Paul Shapiro (activist)

Paul Shapiro
Portrait of Paul Shapiro, Animal Activist, 2013
Born 1979
Nationality American
Education Bachelor's degree, George Washington University
Occupation Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for The Humane Society of the United States
Known for Founded Compassion Over Killing
Relatives Ryan Shapiro (brother)
Awards Animal Rights Hall of Fame (2008)[1]

Paul Shapiro (born 1979) is the vice president of farm animal protection for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).[2] Prior to working with HSUS, he was known for being the founder of Compassion Over Killing (COK).

Work with Compassion Over Killing

When he was thirteen years old, Shapiro stopped eating meat as a result of learning about the cruelties of meat production. About one month later, he stopped eating eggs and dairy.[3]

While a high school student at Georgetown Day School[4] in 1995, Shapiro founded the animal advocacy organization Compassion Over Killing, and served as its campaigns director until 2005.[5] Compassion Over Killing became well known for its investigative work exposing conditions for farm animals on factory farms, at livestock auctions, and at slaughter plants. Shapiro received a B.A. from George Washington University in 2001, where he majored in peace studies and minored in religion.[6][7] He taught peace studies at a public high school in Washington, D.C.[8] He was profiled in a 2003 Washington Post Style section article entitled "Animal Pragmatism: Compassion Over Killing Wants to Make the Anti-Meat Message a Little More Palatable".[4]

Work with the Humane Society of the United States

Shapiro directs an effort to convince retailers, food service providers, and universities to end their use of eggs from battery-caged birds, pork from gestation-stalled pigs, and to expand their vegan options.[9] Additionally, the HSUS farm animal protection campaign played a significant role in helping enact Proposition 2 in California, a 2008 ballot initiative that phases out veal crates, battery cages, and gestation crates in the nation's largest agricultural state.[10] The campaign was also central in Proposition 204, a successful 2006 Arizona ballot initiative that phases out gestation crates and veal crates. It has also helped pass laws against gestation crates and other agricultural practices in numerous other states.

Shapiro helped spearhead the campaign to end the use of the "Animal Care Certified" logo on egg cartons in the United States. In that case, the egg industry was labeling eggs from hens confined in battery cages as "Animal Care Certified."[11] After Better Business Bureau rulings, federal petitions, investigations at "Animal Care Certified" egg facilities leading to media exposés, and other efforts, in September 2005, the Federal Trade Commission announced that the logo would be removed from egg cartons nationwide.

Shapiro is the author of "Moral agency in other animals", published in the 2006 edition of Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics. He was also a contributor to Animal Welfare in Animal Agriculture.

Shapiro provided information used in the writing of the book Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism (2008) by Mark Hawthorne.

Articles

See also

References

  1. ↑ "U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame". Animal Rights National Conference. Farm Animal Rights Movement. Archived from the original on 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
  2. ↑ "Paul Shapiro". Humane Society of the United States. Archived from the original on 2012-12-30. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
  3. ↑ Shapiro, Paul (2003). "Paul Shapiro - A VegFamily Interview" (Interview). Interview with Doh Driver. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2012-12-31. I stopped eating meat at 13, and then quit eggs and dairy about one month later, after learning more about the cruelties involved in all sectors of animal agribusiness.
  4. 1 2 Montgomery, David (2003-09-08). "Animal Pragmatism: Compassion Over Killing Wants to Make the Anti-Meat Message a Little More Palatable". The Washington Post. p. C01. Archived from the original on 2012-12-30. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
  5. ↑ Becker, Elizabeth (2002-12-04). "Advocates for Animals Turn Attention to Chickens". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-12-30. Retrieved 2012-12-30. ... Paul Shapiro, the 23-year-old founder and leader of Compassion Over Killing ...
  6. ↑ Lin, Doris. "Biography of Paul Shapiro, Guest Author". About.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2013-01-01. Shapiro received a bachelor's degree in peace studies from George Washington University.
  7. ↑ Huffman, J. Ford (2014-03-26). "Building a More Humane Society". GW Magazine. George Washington University. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-04. My voice is basically trying to halt the war we wage on animals. Most farm animals are tormented their entire lives.
  8. ↑ Rhoads, Anai (June 2003). "D.C. Organisation Educates Public on Hen Abuses". Athens, New York: All-Creatures.org. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2013-01-01. Paul Shapiro holds a bachelors degree in peace studies from George Washington University and once taught peace studies at a public D.C. high school.
  9. ↑ Rafferty, Steve (2011-01-19). "University Dining Services Halts Use of Caged Eggs". The Hoya. Georgetown University. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2013-01-01. We starting working with some of the students in June of 2005
  10. ↑ Shapiro, Paul (2008). "Making History for Animals: YES! on Prop 2". About.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2013-01-01. When passed, Prop 2 will phase out some of the most extreme confinement systems we force upon farm animals, including battery cages for laying hens, veal crates for calves, and gestation crates for breeding pigs.
  11. ↑ Barrionuevo, Alexei (2005-10-04). "Egg Producers Relent on Industry Seal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2013-01-02. Retrieved 2013-01-02.
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