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30 Days: Animal Rights (TV Series)

by Jennie Richards · Published May 22, 2019 · Updated May 22, 2019

See the issue of animal rights as seen through the eyes of an avid North Carolina meat-eating hunter, who is exposed first-hand to the fur industry, the dairy industry, the veal industry, factory farming, PETA protests, the plight of discarded pets at a local animal shelter, animals in laboratories—all while living with an animal rights activist family.

30 Days was an American reality TV show on the FX cable network, created and hosted by Morgan Spurlock of Supersize Me fame. In each episode, Spurlock, or some other person or group of people, spend 30 days immersing themselves in a particular lifestyle with which they are totally unfamiliar (e.g. being in prison, working for minimum wage, etc.) while discussing related social issues. It’s a show about spending 30 days in someone else’s shoes to understand their perspective on a particular issue.

Episode 303 about animal rights aired during in the 3rd season on June 17, 2008. In this episode, George Snedeker, a 42-year old meat-eating handyman and avid deer hunter from North Carolina, was the antithesis of an animal rights activist and believed animals were here on Earth for our use and to serve our purpose. George confirmed he wasn’t interested in becoming an “animal rights person,” but he wanted to understand “why activists can be so extreme.”

30 Days: Animal Rights (TV Series) — 30 DAYS: Animal Rights (Airs June 17, 10:00 pm e/p) Avid hunter George Snedeker will live in Los Angeles with Melissa Karpel, a campaign coordinator for People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). He will participate in PETA initiatives and will work at an animal rescue center, where he will nurse a sick animal back to health. Pictured: George Snedeker participates in a PETA demonstration. CR: Ray Mickshaw / FOX.

For the show, Snedeker headed to Los Angeles and moved in with Melissa Karpel, a PETA activist. Melissa said she doesn’t believe animals belong to us “to eat, to wear, for experimenting – or for entertainment.” The night before George’s departure, Melissa’s father in L.A. said the idea of killing an animal for sport is “repulsive.” Back in North Carolina, George and his friends cooked him up a barbecue for his send-off. George asked them to buy him a steak when he returned, and one friend joked that “they might convert you.” George replied, “You know me better than that.”

George’s Three Rules for the Show: He’d move in with an animal rights activist family and follow their rules, including no hunting and eating or wearing anything from an animal; he’d get a job at an animal sanctuary or shelter; and he’d actively partake in animal rights protests.

As the end of his 30 days neared, George talked about how he’d return to North Carolina a changed person. “You can’t witness the things that I’ve witnessed and not be changed or effected,” he said. “I’m going to go back and I’m the same guy I was, but the different things that I do — I’m going to raise some questions. Some people are gonna rib me, you know, they’re going to pick at me. The best thing is when these folks ask me why I’m doing stuff, I can tell them. My friends, they’ll listen to me.”On the way to the airport to return to North Carolina, George now believesthat animals have rights. “Animals don’t deserve to suffer or be abused,” George said. “I am fan of stopping the abuse and stopping the suffering. It’s unnecessary. You’ve got to believe in animal rights.”

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Episode Length: 42 Minutes