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Erica Meier

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American animal-rights advocate
Erica Meier
Photograph of Erica Meier from 2016Erica Meier in 2016
NationalityAmerican
OccupationAnimal rights advocate
Years active2005–present
Awards2013 inductee into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame

Erica Meier is an animal rights advocate and was the president and executive director of Animal Outlook (previously known as Compassion Over Killing) from 2005 to 2021.

Early life and career beginnings

Meier's father owned a small meat-packing company. However, her strong connection to animals made her uncomfortable with eating meat. In high school, she learned more about how meat production can be harmful to the planet, and she decided to become vegetarian. When she later learned about animal mistreatment on factory farms and the conditions for dairy cows and egg-laying hens, she became vegan. This led her to switch her career interests from environmental protection to animal protection.

Meier interned with PETA in college and spent three years working there after graduating. She developed an interest in humane law enforcement and moved to Washington, D.C. to work as an animal control officer for the Washington Humane Society, where she rescued animals and helped to enforce anti-cruelty laws.

Career

In 2005, Meier became animal advocacy organization Animal Outlook's president and executive director. Animal Outlook's work is focused on the protection of farmed animals, and the organization has become best known for its investigations into the conditions facing animals on factory farms.

Meier led Animal Outlook through several successful campaigns, including ending the egg industry's use of "Animal Care Certified" claims that could mislead consumers, as well as persuading companies like Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks, and Subway to offer vegan options. She also persuaded vegetarian brands Boca Burger, Lightlife, Morningstar Farms, and Quorn to eliminate or reduce their use of eggs in their products.

Meier was an outspoken leader of Animal Outlook. She delivered speeches at events including the Animal Rights National Conference, the Maryland Animal Law Symposium, the Forum on Industrial Animal Farming hosted by the Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic, the National Conference to End Factory Farming, and various vegetarian festivals. She also appeared in major news outlets including CNN, ABC's Nightline, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, and Reuters.

Meier provided information used in Mark Hawthorne's book Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism, and she has been featured in documentary films, such as Speciesism: The Movie (2013), Meat the Future (2020), and Meat Me Halfway (2021).

Meier is a frequent contributor to HuffPost and VegNews, and she has written for The New York Times.

Personal life

Meier has been vegan since college.

In 2013, Meier was inducted into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame.

References

  1. ^ "U.S. Animal Rights Hall Of Fame". Animal Rights National Conference. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019.
  2. "How the Animal Rights Movement Developed over Time".
  3. Jacobs, Andrew (29 December 2020). "Is Dairy Farming Cruel to Cows?". The New York Times.
  4. "Erica Meier - Celebration of a Legacy".
  5. ^ www.cok.net, Compassion Over Killing | (2015-06-18). "1,000+ Subways Now Offer Vegan Menu!". Compassion Over Killing. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  6. "You've Asked and We've Heard: Almond Milk is Now at Dunkin'! « Dunkin' Donuts Blog". DunkinDonuts.com. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  7. "All-One Activist: Erica Meier of Animal Outlook". 30 May 2018.
  8. Farm Animal Rights Movement (2016-01-28), Erica Meier - Effective Tactics for Farmed Animals - Animal Rights National Conference 2015 AR2015, retrieved 2016-05-13
  9. "The Meat We Eat: HLS hosts a forum on industrial animal farming (video) - Harvard Law Today". Harvard Law Today. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  10. "Undercover animal abuse videos could soon be outlawed". CNN. Archived from the original on 2016-04-02. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  11. "Plant Closed by USDA Supplied Beef for In-N-Out Burger". ABC News. 2012-08-22. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  12. Press, Pioneer (12 November 2015). "Undercover video shows 'extreme suffering' at Minnesota Hormel supplier – Twin Cities". Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  13. "Undercover video sheds light on turkey slaughter". Los Angeles Times. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  14. "USDA probes animal abuse video at Hormel pork supplier QPP". Yahoo News. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  15. "Erica Meier | HuffPost".
  16. "Articles by Erica Meier | VegNews".
  17. "Opinion | Protecting Whistle-Blowers Against Retaliation". The New York Times. 9 February 2016.
  18. "Big Ag Has Almost Every Advantage. Animal Outlook is Taking It Back". 31 January 2020.
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