An Interview with Animal Justice Project Founder Claire Palmer

I have met Animal Justice Project Founder Claire Palmer a number of times at vegan festivals and have always seen how deeply passionate about animals she is and how she is doing all she can to raise awareness and ultimately stop animal testing and vivisection.

For this reason I was thrilled when our community voted for Animal Justice Project to be our fifth official Greener Beauty charity. You can read more about the Greener Beauty charities here

The campaign’s run by Animal Justice Project are having amazing success at raising awareness and saving animals lives. Claire has done so much for the animals, it was such an honour that she agreed to do this interview with us.

These institutions rely on grants from charities carrying out animal experiments and the pharmaceutical industry, but they are also institutions that accommodate students who, with the right information, have the power to reject animal use. Since launching Animal Justice Project we’ve achieved widespread media coverage on some horrendous animal abuse inside university laboratories and have hosted many innovative stunts across the country. Over the past year we’ve also campaigned  for the billions of farmed animals and now work equally for their rights. Our flagship campaigns are Campus Without Cruelty and The Foul Truth. We’ve embarked on undercover investigations most recently, and our first took place at two RSPCA farms in Suffolk where so-called ‘high welfare’ chickens were abused

COULD YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR CAREER PRIOR TO FOUNDING THE CHARITY?

I’m a zoologist with a masters in Applied Animal Welfare and Behaviour. I’ve worked in several leading organisations for animals in the field of campaigns and investigations. I’ve also carried out undercover work myself in India, Spain, Thailand, the UK, South America and elsewhere. Animal rights has always been the most important social justice issue to me though we are an intersectional organisation and so advocate justice for all, regardless of species. That includes humans as well and we will not tolerate any form of oppression. As a child I grew up being fascinated with animals, I turned vegetarian at 14 years old and began to learn about the exploitation of animals in labs and on farms. At school I was an ‘animal monitor’ and used to let the rats out of their cages on lunch breaks. I took them home on holidays and I regret to this day not removing the rats from the school altogether. Between 16 and 18 years old I started attending anti-vivisection demonstrations, including the first London march where over 20,000 people marched, and hunt sabbing. It was then that I became vegan.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

Honestly, I don’t get much spare time. I try to do yoga in between work, and I socialise with friends but that may mean sitting around together and watching a film about animal rights. I like to camp and get out into nature when I can.

IF YOU COULD VISIT ONE PLACE ON EARTH WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

I have a long list! I’d love to travel through Canada and down to America, also visit lots more Asian countries. I used to live in Thailand and South East Asia holds a special place in my heart. I love travelling and it’s something I plan to do more of.

IF YOU WERE A SUPERHERO WHAT POWERS WOULD YOU HAVE?

Of course, I’d like to have the ability to stop people abusing animals. I’d also quite like to fly.

IF YOU COULD GIVE ONE MESSAGE TO OTHERS ABOUT AJP WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Please support us. We are unique in that we are led by activists and we will never, ever stray from an abolitionist message. We achieve so much for animals on a fraction of the money that other animal rights and welfare groups do. We are also one of the only organisations in Britain campaigning for animals in laboratories.

To find out more about Animal Justice Project and the amazing work they do please visit their website here.