INGRID NEWKIRK

'Ingrid Newkirk' (born July 11, 1949) is a British-born animal rights activist, author, and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the world's largest animal rights organization."Ingrid Newkirk: Animal Rights Crusader", ''Encyclopaedia Britannica's Advocacy for Animals'', April 30, 2007. She co-founded PETA in 1980 with American activist Alex Pacheco, and is the author of several books about animal liberation, including ''Free the Animals'', ''You Can Save the Animals'', and ''Making Kind Choices'', which has a foreword by Sir Paul McCartney.
Newkirk is best known for the campaigns and stunts she organizes on behalf of PETA in order to promote animal rights and veganism. In her will, she has directed that her skin be turned into wallets, her feet into umbrella stands, and her flesh into "Newkirk Nuggets" then grilled on a barbecue.Millard, Rosie. "A human carrot in bright orange felt walks in, announcing itself as "Chris P Carrot'", ''New Statesman'', October 6, 2003.

Contents

Early life

Relationship with the Animal Liberation Front

Works

See also

Notes

Further reading

Early life

Newkirk was born in England and grew up in New Delhi, India where her mother volunteered for Mother Teresa. She credits her early experiences in India — packing pills for the lepers and rolling bandages for them, stuffing toys for orphans, and feeding strays — and her mother’s statement that "it doesn’t matter who suffers, but how," as contributing to her concern for anyone in need, including animals.Redwood, Daniel. "Making Kind Choices", an interview with Ingrid Newkirk, ''healthy.net''.
In the 1970s, she worked for Montgomery County, Maryland, and then for the District of Columbia, as an animal protection officer and deputy sheriff, before becoming D.C.'s first female poundmaster in 1978. In 2003, talking about her job in Maryland, she said:
Debra Saunders, a conservative newspaper columnist and critic of Newkirk and PETA, argues that this statement shows that Newkirk advocates a double standard regarding the killing of animals. She writes, "PETA assails other parties for killing animals for food or research. Then it kills animals — but for really important reasons, such as running out of room."Saunders, Debra J. "Better fed than dead, PETA says", ''San Francisco Chronicle'', June 23, 2005.

Relationship with the Animal Liberation Front

Newkirk herself has written about how she has frequently publicized actions carried out by activists in the name of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).Newkirk, Ingrid. ''Free the Animals'', Lantern, 2000.
She has been accused of having had advance knowledge of one ALF action. According to U.S. Attorney Michael Dettmer, writing during the trial of Rod Coronado who was charged (and later convicted) in connection with an arson attack at Michigan State University, Newkirk "arranged ... days before the MSU arson occurred" to have Coronado send her stolen documents and a videotape from the attack. ^[1]

Works

★ ''50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals''. Warner Books (November 1, 2006) ISBN 0-446-69828-8

★ ''Nonviolence Includes Animals''. CD, PETA, December 29, 2005

★ ''Making Kind Choices''. CD, PETA, 2005

★ ''Making Kind Choices : Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through Earth- and Animal-Friendly Living''. St. Martin's Griffin (January 1, 2005) ISBN 0-312-32993-8

★ ''Peta 2005 Shopping Guide For Caring Consumers: A Guide To Products That Are Not Tested On Animals''. Book Publishing Company (TN) (October 30, 2004) ISBN 1-57067-166-4

★ ''Speaking Up For the Animals''. DVD, PETA, June 1, 2004

★ ''Free the Animals: The Story of the Animal Liberation Front''. Lantern Books, 2000, ISBN 1-930051-22-0

★ ''You Can Save the Animals : 251 Simple Ways to Stop Thoughtless Cruelty''. Prima Lifestyles (January 27, 1999) ISBN 0-7615-1673-5

★ ''250 Things You Can Do to Make Your Cat Adore You''. Fireside (May 15, 1998) ISBN 0-684-83648-3

★ ''Compassionate Cook : Please don't Eat the Animals''. Warner Books (July 1, 1993) ISBN 0-446-39492-0

★ ''Kids Can Save the Animals : 101 Easy Things to Do''. Warner Books (August 1, 1991) ISBN 0-446-39271-5

★ ''On the Run''. Audiobook, PETA

★ ''Love That Cat!'' CD, PETA

★ "Speaking Up for Animals 2" CD, PETA

See also

★ Animal Liberation Front

★ Animal testing

★ Britches (monkey)

★ List of vegans

★ Alex Pacheco (activist)

★ PETA

★ Silver Spring monkeys

Notes

1. Government Sentencing Memorandum of U.S. Attorney Michael Dettmer in USA v. Rodney Coronado, July 31, 1995, pp. 8-10.

Further reading

★ Ingrid Newkirk's website

★ PETA website

★ Newkirk, Ingrid. ''Free the Animals: The Story of the Animal Liberation Front'', Lantern Books, 2000. ISBN 1-930051-22-0

★ Trione, Debra. ''A Perfect World: Words and Paintings from Over 50 of America's Most Powerful People'', Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2002. ISBN 0-740-72726-5