Who We Are

We are a diverse group of Unitarian Universalists who aim to broaden the circle of compassion to include marginalized groups of people as well as non-human animals.  We include clergy, lay leaders, social justice activists, and spiritual seekers, as well as those who are less experienced and may just be finding their way in the web of life.  Many of us are involved at the local level in UU Animal Ministry chapters or in various kinds of animal rescue and advocacy.  We welcome the involvement of new chapters and individuals.  Please connect with us!

What We Do

We serve as a central source of nonhuman animal awareness and education for Unitarian Universalists by relating the religious and spiritual aspects of our tradition to justice and ethical issues.

We provide a community to support one another. Whether we are undertaking personal changes in our everyday choices, or engaging in advocacy for nonhuman animals, we cannot do this work alone. We need one another.

We promote and support justice-making efforts for nonhuman animals within congregations and within the Unitarian Universalist Association as a whole.

Our Guiding Principles

The seventh principle of Unitarian Universalism calls us to respect the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part. We of Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry understand that human beings are only a strand in the intricate web of life.

While our Unitarian Universalist principles affirm the “inherent worth and dignity of every person” and call us to seek justice and compassion in human relations, we extend these principles to include other species who also possess an intrinsic value.

Recognizing the beauty and interconnectedness of all species, we strive for wholeness and toward justice for all beings.  As a result, we dedicate ourselves to:

  • Growing our Unitarian Universalist faith in the interdependence of all life that reveals itself in the inherent worth and dignity of all beings;

  • Informing ourselves about nonhuman suffering;

  • Seeking and promoting ecological justice;

  • Inspiring respect and reverence for the earth all its creatures;

  • Living in harmony with the natural world, which includes a deep respect and commitment to human as well as nonhuman animals.