Pune: Animal Rights Activists Protest on FC Road, Linking Women’s Day to Female Animal Exploitation

Reported by Dhanashri Landge
Shivajinagar, 8th March 2025: As the world celebrated International Women’s Day, a group of passionate animal rights activists from Vegan India Movement gathered on FC Road to highlight a lesser-discussed yet deeply ingrained form of exploitation—the systemic abuse of female animals in the meat, dairy, and egg industries.

Under the banner of Vegan India Movement, protesters carried bold placards with messages such as “Their bodies, not ours” and “Stop paying for sexual abuse”, urging the public to confront the harsh realities of forced breeding, artificial insemination, and maternal separation that billions of animals endure.

The demonstration, held in front of Westside store, focused on how industries profit from the reproductive systems of female animals. Activists emphasized that cows, pigs, and hens are forcibly impregnated, have their offspring taken away shortly after birth, and are ultimately slaughtered once their bodies are no longer deemed profitable.

“We use terms like ‘artificial insemination’ to disguise what is actually sexual violence against animals,” said Saee, one of the organizers. “If we applied the same standards of consent to animals as we do to humans, this entire industry would be recognized as abuse.”

Another activist reinforced this sentiment, drawing parallels between human and non-human oppression: “Today, as we advocate for women’s freedom from exploitation, we must also acknowledge the suffering of female animals. They are repeatedly impregnated, robbed of their babies, and slaughtered when their bodies can no longer keep up with demand. This is not just unethical—it is systematic violence.”

To drive home their message, the activists set up visual installations, including a powerful depiction of a mother cow and her calf tied separately—symbolizing the emotional trauma inflicted on dairy cows when their newborns are taken away.

Poets among the activists recited verses about the silent cries of mother cows, the suffocating cages of egg-laying hens, and the brutal fate of female animals whose only crime is being born into an industry that treats them as commodities.

“Every purchase of meat, dairy, and eggs fuels this cycle of abuse,” said another protester. “If we truly care about justice, we must extend our compassion to all beings, not just humans.”

The protest was more than just an awareness campaign—it was a demand for change. Activists urged consumers to boycott industries that exploit female animals by switching to plant-based alternatives.
Informational pamphlets were distributed, detailing how people can transition away from animal products. Some passersby, though initially skeptical, engaged in meaningful conversations with activists, questioning whether personal choices should come at the cost of another being’s suffering.

“Why do we believe we must harm others to survive when compassionate alternatives exist?” asked another activist. “There are countless plant-based options that allow us to live without inflicting suffering. Every meal is a choice between cruelty and kindness.”

The activists emphasized that this protest was just the first of many awareness campaigns planned by the Vegan India Movement. The organization has previously conducted several events to highlight the cruelty in animal agriculture and vowed to continue their efforts until the public acknowledges and rejects these practices.

“We will continue to speak for those who cannot speak,” said Manakant, another activist. “The fight for justice doesn’t end with humans—it extends to all sentient beings.”