Vegan activist facing jail for stealing chickens told to arrange childcare for baby

The animal rights activist is facing jail next month after admitting to her latest crime - stealing three chickens she was determined to liberate from a local farm.

In an interview with the Sunday World, the dedicated vegan says she will never stop her campaign but it has come at a price she didn't expect, and it has left her with a broken heart.

"I've been told to pack my bags that I'm going to jail, I'm looking at 12 months for effectively stealing three chickens and my baby girl will be without her mum," Tuesday told the Sunday World.

"Ava will have to be looked after by some friends I have lined up because she's not going into care, I will never allow that. But I'm stressed out by this, I'm afraid for her to be honest, how she will cope without me, how I will cope without her.

"Going to jail for our cause has never bothered me before, I was prepared, expecting it, but that has all changed now because I have this little person in my life that I completely love.

"I've offered to wear a tag and to do community service but so far I've been told no. I just can't win but either way my baby will be cared for."

The young mum has been advocate of animal rights since she was a little girl. Having last eaten a fish dinner when she was just five years old, her path was set and she became driven to fight for the rights of animals and anyone treated unfairly.

She has rescued pigs and piglets in the past as well as other animals she rehomes with other animal lovers.

"I have seen some horrific things over the years - my pictures prove what is going on behind closed shed doors. I, we, won't stop until that stops," she said.

The 34-year-old has also protested topless in Spain against bullfighting. "I have always been someone who stands up for injustice and being a deep empath, I feel for the non-human animals imprisoned, raped, mutilated and murdered for absolutely no justifiable reason. We humans do not have the dominion over any other human or non-human animal.

"I believe it is not enough to just not partake in violence but we must actively stop it. If not me then who? If not now when?"

Recalling the time Tuesday and her comrades took the action that could cost her her freedom, she admitted that she called the situation wrong, leading to their arrests.

"Me and my friend, my co-accused Naomi, were just out for a drive. What happened wasn't planned - I'm a very strategic person, if we were going in for an open rescue we normally have people in place.

"This time we just went for it because we saw a large laying shed near a broiler shed where Cornish cross chickens are slaughtered at just six weeks. There is on average 26,600 and it was on one of the hottest days of the summer.

"We looked in, the door was open so technically we didn't break in, but we couldn't believe what we were seeing.

"I said 'F**k mate, this is the hottest shed I have been in, we can't leave these birds, we have to take as many as we can."

The pair were caught red-handed when the owners of the chicken farm came home from the Twelfth of July celebrations and discovered the raid taking place.

"We couldn't just lift one but as they say you should never return to the scene of a crime."

Despite the jail sentence looming over her, she will never walk away from her campaign and her role in animals rights group Expose NI.

"Now I'm a mother to a 13-month-old baby I've had to step back from direct action although I was involved in that just five weeks after I gave birth to Ava.

"Things have change though, I'm applying a different strategy to end animal abuse, a legal one that allows me to spend all my time with my daughter.

"I will still do my bit though, I just have to be more careful how I do that. I have even been told not to turn up to protests as it breaches my bail.

"The bottom line is that I have to put my child first, as it stands my child could go into care because I rescued three sick chickens - which is madness when you say it out loud."

paula.mackin@sundayworld.com