberg University
Heather Nicholson1967 UKCo-founder of the Consort beagles, Hillgrove cats, and SHAC campaigns
Jack Norris1967 USCo-founder and executive director of Vegan Outreach, vegan, author of Vitamin B12: Are You Getting It? and Staying Healthy On Plant-Based Diets, Animal Rights Hall of Fame member
Martha Nussbaum1947 USErnst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago
Natasja Oerlemans1969 NetherlandsPolitician, Party for the Animals
Peggy Oki1956 USSkateboarder, animal rights activist, campaigner against whaling
David Olivier1956 FrancePhilosopher and antispeciesist activist, founder of the journal Les Cahiers antispécistes
Esther Ouwehand1976 NetherlandsMember of Parliament, Party for the Animals
Kelly Overton USExecutive Director of People Protecting Animals & Their Habitats
Alex Pacheco1958 USCo-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau1970 USAuthor, Animal Advocate, Podcaster
David Pearce UKPhilosopher, vegan and animal activist
Jill Phipps1964–1995 UKAnimal rights activist, campaigner against live export
Joaquin Phoenix1974 Puerto RicoActor, animal rights activist, narrator of Earthlings and Dominion
River Phoenix1970–1993 USActor, animal rights activist
Summer Phoenix1978 USActress, animal rights activist
Pink1979 USSinger
James Rachels1941–2003 USPhilosopher
Jacy Reese Anthis1992 USWriter, effective altruism advocate
Tom Regan1951 USProfessor emeritus of philosophy at North Carolina State University, author of The Case for Animal Rights
Qiu Renzongca. 1933 ChinaBioethicist
Bernard Rollin1943 USProfessor of philosophy, animal sciences, and biomedical sciences at Colorado State University
Craig Rosebraugh1951 USWriter, environmentalist, animal rights activist
Zoe Rosenberg2002 USAnimal Activist and Founder of Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary
Mark Rowlands1962 UKProfessor of Philosophy at the University of Miami, author of The Philosopher and the Wolf
Nathan Runkleca. 1984 USFounder and executive director of Mercy for Animals
Richard D. Ryder1940 UKPsychologist, coined the term "speciesism" in 1970
Henry Stephens Salt1851–1939 UKCivil-rights campaigner, author of Animals' Rights: Considered in Relation to Social Progress
Becky Sanstedtca. 1960 USAnimal rights activist, former investigator for Farm Sanctuary
Steve F. Sapontzis1945 USProfessor emeritus of philosophy at California State University, East Bay, author of Morals, Reason, and Animals
Anuradha Sawhney IndiaHead of Indian operations for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Paul Shapiro1979 USVice President of Policy for the Humane Society of the United States
Alicia Silverstone1976 USHollywood Actress
Isaac Bashevis Singer1902–1991 PolandWinner of the 1978 Nobel Prize in Literature
Peter Singer1946 AustraliaPhilosopher, author of Animal Liberation
Amy Soranno1993/1994 CanadaAnimal rights activist in British Columbia
Henry Spira1927–1998 USAnimal rights activist, founder of Animal Rights International
Gary Steiner USJohn Howard Harris Professor of Philosophy at Bucknell University
William O. Stephens1962 USProfessor of Philosophy and Classics at Creighton University
Steve-O1974 UKStunt performer, animal rights activist
Pelle Strindlund1971 SwedenWriter, founding member of the Rescue Service
Cass Sunstein1954 USProfessor of Law at Harvard Law School, Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
David Sztybel1967 CanadaPhilosopher, writer
Peter Tatchell1952 AustraliaCivil-rights activist
Angus Taylor CanadaPhilosopher
Sunaura Taylor1982 USArtist and writer
Marianne Thieme1972 NetherlandsMember of Parliament, Party for the Animals
Lynda Thomas1981 MexicoRetired musician/singer-songwriter, anonymous activist
Darren Thurstonca. 1970 CanadaAnimal rights activist
Bob and Jenna Torres USWriters, animal rights and vegan activists
Andrew Tyler1946–2017 UKDirector of Animal Aid
Jane Velez-Mitchell1955 USBroadcast journalist
Jerry Vlasak1958 USPhysician, former Animal Liberation Press Office spokesperson
John Vyvyan1908–1975 UKWriter, author of The Dark Face of Science
Alice Walker1944 USWriter
Donald Watson1910–2005 UKFounder of the British Vegan Society
Robin Webb1945 UKSpokesperson for the British Animal Liberation Press Office
Betty White1922 USActress, animal rights activist
Caroline Earle White1833–1916 USCo-founder of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, founder of the American Anti-Vivisection Society
Liz Whitec. 1950 CanadaLeader of the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada
Steven M. Wise1952 USLaw professor, author of Rattling the Case: Toward Legal Rights for Animals
Ursula Wolf1951 GermanyPhilosopher, author of Das Tier in der Moral
Gretchen Wyler1932–2007 USActress, dancer, animal rights activist, and founder of the Genesis Awards for producing outstanding works which raise public awareness of animal issues
Jon Wynne-Tyson1924–2020 UKFounder of Centaur Press, author of The Extended Circle: A Commonplace Book of Animal Rights
Roger Yates1957 UKSociologist, co-founder of
Peter Daniel Young USAnimal rights activist
Gary Yourofsky1970 USAnimal rights activist
Benjamin Zephaniah1958 UKRastafari poet, honorary patron of The Vegan Society