Russell Simmons, Kristen Wigg, Moby, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Zana Briski are among the glitteraties who'll be putting their John Hancock on a new Declaration of Independence this summer. And indeed the Declaration, officially titled The Declaration of Compassion for the Planet and its Inhabitants, does declare its signers' independence: not from England, but from agribusiness.

Modeled in both form and tone after the Declaration of Independence, The Declaration of Compassion will be unveiled in a ceremony at the 7th annual Catskill Animal Sanctuary Shindig on Saturday, June 28. COME AND ADD YOUR NAME!

An on-line petition enables supporters to sign remotely. In its first hour on-line, people from 14 states and 8 countries signed the document.

The Declaration of Compassion for the Planet and Its Inhabitants was written by Catskill Animal Sanctuary, a Saugerties, New York haven for cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other farm animals —twelve species in total—considered little more than food by much of the world. Its goal? 100,000 signatures and “a whole lot more understanding of what agribusiness is doing to our planet,” according to Kathy Stevens, CAS director.

CAS also hopes to also underscore the positive impact of a diet free of animal products.
"Global warming is challenging all of us to radically and immediately alter our behavior," explains Sanctuary director Kathy Stevens. "We invite everyone to learn about agribusiness and its consequences to animals, humans, and our fragile planet, and to sign The Declaration.
To view and sign The Declaration of Compassion, please click here.