‘Population control, not expansion’: PETA founder Ingrid Elizabeth Newkirk on Anant Ambani’s ambitious Vantara project

Washington DC-based Newkirk, who grew up in New Delhi, traced her earliest memories of learning empathy and assisting her mother, who volunteered for Mother Teresa. “I feel so lucky to be able to do what matters to me––help animals in trouble––every day; open hearts and minds.”

In an exclusive conversation with indianexpress.com, Newkirk discussed her journey, being a vegan, and motivating the youth. Edited excerpts from the interview:

Q – You started PETA about 44 years ago in the United States after finding an abandoned pig. Tell us that story.

Ingrid Newkirk: I found a pig left to die on an abandoned farm. His little grunts for mercy broke my heart. Inspecting laboratories for the government, I realised that if I, an “animal lover,” was unaware of the institutionalised cruelties, most people probably didn’t realise the harsh realities either. Animals in steel boxes undergoing experiments, going insane on fur farms, and tied up in commercial dairies, their beloved calves are taken from them. That’s why I created PETA, to show people how their choices can cause immense suffering and to highlight the wonderful alternatives that exist.

Q – You spent your childhood in New Delhi. Any memories you’d like to share with us?

Ingrid Newkirk: I rode all over Delhi on my little bicycle, collected postage stamps from the embassies, chatted with workers at the bicycle repair shop, and walked my dog in the jungle across the road where there were little wild pigs. I went bird watching with the UK ambassador’s wife, ate chaat and other snacks from roadside vendors after school, and enjoyed playing in the parks and feeding local dogs. Our home always had refugees—an injured snake, a hungry dog, a cast-out pregnant woman. Our garden was a haven for birds and a mongoose family. Snake charmers would come to the green in front of the house with their baskets of sad, malnourished snakes, their mouths sewn shut.

Q – How did your mother and her association with Mother Teresa help shape you?

Ingrid Newkirk: My mother always said we have a responsibility to look out for those in need. Her watchwords were: “It doesn’t matter WHO suffers, it’s THAT they suffer, and what you can do about it.” I realised I had so much more than the orphans and poor children. I enjoyed stuffing cotton giraffes and bears for them and packing pills for lepers who were everywhere on carts back then in Connaught Place. When you travelled to the hills by bus, they would stick their stubbed fingers through the windows, begging.

Q- Your most cherished memory from a rescue that you would like to detail and describe for us would be?

Ingrid Newkirk: There are so many. One frightening instance involved crawling on my hands and knees through a water-filled pipe under a road to reach a crying puppy. Unable to see in the dark, I found the pup, soaking wet and paralysed with fear, sitting on a brick. I crawled backward with the pup under my arm, fearing we might both drown. We were both so happy to see the sunlight again. I also cherish every time I can pull a crab out of a trap, set a bird free from a kite string, or join our veterinarians and fieldworkers to remove the yoke from an exhausted bullock and retire him to a sanctuary.

Q – How did you celebrate your 75th birthday on June 11.

Ingrid Newkirk: I was in Chicago, Illinois, which was once home to the continent’s largest pig slaughterhouse and stockyards, to drive a lorry replicating those used to transport millions of these intelligent animals to their deaths. The lorry, decorated with photographs of real pigs in transit, and a loudspeaker broadcasted their distress sounds as a reminder of past and present eating habits. The plan was to distribute vegan “ham” sandwiches at busy shopping malls and outside restaurants along the way.

Q – You have mentioned your transition into a vegan despite belonging to a gourmand family which “pretty much ate our way through the animal kingdom”. Tell us about that journey.

Ingrid Newkirk: I grew up enjoying a variety of meats like roast beef, leg of lamb, raw oysters, and fish and chips, influenced by my father’s love for gourmet food. However, encountering that pig, left to die, slowly forced me to reflect on my food choices. I realised the inherent cruelty in taking a life for a fleeting taste. A significant revelation came when someone mocked me for adding milk to my tea, questioning if I consumed veal. I told him I was vegetarian. He explained that all mothers, especially cows, known to be “the mother of all mothers,” love their children but that in dairies today (and I’ve visited them in Mumbai), the calves are rudely snatched away, while the mother anxiously cries and tries to follow but cannot. That is so that we can steal the milk meant for them to suckle. The mother cow’s heart breaks, she grieves and mourns and worries. The calf is shaken up and scared. All to put milk in my tea!

That is when I transitioned to veganism, which not only opened my eyes to ethical concerns but also led to improved health, as I no longer suffered from bronchitis, a condition I hadn’t realised was linked to dairy consumption.

Ingrid Newkirk during one of the events in Mumbai to create awareness about animal cruelty (Source: PR Handout)

Q – Can such a transition into veganism and no animal cruelty in terms of lifestyle choices happen on a larger scale in India?

Ingrid Newkirk: India stands out as the most vegan-friendly country globally, offering an unparalleled array of vegan foods; vegetables, fruits, grains, and pulses. India is the home of hemp, cotton, and various other vegan materials used in clothing and accessories. Ayurveda complements this ethos with its range of cruelty-free cosmetics and household items. As the birthplace of ahimsa, India should serve as a guiding light of compassion for the world.

Q – Take us through the kind of work for animal welfare that is being done in India on a larger scale.

Ingrid Newkirk: PETA India, like its global counterparts, is in the replacement business, helping people and institutions make compassionate choices suitable for this century.

It’s time to end the suffering caused by using animals for entertainment, such as buffalo and bullock races. We work to modernise transportation methods that use animals, like tonga carts, replace the use of frightened horses in anti-venom collection, replace tourist-toting elephants with electric vehicles, eliminate spiked bits on horses used for weddings, and combat the illegal trade in temple elephants and generally transition from traditional to humane practices in various sectors. We promote alternatives to animal exploitation in clothing, food, and laboratory methods, while also advocating for compassion in schools.

The focus has shifted from larger cages and longer chains to understanding and respecting animals’ cultures and rights. We strive to ensure animals have real lives, social interaction, and freedom of movement and are treated as important beings deserving of consideration.

We also help promote clothing, foods, state-of-the-art laboratory methods, and other alternatives to animal exploitation, and teach compassion in schools, the Golden Rule that should apply to our interactions with all living beings.

Q – Are more young people joining animal rescue efforts?

Ingrid Newkirk: Young people today are increasingly concerned about the state of the world and the growing intolerance for diverse opinions and existence. While they may feel powerless, they recognise the significant impact they can have on animals, who are truly powerless in many situations. Just as older generations reflect on outdated habits, young people question practices like consuming animal products and supporting animal testing. They witness animals expressing emotions online and are joining the movement to advocate for the recognition of every animal as an individual, not an object.

 

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Rapid fire:

When not working, what keeps you busy?

Crossword puzzles. I also watch F1 racing and funny films to help me cope with the horrors I see done to animals.

How have you defied age?

I walk a lot, eat a vegan, low-fat diet, and do not engage in dangerous sports!

What does your diet include?

Delicious vegan meals, and a lot of my favourite Indian foods like masala dosa, roti, dal, minestrone, pickles, mangoes, and papayas!

What does fitness mean to you?

I walk a lot when I can, into the countryside to hear the birds. I do not like gyms. I get a lot of mental exercises every day, trying to figure out strategies to combat cruelty.

Is age just a number?

My father, at 80, used to say he looked old but felt the same as he felt when he was 40. Now, I understand what he meant. While ageing may bring changes like weaker bones and declining eyesight, adopting a vegan low-fat diet can significantly reduce the risk of major health issues such as heart disease, and certain cancers like breast cancer, and stroke.