Hiking with Heart: Aid for Farmed Animals

Hello! My name is Megan McVeigh and I'm an avid outdoorswoman and passionate animal advocate.

On March 13th, I’ll be starting a thru-hike of the Arizona Trail. This journey will constitute hiking approximately 900 miles across desert, mountain, and canyon terrain. In 2022, I hiked the entirety of Pacific Crest Trail, and, since that experience, thru hiking has become an instrumental aspect of my life. Because of that, I plan to dedicate my Arizona Trail hike to a cause that I hold dear in my heart: helping factory farmed animals.

For every mile I hike, I hope to donate a dollar to two organizations that are helping to evolve away from the cruel and exploitative realities of factory farming. I ask of you to consider donating to my effort and especially to share this with anyone who may be interested.

Factory farming poses extreme environmental and animal welfare concerns. I’m sure you all have seen how expensive and scarce eggs are these days because of the avian flu outbreak. The overcrowded conditions and intensive confinement that is inherent to industrial animal agriculture is the perfect breeding ground for deadly viruses such as the H5N1 bird flu. When such outbreaks occur, millions of innocent and even healthy animals are killed by inhumane means. Additionally, the farmers themselves are often being exploited. Many industrial chicken farmers are under contract from major meat companies where they take on massive debts, struggle to pay it off, and have little to no control over their operations. Most are stuck in an endless loop of paying off loans they take on to make improvements to their farms.

To help move away from the human exploitation, animal cruelty, and environmental pollution of factory farming, I’m looking to raise awareness and money for two organizations that envision a future based on a more just, sustainable, and compassionate food system. The Transfarmation Project works directly with chicken farmers looking to get out of their current situation by helping them transition their animal farms into plant-based ones. They build a unique plan for each farmer, focusing on repurposing existing infrastructure and transforming former industrial animal facilities for the new crop. Secondly, Pro-Animal Future is a political organization that is working to evolve away from factory farming through law. Their newest campaign in Clackamas County, Oregon, is centered around a policy requiring pasture access for animals on large commercial farms. Such laws would provide more humane living conditions for millions of animals and are necessary for preventing more outbreaks of deadly viruses.

For many years I’ve been deeply saddened by the realities of factory farming but have felt powerless in my ability to help. These organizations give me hope! I’m grateful for the chance to combine my love of hiking with my passion for animal advocacy. Thank you for reading!