Doggie Dash 2018 vegan food sampling
Tabling at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s annual fundraising walk/run
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Overview
Every year for nearly a decade, vegan activists have tabled at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s annual fundraising walk/run — the Doggie Dash. This two-mile fun run attracts more than 1,000 participants and raises funds for veterinary care, behavior modification, shelter, and love for some 7,000 animals that come through the shelter each year.
In a fun and puppy-filled atmosphere, five volunteers engaged with Doggie Dash attendees, offering them delicious vegan breakfast options such as bagels with vegan cream cheese. The volunteers chatted with dog lovers about the animal suffering inherent to animal agriculture, guiding them towards making the connection between the animals they love and the animals on their plate. They struck up friendly 
conversations with runners, along with their friends and families, about the benefits of veganism. They also shared informative vegan literature, such as Compassion Over Killing’s “Easy Vegan Recipes,” United Poultry Concern’s “Free Range Eggs: Not All They’re Cracked Up to Be,” and Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary’s “Milk Comes from a Grieving Mother.”
This outreach effort exemplifies the value of using tempting vegan food samples to draw an audience in while providing information on veganism and animal agriculture that helps self-proclaimed animal lovers extend the compassion they have for companion animals to farm animals.
“[Doggie Dash 2018] is a good opportunity to let people know that animals raised for food share the same capacity for joy, pain, sorrow, and the full range of emotions they recognize in their beloved pets and that they, too, have the same desire for companionship and will to live.”
Lynn Halpern, Grantee
Goals
- Help animal lovers make the connection between the dogs they cherish and the animals they eat.
- Show people that they can still enjoy the delicious foods they grew up with, minus the animal cruelty.
“We are positive and upbeat about the joys of being vegan, but we don’t shy away from discussing the gravity of the situation for the animals.”
Lynn Halpern, Grantee
Approach
The organizers of this tabling event utilized a VegFund grant to put together food samples (bagels with vegan cheeses and sausages) that would draw in the active morning crowd. They also strategically chose to table at the Doggie Dash, where the population would be self-selected as animal lovers — participants at the event presumably have a connection to dogs and chose to support the Human Society of Boulder Valley — and thus may be more open to learning about the cruelty in animal agriculture.
The activists also used their VegFund grant to purchase literature about many aspects of animal agriculture and were prepared to distribute information to individuals based on the specific nature of their one-on-one conversations. For example, if someone asked about cage-free eggs, they had a pamphlet that directly related to that topic.
One of the challenges that the activists encountered was keeping up with the crowd, which is a good problem to have! Because of the large number of people who visited the table, it was a boon to have experienced, trained volunteers who were able to navigate the many, varied conversations.
1,200
attendees at Doggie Dash 2018
300
people enjoyed vegan food samples
225
pieces of literature distributed
Results
The Doggie Dash participants who stopped by the table were eager to try the delicious vegan food samples offered. The activists encountered many dairy-free individuals who were absolutely delighted to try the vegan cheeses and butter. People were surprised at how delicious dairy and meat alternatives are, stating that they closely resemble their animal product equivalent. They were curious about what the products were made of and where they could buy them.
The activists also met several people who were already vegetarian and took the opportunity to explain how egg and dairy production involved as much, if not more, cruelty to animals as meat production does. Each person listened intently and seemed to take the information to heart.
The receptiveness of the crowd underscores the value of scouting out events where attendees may be especially predisposed to support the cause. In this case, the audience’s connection with their companion animals made them more likely to care about animal cruelty.
Top Tips
First, having trained and/or experienced volunteers is key to reaching as many people as possible and having in-depth, informative conversations. Second, targeting events where the crowd is non-vegan yet potentially receptive (in this case, dog lovers) can be a strategic approach to activism.
What’s next?
The activists plan to continue this event and produce a trifold local vegan guide to hand out this year with the tagline, “Support Compassion Locally.” It will include local eating establishments, favorite brands available in local grocery stores, and local community resources such as the vegan meetup group. It will also provide specific ways to try veganism and get more involved in the vegan community.