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Emma Haswell

Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women logo
Emma Haswell

Awarded for service to the Community

Born: 1968

Entered on roll: 2013


A fantastic example of what one woman can achieve with strong beliefs, passion, drive and energy…

Emma Haswell has intervened to stop cases of animal cruelty, influenced animal welfare law reform and has spent countless hours educating others about animal welfare.

Emma has been involved in many direct actions exposing intensive farming operators who she believed were mistreating animals. On several occasions, the information collected prompted formal investigations, and focussed the Government's attention on working with industry to ensure consistently high standards of animal welfare. Emma's passion, relentless push for change, and strong resolve to speak out, underpin her effectiveness as an animal welfare champion.

The plight of pigs subjected to inadequate care in sow stalls received national and international coverage after Emma enlisted friends to film pigs living in appalling conditions. The footage was used in the film An Eternal Treblinka, which received widespread publicity and helped highlight confinement of sows in stalls as an issue of public importance. The Tasmanian Government has since moved to mandate significant restrictions on sow stall use.

Emma founded the Brightside Farm Sanctuary in 2006, to provide a centre for animal rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing.

Since founding the Sanctuary, Emma has delivered the Brightside education program to over 30 000 school children, re-homed 400 animals a year and provided a safe haven to 250 rescued animals. This represents a significant number of animals with much greater prospects of enjoying long, healthy lives in secure environments.

Brightside has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Huon Valley Council to enable the best possible outcomes for some of Tasmania's most vulnerable animals. Brightside also work closely with the Dogs' Home of Tasmania (Hobart) to help with some of their more problematic dogs. Emma is also involved with lobby groups such as Animals Australia and Voiceless, and engages directly with the State Government on diverse animal welfare issues.  

Emma has been awarded the Voiceless People's Choice Award 2008; the Shining World Compassion Award 2008 and the Hobart Dogs' Home Award for Services to Tasmania's Dogs 2010.

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