PETA President Tracy Reiman Tackles Your Tough Questions and Tricky Situations

Animals aren’t self-aware like humans, so we aren’t equal after all. 

Ah, the idea that “humans are special because we alone can recognize ourselves in a mirror!” – and those who don’t recognize their own reflection don’t count. My own son didn’t pass the mirror test until he was 2, but luckily, I didn’t write him off before then. 

The mirror idea was blown out of the water long ago … by a fish! Tiny cleaner wrasse not only recognize themselves but also try to remove marks on their bodies when presented with a mirror. And elephants, magpies, and lots of other species have also passed the mirror test. 

This “uniquely human” superiority complex crumbles in the face of facts. We’re all different but each part of the great web of life, yet while billions of other animals have kept the forests, air, and waterways pristine for eons, our species has despoiled almost every square mile of this planet in little more than a century! Yes, it takes smarts to invent nuclear weapons and pogo sticks, but other species can smell their way home over thousands of miles and read radio waves or the Earth’s magnetic field without instruments. 

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the only “dumb” thing is thinking we’re qualified to judge others with our “dull perceptions.” We know that a mouse wants to live. A chicken feels joy and fear. They’re not pondering the meaning of existence – they’re just trying to have one. No one should try to raise themselves up by putting others down.

I feel overwhelmed by animal suffering. How do you stay motivated?

Listen, feeling it means you’re a decent human. Suffering doesn’t bother serial killers, so chances are you’re not one. 

But here’s what’s going awry: You’re allowing yourself to think about too many horrors at once, and that’s more than a good mortal can take. As Erma Bombeck said, “Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.” May I suggest this: Stop doom-scrolling – you’ve “got” it, no need to bang it into your brain – and start doing something to help, and then you’ll be getting somewhere. E-mail a company with your opinion on an issue while you’re waiting for your coffee. Introduce a friend who still eats animals to a vegan product. Look at the activism spread in this very magazine and go for it. Show up to a PETA demo. It’s surprisingly therapeutic. 

And when you’re despairing about the millions of animals you can’t reach from your couch, perhaps help an animal in your area. Volunteer at a shelter or pay to spay someone’s dog for free. You’ll be happy for days! 

Lots of animal horrors are history now because people didn’t keep silent. They educated others and did their part. You are vital to the present and the future, so chin up and get cracking! You’ve got this!