Campaign Launch: No Backyard Slaughter!

We want animals to be free, and to be regarded as individuals, not as profit-making machines. Sounds simple, but what stands in the way is a humongous and unthinkably cruel industry, namely the animal industrial complex. How do we deal with a problem of this magnitude? It’s quite overwhelming if you think of it – it’s not only the industry that is gigantic but so are its consequences. Billions, if not trillions of animals are used and abused every year; then there is water, air and soil pollution, ocean dead zones, rainforest and habitat destruction, deforestation, species extinction, and climate change; not to mention the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes - the list goes on and on.

We are running out of time, and patience. Enough is enough. It’s too painful to witness what we are doing to animals when it is so unnecessary; we have alternatives for every single ‘product’ or ‘service’ that we currently exploit animals for. We can’t go on like this. 

The reality of this problem brings with it an enormous responsibility: we must be strategic and effective. It’s not an exaggeration when we say that all of our lives are at stake, human and nonhuman alike. Needless to say, what is strategic and effective will vary from one context to another, and from one person or organization to another. One of the strategies that we believe in are pressure campaigns. What do we mean by that? We mean a combination of tactics that are strategically coordinated and focused on a specific target. 

No Backyard Slaughter

There are infinite potential targets when it comes to the animal industrial complex. Our No Backyard Slaughter campaign focuses on backyard slaughterhouses that are located in predominantly BIPOC communities. BIPOC are affected disproportionately by the industry yet often lack the resources to fight back against the cruelty taking place in their community. This is why APEX Advocacy helps communities of color defend themselves against animal industries through community organizing and activism. By doing so, we do not only eradicate businesses that hurt animals and people living around those operations, but we empower BIPOC to join our movement and to become activists for human and nonhuman liberation.

When we say ‘target’ we don’t only refer to the closure of a business that exploits animals. APEX Advocacy encourages businesses to transition to an alternative that doesn’t involve the use and abuse of animals. From mushroom farming to becoming a sanctuary, there are numerous things that can be done instead. We do this by researching and collaborating together with partners, and designing business proposals that serve as models for future cases.

Bradford’s Livestock

Bradford’s Livestock is an unauthorized backyard slaughterhouse that operates in a residential neighborhood in Lithonia, Georgia right outside of Metro Atlanta. On March 1, 2019, the DeKalb County government issued a cease and desist order against the business but has failed to enforce its order, meaning that Bradford’s Livestock continues to kill animals next door. The case has even been covered by local news, yet the community is still waiting for an actual result. Since the county has issued its cease and desist order, thousands of animals have died in agony. Children walk past the slaughterhouse on their way to school, and residents are worried about the negative impact the slaughterhouse has on the property value as well as the safety of their community. 

We made it our mission to support the Lithonia community and urge DeKalb County to do what is right by applying pressure on those who have not taken adequate action to resolve this case. Our campaign involves community members who aren’t necessarily vegan but are willing to join our activism. We believe in the power of recognizing our common struggles and fighting side by side as a community, and do not require participants to be vegan to join our efforts.

Stay tuned for upcoming actions and details on how you can help us shut down Bradford’s Livestock and convert it into a place that no longer hurts animals.