With growing city populations becoming more removed from farming practices and farm animals, most individuals have a complete disconnect with the animal products they consume. They do not see animals as sentient beings, nor do they acknowledge the animal welfare issues, environmental impacts and the potential for future pandemics surrounding industrial farming practices. With these issues in mind, Jessica Walker, at age 13, completed research on the topic Does Knowledge Increase Empathy and Compassion towards Animals and the Environment. This published research revealed children do have the ability to be compassionate towards animals if educated on the topics. Consequently, Jessica began to save animals destined for slaughter who could be ambassadors, bridging the disconnect including pigs, 3000 battery hens, dairy cows, horses, lambs, goats and free range hens. Since founding the Little Red Barn Micro Sanctuary, March, 2020, Jessica has welcomed hundreds of families to visit her sanctuary residents, teaching they are "someone, not something", about their lives in factory farms and how each is an individual with relationships, feelings and most of all family. Her current research Do Sanctuary Farm Animal Interactions affect Dietary Choices and Beliefs is confirming the importance of farm animal interactions as a means to change people's beliefs and diets. By becoming involved in frontline animal rescue, sanctuary partnerships, animal welfare committees, building relationships with farmers, vigils, bearing witness, education, and research, the importance of youth activism is instrumental in creating hope for a better world for animals, people and the environment.

Key-Learnings :

1. Youth Animal Activism-Making a Difference in Farm Animal Welfare.
2. Wayne Dyer-When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
3. Does Knowledge Increase Empathy and Compassion towards Animals and the Environment/Do Sanctuary Farm Animal Interactions affect Dietary Choices and Beliefs.