Nineteen-Year-Old Takes on Bullfighting, McCruelty in Her Hometown, Works to Give Homeless Cats and Dogs a New Lease on Life
For Immediate Release:
May 14, 2012
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Monterrey, Nuevo León -- Nineteen-year-old Monterrey resident and Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas UANL student Katia Rodriguez defends animals at every turn. Not only does she organize drives for food and supplies for a local animal shelter and help socialize the cats and dogs at the facility to prepare them for adoption, she has also taken on the cruel "sport" of bullfighting and fast-food giant McDonald's over its suppliers' abuse of chickens. For proving herself to be a true leader in the fight for animal rights, Rodriguez has received a Star Street Teamer Award from peta2, PETA's youth division.
"Katia isn't intimidated by the resistance she sometimes faces while defending animals—she's emboldened by it," says peta2 Division Manager Marta Holmberg. "Young people are leading the animal rights charge worldwide, and Katia is a trailblazer they can look to for inspiration."
Rodriguez honed her organizing skills while interning at peta2's Washington, D.C., office. She has set up tables at local high schools to talk with students about peta2's McCruelty campaign and explained to them why they should never wear fur. She's also the administrator of a group of vegetarians in Monterrey, which organizes monthly meetings for more than 1,000 members.
Rodriguez has taken part in several anti-bullfighting protests and is currently working with her college administrators to stop using animals in laboratories for dissection and testing and switch to modern non-animal methods instead. And her voice of compassion got a boost recently when she gave a radio interview about getting active for animals, going vegan, and her experience with peta2.
peta2's Street Team is a group of youth activists dedicated to helping animals through in-person events, online campaigns, and social media. Rodriguez, who also serves on peta2's Youth Advisory Board, will receive a framed certificate and a card signed by peta2 staffers.
Katia Rodriguez is available for interviews. For more information, please visit peta2.com.
