Meet the Animal Club Ambassador – Abbie Cornish

"I have always loved Animals...always felt a strong
connection to all living things"

Abbie has starred in the Aussie movie, Somersault, in Candy with Heath Ledger, A Good Year with Russell Crowe and The Golden Age with Cate Blanchett. Not only is Abbie a very talented actress, she is also a proud voice for animal protection. 

Last year, Abbie appeared as the lead guest on Network Ten’s breakfast TV show "9am with David and Kim" where she spoke about her role as Animal Club Ambassador and how she became involved with Voiceless.  To watch a video of Abbie's segment on this show (5th April 2007), please click here (12:45 min, 35Mb).

To view Abbie's cover story in the Sunday Telegraph Magazine (17th February 2008 issue), please follow this link.

With thanks to The Sunday Telegraph Magazine and the writer, Jane Hutchinson, for allowing us to reproduce this story here.

To view an article about Abbie and her involvement in Animal Club, please follow this link to Pet Project (pdf) by Claire Sutherland, Herald Sun, 25th May 2006.

With thanks to The Herald & Weekly Times for permission to reproduce the article here.

Find out how Abbie first fell in love with animals and what keeps her motivated to protect them from suffering.

Q&A

When did you first discover that you loved animals?

I have always loved animals, always felt a strong connection to all living things.

Tell us a little about growing up in the country and the animals that were around? 

I grew up in the Hunter Valley, on 170 acres. I remember the texture of the land, its rhythm with the seasons, the mud, the adventures, the sunsets, the stars, the moon, riding horses, climbing trees, camping, building things, the ducks, the chickens, the geese, the cows, the horses, the dogs, our cat and all the other animals we had over the years. Many of my childhood memories revolve around animals.

Do you have any brothers or sisters?  What do they or your other family members think about your love for animals?

I have 3 brothers and one sister. When I was 13, I was introduced to the idea of ´vegetarianism’ by a friend of the family over dinner. It felt right for me, and that night I asked mum not to cook any meat for me anymore.

I am the only vegetarian in my family at the moment. My little sister and brother, 11 and 13 years old, have an amazing sense of the world around them and the life that exists within all living things. My sister recently rescued ‘Cherry’, a Jack Russell cross, from the RSPCA in Newcastle.

Which animal protection issues make you the saddest or the angriest?

The situation with the bears in China being farmed for their stomach bile really overwhelms me. Japanese whaling, the clubbing of seals for furs, animal transport conditions and of course, our issues here at home, and all over the world of factory farming - pigs, cows, and chickens.

If you could do one thing to help animals, what would it be?

Do you have any advice for young people who want to help animals? 

Educate yourself as much as possible. Take action, for example; buy organic and cruelty free products, avoid fur and leather, get involved with like minded people, inform others of the facts, and if it is right for you - becoming a vegetarian.

Tell us about the Animal Club you started at school. 

When I was 10 years old, I wanted to help animals and give them a voice. The idea was a 'caring for pets club'. I made membership cards for all my friends who were interested and we had our first club meeting in the cubby house on the farm. Unfortunately the 'caring for pets club' didn’t last very long. I was really sad about this at the time, but now there is 'animal club', and I am a part of it!