Ingrid Newkirk

Ingrid Newkirk, a prominent animal rights activist, is the president and co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the world's largest animal rights organization. Since its inception in 1980, Newkirk has led numerous campaigns against the use of animals in crash tests and has successfully persuaded numerous companies to cease testing cosmetics on animals. Her influence extends to undercover investigations that have resulted in government sanctions against various institutions and individuals who misuse animals.

Newkirk played a pivotal role in the Silver Spring monkeys case in 1981, which led to the first police raid in the United States on an animal research laboratory and subsequently resulted in substantial amendments to the Animal Welfare Act of 1985. Her efforts have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Washingtonian of the Year in 1980, the Courage of Conscience Award in 1995, and the Ahimsa Award in 2014. Newkirk's work and beliefs have been featured in an HBO special, and she has been publicly praised by numerous individuals, including Sam Simon and Alec Baldwin.

Newkirk has also contributed to the discourse on animal rights through authoring books such as "Making Kind Choices" and featuring in the HBO documentary "I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA". Her international speaking engagements on animal rights issues have taken her to venues such as the Canadian Parliament, New Delhi in India, Taiwan, and the U.S. Congress. Her passion and dedication to making this world a better place for all living beings has inspired countless others to do what they can to help animals.