Our Planet. Theirs Too. is coordinating the National Animal Rights March in over 50 countries on National Animal Rights Day (NARD) June 1st.
“A Memorial Ceremony to commemorate the billions of animals who die every year by human hands. A Celebration of the progress that is being made towards ending the suffering of animals and bringing forth their freedom. Welcome to NARD 15!” -from NARD Miami
Every time we cook an animal, we cook ourselves and sprinkle salt on the planet’s wounds. Animal exploitation, particularly through animal agriculture, is a leading cause of global warming. This warming is really starting to affect us here in Miami. During many days in the summer, it’s become too hot to be outside. We now have an official “Heat Season” full of extreme heat advisories that were unheard of years ago. Every recent year a new heat record has been broken. 2023 was the hottest since records began in 1880, then 2024 beat the record, and guess what scientists predict for the summer of 2025?
Let’s end the beef with Mother Earth. Every minute, multiple football (soccer) fields of the Amazon Rainforest are being destroyed, largely to create pastures for cattle grazing. These forests are the lungs of our planet, and without them, we are slowly suffocating. Imagine carbon dioxide levels rising substantially due to the loss of trees. Methane, a more noxious gas, pollutes the atmosphere from the cows’ gases. But it’s not just about us and our climate. It’s also about the unseen victims. They deserve the right to a life free from exploitation.
Do you think cows belong in the Amazon? Do you think they want to end up on our plates? It takes a lot of abuse to get them to do something unnatural. They often have to be shocked or beaten onto the slaughterhouse trucks.
And it’s not just cows who are put in unnatural, miserable conditions. 99% of the animals we eat in the United States come from factory farms. These are basically torture chambers for cows, chickens, pigs, and turkeys. They often can’t go outside. They can’t feel the sun on their skin. They can’t put their feet on the ground. Sometimes, they can’t even turn around. They are locked in cages so tight they often go mad. Physical abuse is commonly used to get the animals to comply. Electric prods, whips, and restraints are standard tools of the barbaric trade, similar to those use during slave trades.
These factories also release greenhouse gases into the air and waste into the waterways, making them unhealthy and unsustainable. And let’s not even mention the rates of chronic diseases that are on the rise due to the consumption of animal products. It’s a vicious cycle of death. We kill them, we kill ourselves, we kill the planet.
The longer we let their screams go unheard, the more damage we do to the planet. “The rotten sore on the face of Mother Earth gets bigger” —just like Like Rage Against the Machine wrote in their song “Bulls on Parade” —the hotter it gets.
The longer we let their screams go unheard, the more damage we do to the planet. “The rotten sore on the face of Mother Earth gets bigger” —just like Like Rage Against the Machine wrote in their song “Bulls on Parade” —the hotter it gets.
The relationship between animal exploitation and climate change is undeniable. To have a healthy planet, we must respect all Earthlings. It’s no coincidence that the late Pope Francis took his name from the patron saint of animals and the environment Saint Francis of Assisi. He was also known as the climate pope. In his beautiful encyclical “On Care for Our Common Home or Laudato Si,” he wrote: “It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly,” a key concept in all spiritual traditions.
Yet, every second humans kill about 2,000 animals for food in the United States alone. 22 billion have already been killed this year. Is this necessary? It’s far from it. Many people thrive without consuming their dead bodies or wearing their preserved skins. People who live in accordance with their values as humans such as compassion, exemplified in the phrase“treat others as you would like to be treated” refer to themselves as vegan. Others includes all living beings. God said thou shall not kill and not thou shall not kill other humans only.
Every year, on the first Sunday of June, vegan voices around the world (and those who support them) unite to recognize the suffering of animals—and to demand change. This year, on June 1, National Animal Rights Day (NARD) returns to shine a light on the billions of animals who are silenced every day.
The event is coordinated globally by the nonprofit organization Our Planet. Theirs Too. and is held in over 50 countries to honor animals and advocate for their rights.
Here in Miami, local advocates are organizing a march on Lincoln Road, bringing this global movement to the heart of South Beach. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or a curious bystander, this event invites you to take part in a powerful public display of compassion and resistance. It’s a cry for hope for our future, for our lives, for justice for the most innocent and vulnerable of all beings on our planet—the helpless animals.
What is National Animal Rights Day?
Started in 2011, NARD is an international day of mourning and celebration. It begins with a ceremony to honor the animals lost to industries like factory farming, animal testing, and fur production, often featuring a solemn display of their bodies—a haunting reminder of the unseen victims. But it’s also a day of hope for a kinder future, celebrating the progress that’s been made for animals.
Why It Matters
Because all lives matter. Because many great thinkers and spiritual leaders have all said the same thing: what we do to animals eventually we do to each other.
As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap the joy of love.
Pythagoras
The animals don’t have a voice—but you do. This June 1st, let’s use it. For the pigs in cages. The dolphins in tanks. The chickens in sheds. The cows in slaughterhouses. The beagles in labs. Let’s show that Miami stands on the side of justice. Let’s fight for our future—one where all beings are free and we can go outside without getting burned.
Details on the Lincoln Road March
📍 Where: 1120 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach 33139
🕓 When: Saturday, June 1 – 2:00 PM
🎤 What: Ceremony, speeches, and a peaceful march
🧥 Dress code: Black clothing encouraged for visual solidarity
Hosted by @NARDMiami and @SoFloAnimalRights
Get Involved
- Attend the march and bring friends
- Share about NARD on social media using hashtags like #NARD2025 #AnimalRightsDay
- Support local vegan businesses and advocacy groups
- Educate yourself—watch Dominion, Earthlings, or Cowspiracy
“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” Albert Einstein
Here’s a gallery of last year’s march:
All photos courtesy of of NARDMiami
Miami Chronicles 