On October 2nd of every year, people around the globe observe World Farm Animals Day. The purpose of this holiday is to shed light on the poor conditions and abuse that farm animals endure.

It also raises public awareness about the millions of innocent animals slaughtered every single day of the year. According to recent estimates, over 200 million land animals are slaughtered around the world every day.

That means that approximately 72 billion animals are killed every year. It’s this senseless toll of cruelty that the holiday attempts to inform the public about. This day has been observed for over 39 years, and it’s a holiday animal lovers might want to pay attention to.

The History of World Farm Animals Day

This holiday was first created in 1983 to raise people’s consciousness about the plight of land-based animals on farms all over the world. Many factory-farm animals are placed in overcrowded cages, deprived of sunlight, drugged, and then mutilated and/or macerated on their way to a horrible death.

This day was intentionally set on Gandhi’s birthday in the hope that everyone raises their consciousness and chooses to avoid animal products that are created through suffering and cruelty.

Important Facts About Factory Farms

To highlight the cruel conditions that billions of animals a year face, we’ve decided to list some horrifying facts about factory farms for all of our readers to consider. We hope the following facts will help raise public consciousness and at least persuade them to cut down on their animal consumption, if not totally eliminate it from their diets.

• Factory farms can drive climate change by causing emissions of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and particulate matter.
• Agricultural runoff from factory farms is also a major cause of water pollution around the world.
• Factory farms contribute to deforestation by clearing land for grain crops.
• Factory farms are a major driver of biodiversity loss.
• Poor animal conditions can cause factory farms to be breeding grounds for new dangerous viruses that can jump from animals to humans.

Observing World Farm Animals Day

Besides cutting down or eliminating animal products from their diet, people can observe this holiday in several other ways. They can volunteer at animal sanctuaries, help with vegan meal distribution for the homeless, or raise money for animal welfare organizations. People can also spread the word about this holiday by using the hashtag #WorldFarmAnimalsDay on social media.