By Ingrid Newkirk

My mother had a saying for when anyone did something good: “What a bright spark!” This holiday season, I’m thinking about the people who shine brightly for animals.

Almost every victory for animals began with just a few bright sparks that ultimately became roaring flames. Together, we acted to ensure that the Big Cat Public Safety Act was signed into law, convinced Budweiser to stop mutilating the iconic Clydesdale horses by cutting off their tailbones, and persuaded the government of Sri Lanka to halt a plan to export 100,000 macaques to China, where they likely would have ended up in laboratories to be tormented and killed in useless experiments.

Sparking someone’s compassion for animals doesn’t really take much. Inform your friends with PETA literature, share vegan meals with neighbors, or regularly post PETA campaigns and videos on Facebook, Instagram, and other channels for your entire social circle to see.

Together, we can change the way people consider our fellow animals and convince them to make more compassionate choices. I hope this brief holiday video will help spark your own animal activism this holiday season and in the years to come!