Vegan Outreach and Environmentalism

SARO has always put an emphasis on vegan outreach and solidarity with environmental, human and non-human animal movements. We embrace sound environmental practices in our work from choosing to eat and share vegan, local, organic and fair trade as possible to our no-waste events and carpooling, walking or biking to our events.

SARO does a great deal of vegan outreach including but not limited to: leafleting major sporting, speaking and music engagements, tabling at many school, speaking and music events, hosting several of our own movie screenings, speaking events, annual conferences, holding many vegan outreach leafleting events in surrounding schools from middle school to college, holding protests and banner drops, engaging in media outreach from news, video, radio, magazine and newspapers, hosting weekly vegan potlucks and occasion social gatherings and festivals, vegan bake sales, celebrating recognized worldwide days for animals and compassionate humans. If you are interested in having SARO attend, participate in, or help organize an event contact us.

Anti-Fur

Since SARO’s inception we have run anti-fur campaigns. Our first anti-fur campaigning began in the 2003 against Georgio’s Furs, the last remaining independent fur retailer in Syracuse. Through petitions and protest SARO succeeded in getting Georgio’s kicked out of Carousel Mall.

SARO continues its anti-fur campaign every year and has broadened its campaign to both Georgio’s remaining stores and Skaneateles Furs in Skaneateles New York. Anti-fur season kicks off with a bang every year on Fur Free Friday, November 23rd 2007.

KFC Cruelty

Also since inception SARO has actively participated in the KFC Cruelty campaign with at least monthly protests outside of local KFC’s. As of late, SARO has been collecting student and staff signatures of SU and SUNY ESF members who are opposed to KFC’s practices. We hope to offer the lists to Syracuse University food services allowing the students and staff to collectively voice their opposition to KFC on their campus, and hope to replace its prominent spot in Kimmel Hall with a healthier more responsible dining option. If you would like to add your name to our signatures, or collect signatures from you friends, floor mates, team or organization get in touch!

Circuses and Companion Animals

SARO takes a firm stand on issues regarding the neglect and abuse of all animals. Many animal circuses come through the central New York region, and we ensure that none leave without a voice of strong opposition of their practices. SARO has lead successful protests, banner drops and outreach of Ringling, Shriners, Garden Brothers and other animal circuses in the CNY region and has helped coordinate and facilitate voices of opposition for other regions of New York.

SARO makes a strong effort in helping our companion animals. In years past SARO has run campaigns against pet stores including Pet Land who has a notorious record for using puppy mill sources for their sales. Although we are not a shelter, we have improved and or saved the lives of many companion animals. We have placed abandoned, stray, injured, neglected and abused animals from cats, dogs, birds from pigeons to geese and even rescued laboratory mice into loving homes and have worked on establishing foster homes for animals. We strongly encourage you to adopt an animal, and never purchase one. We also encourage you to be a responsible, caring pet owner who will do their best to keep their animal companions healthy while working towards reducing the pet overpopulation by embracing spay neuter programs.

Anti-Vivisection

SARO strongly opposes the use of animals as research subjects for all research from medicines to household solvents when more effective and cruelty free alternatives exist. Animals regardless of species are not ours to abuse or terminate in the name of profit. SARO has participated in protests against Bristol-Myers Squibb in Syracuse to companies that contract out their research to Huntington Life Sciences.