Missy Higgins’ Good Reason to Go Vegetarian

“Never feeling the sun on their backs or the grass beneath their feet, unable to spread a wing or stretch a leg … animals suffer on factory farms.” —Missy Higgins

Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins appears in PETA U.S.’ latest vegetarian ad, thanks to her primary school teacher’s lesson to be kind to animals. Missy took her teacher’s advice to heart, so much so that she agreed to share the spotlight—and her lap—with a sweet little pig named Jake! In fact, Jake developed such a bond with Missy—and she with him—that everyone felt bad when it came time to call it a day and take Jake back to his home at an animal sanctuary.

We hope that Missy and Jake will forgive us; their ad will show thousands of people that if Jake hadn’t been rescued, his name would be “bacon.” Although Missy may have been sniffling as she waved goodbye to her new pal, who may have been holding back a few tears as well, everyone was inspired. After all, it’s not too often that you come across someone whose voice is both powerful—Missy’s been compared to Fiona Apple, Suzanne Vega, and Sarah McLachlan—and passionate. Missy knocks us off our feet when she talks about animal rights in her exclusive interview with PETA U.S.!