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Exclusive: Vegan Activist Tash Peterson Speaks Out After Accusing Vet Of Eating Own Patients
Interview
Vegan activist Tash Peterson says she won’t back down, despite facing public backlash over accusing a veterinarian of “eating [her] own patients.”
“People can take my money, send me threats, and try to take everything from me, but they can never take my voice for non-human people,” she told Bored Panda via email.
Known for her bold and controversial demonstrations, the Australian campaigner was ordered to pay a staggering $180,000 (AUD 280,000) in damages to a Perth-based veterinarian in a judgement on Monday, November 25.
Highlights
- Tash Peterson, who recently faced a legal blow, said nothing can stop her from fighting against the "slavery" of animals.
- “People can take my money, send me threats, and try to take everything from me, but they can never take my voice for non-human people,” she said.
- The Australian activist was ordered to pay a staggering $180,000 in damages to a Perth-based veterinarian this week.
- She had accused the vet of “eating [her] own patients” in a viral 2021 moment.
RELATED:
Tash Peterson was ordered to pay $180,000 after accusing a vet of “eating her own patients” in a defamation case
Image credits: Tash Peterson
Image credits: tashpeterson
The judge ruled that the 31-year-old activist and her partner Jack Higgs used “provocative and inflammatory” language towards Dr. Kay McIntosh and her husband Andrew.
The recent legal battle stemmed from a 2021 incident at the Bicton Veterinary Clinic in Perth, where Tash confronted the clinic’s owner, Dr. Kay, for keeping two cockatiels inside a cage.
“I was deeply concerned when I noticed cockatiels confined in a cage at the veterinary clinic,” she said.
The vegan crusader had filmed and posted a confrontation at the Bicton Veterinary Clinic, calling out the vet for keeping cockatiels in a cage in 2021
View this post on Instagram
“It was clear that they were not patients in need of care but were being used for advertising and entertainment purposes,” she went on to say. “Keeping non-human animals confined in a cage for human benefit is morally wrong, as it constitutes exploitation, slavery and animal abuse.”
The birds—Bruce and Gandalf—are known as a “local attraction” and are famous among children in the area.
Dr. Kay inherited the birds in 2020 and, when they aren’t roaming freely inside the practice, she keeps them inside a 4.3 feet tall and 2 feet wide cage.
When Tash visited a cafe near the clinic on September 23, 2021, she spotted Bruce and Gandalf inside their cage and went to the receptionist with her complaints.
Tash turned vegan in 2017 after watching Food Choices and met her fellow activist partner, Jack Higgs, in 2019
Image credits: tashpeterson
“I felt a moral obligation to speak up – not only for the welfare of these birds, who were confined in a small cage with no shade, but most importantly for their inherent right to live free from exploitation,” she said.
“My hope was for these birds to be given a chance at a better life, ideally in a sanctuary where they could enjoy a larger, more enriching environment,” she went on to say. “Since they may not survive in the wild, a sanctuary would provide them with a home where they are not exploited.”
After the confrontation on September 23, 2021, the provocative protester returned to the clinic the next day with a camera, asking Dr. Kay if she “eats her own patients.”
While critics question her provocative style of activism, the Australian campaigner said her actions stem from a “moral obligation”
Image credits: tashpeterson
View this post on Instagram
The confrontation was filmed and later uploaded to Facebook with the title “Exposing Vets for Being Hypocrites.”
Although the video led to the defamation suit, Tash stands by her actions and framed them as part of a broader fight against speciesism and animal exploitation.
“The real ethical and legal boundaries being crossed are by those who support and fund the exploitation, slavery, and holocaust of non-human people,” she said. “These individuals are needlessly enslaved and murdered simply because they are members of a different species, which is a grave injustice.”
She believes animal rights activists like herself act out of their “moral obligation” to speak up for “voiceless victims.”
Dr. Kay McIntosh, a vet with over 20 years of experience, was accused by Tash of animal “slavery” for keeping two cockatiels in a cage
Image credits: bicton.vet
Image credits: bicton.vet
“While some activists may cross legal boundaries, I believe, as Martin Luther King Jr. stated, that ‘one has a moral obligation to break unjust laws,’” she added.
“Throughout history, social justice movements have challenged unjust legal systems to drive change. My actions are rooted in a commitment to achieving animal liberation and abolishing speciesism, animal exploitation, and murder.”
When asked whether she would have approached the 2021 situation differently, the controversial activist said she would not change her “tactics or approach, regardless of the outcome of this or any other court case.”
“I will never stop advocating for their liberation,” she continued. “Standing staunch for the rights of other species is my unwavering commitment, and no legal or personal setback will deter me from this path.”
However, she did note that she has undergone a personal evolution in her activism in terms of how she conveys her message.
“People can take my money, send me threats, and try to take everything from me, but they can never take my voice for non-human people,” Tash told Bored Panda
Image credits: Tash Peterson
“I have grown significantly over the past three years in how I communicate my message for non-human people,” she said. “My message today is more refined and direct, as I dedicate every day to learning about effective activism and improving how I convey the ethical issues behind speciesism.”
It was in 2017 when the “animal holocaust” protester turned vegan after watching a documentary called Food Choices. Over the years, she has engaged in “disruptive” protests that include going topless in supermarkets and dressing up in a cow costume to slam fast food restaurants.
Tash’s activism has frequently landed her in hot water, resulting in multiple fines and run-ins with cops for her provocative, semi-nude protests in restaurants, stores, and supermarkets.
The vegan crusader, with a penchant for stirring controversy, makes most of her income from sharing content on an adult streaming platform.
Known for topless protests and dressing as a cow, the provocative activist has faced fines and arrests but insists her bold methods spark change
Image credits: Tash Peterson
When it comes to animal rights activism, polarizing and provocative acts similar to Tash’s can often evoke mixed reactions. Some believe they are necessary to draw attention while others view them as extreme or counterproductive.
But Tash asserted that her kind of activism has “created meaningful change for animal rights.”
“I have personally received thousands of messages from people across the globe who have shared that my activism inspired them to watch Dominion—an Australian documentary exposing the exploitation of non-human people—and ultimately become vegan,” she said.
The unapologetic campaigner said “hundreds” of people have also been inspired by her efforts and set out on their own path of activism.
“This ripple effect is evidence that bold and provocative tactics are essential in challenging deeply ingrained societal norms like speciesism. These approaches ignite conversations, plant seeds of awareness, and empower others to take action for non-human liberation,” she concluded.
While some netizens branded her a “hero,” other commenters were glad to see her “punished” for her 2021 actions
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What do you think ?
KillerKiwi 2 weeks ago
"End the animal holocaust." That's all I need to know about you. "Non-human animals" And that's the most ridiculous thing I've seen all week. What a f*****g moron
Valerie Woods 2 weeks ago
Is it possible to enslave house cats, because one kicked my door in fifteen years ago, and she won't leave.
Binky Melnik 2 weeks ago
“ non-human people”? This nut job doesn’t seem to understand what she’s talking about. That she supports PETA tells me all I need to know. 😞
Campy 2 weeks ago
The thing that really gets me about these a******s is when they pour milk out on the floor of a supermarket, or blood at a fast food place. Do they think the CEO of McDonalds is going to clean that up? No, it's going to be some poor put-upon minimum wage earner just trying to get through their day without losing their mind. Hopefully the next time she does it, she gets the beating she's been deserving for years.
Rattical Red 2 weeks ago
Antelopes have rights, too, they don't want to die just so some lion can eat. After all, the lion could just start eating grass. But no activists ever protested against lions. Guess they know the lion would rather eat them.
LandAhoy 2 weeks ago
Lions cannot eat grass, all felines are obligate carnivores. We are omnivores, we do have a choice whether to eat meat or not. In the past, most humans had little choice and had to eat what was available, be that meat or plants. Today, many humans, especially in the global south, also have to eat whatever is available or what they can afford. In the western world, most people do have these choices. Vegan food can be cheaper, and can be made deliciously and nutritiously.
Load More Replies... 
John Harrison 2 weeks ago (edited)
She's annoying and petty in the details, but overall she's correct. I suspect that within a couple hundreds years humans will be mostly vegan, and we'll look back on our current diets the way that we, today, look back on slavery.
Frances Pitchoune 2 weeks ago (edited)
Not sure. I was vegetarian for 10 years, I even tried to be vegan, but it didn't suit me at all because of my special health condition. Even though I was very careful about proteins and ate well. I concluded that not all human metabolisms are suitable for this diet. The flexitarian diet is also well good. Anyway, I don't think this lecturer's way of doing things is the right way to convince people. Especially against a veterinarian who treats animals. I don't think this vet eats cats, dogs, hamsters, canaries... it's nonsense!
Load More Replies...
LandAhoy 2 weeks ago
Good on her, other people were right when they say that radical and different actions are often needed to draw attention to something that’s been ingrained in society (eating meat). Factory farming is by far the cruelest, if people only ate an occasional, well raised meat product from a small farm, then that would reduce much of the cruelty and damage to the environment. But, higher welfare meat costs more. People want to pay £5 for an entire bird, that’s been confined to a cage and pumped full of d***s. Instead, another option could be to eat a £15 free-range organic bird only once a week, (would probably last 2 days) and eat vegetarian for the other days.
KillerKiwi 2 weeks ago
"End the animal holocaust." That's all I need to know about you. "Non-human animals" And that's the most ridiculous thing I've seen all week. What a f*****g moron
Valerie Woods 2 weeks ago
Is it possible to enslave house cats, because one kicked my door in fifteen years ago, and she won't leave.
Binky Melnik 2 weeks ago
“ non-human people”? This nut job doesn’t seem to understand what she’s talking about. That she supports PETA tells me all I need to know. 😞
Campy 2 weeks ago
The thing that really gets me about these a******s is when they pour milk out on the floor of a supermarket, or blood at a fast food place. Do they think the CEO of McDonalds is going to clean that up? No, it's going to be some poor put-upon minimum wage earner just trying to get through their day without losing their mind. Hopefully the next time she does it, she gets the beating she's been deserving for years.
Rattical Red 2 weeks ago
Antelopes have rights, too, they don't want to die just so some lion can eat. After all, the lion could just start eating grass. But no activists ever protested against lions. Guess they know the lion would rather eat them.
LandAhoy 2 weeks ago
Lions cannot eat grass, all felines are obligate carnivores. We are omnivores, we do have a choice whether to eat meat or not. In the past, most humans had little choice and had to eat what was available, be that meat or plants. Today, many humans, especially in the global south, also have to eat whatever is available or what they can afford. In the western world, most people do have these choices. Vegan food can be cheaper, and can be made deliciously and nutritiously.
Load More Replies... John Harrison 2 weeks ago (edited)
She's annoying and petty in the details, but overall she's correct. I suspect that within a couple hundreds years humans will be mostly vegan, and we'll look back on our current diets the way that we, today, look back on slavery.
Frances Pitchoune 2 weeks ago (edited)
Not sure. I was vegetarian for 10 years, I even tried to be vegan, but it didn't suit me at all because of my special health condition. Even though I was very careful about proteins and ate well. I concluded that not all human metabolisms are suitable for this diet. The flexitarian diet is also well good. Anyway, I don't think this lecturer's way of doing things is the right way to convince people. Especially against a veterinarian who treats animals. I don't think this vet eats cats, dogs, hamsters, canaries... it's nonsense!
Load More Replies... LandAhoy 2 weeks ago
Good on her, other people were right when they say that radical and different actions are often needed to draw attention to something that’s been ingrained in society (eating meat). Factory farming is by far the cruelest, if people only ate an occasional, well raised meat product from a small farm, then that would reduce much of the cruelty and damage to the environment. But, higher welfare meat costs more. People want to pay £5 for an entire bird, that’s been confined to a cage and pumped full of d***s. Instead, another option could be to eat a £15 free-range organic bird only once a week, (would probably last 2 days) and eat vegetarian for the other days.
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