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.
Tash Peterson was ordered to pay $180,000 after accusing a vet of “eating her own patients” in a defamation case
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
“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
“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”
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
“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
“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
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
