Three baby chicks huddled together surrounded by pastel coloured confetti

4 animal-friendly ways to celebrate Easter in 2024.

Easter is almost here, and celebrating an ethical, animal-friendly Easter weekend with family and friends is easier than ever before.

Animals Australia

Animals Australia team

Last updated March 1, 2024

What comes to mind when you think of Easter? Bunnies? Sweets? Hunting for treats in the garden? There are simple ways to enjoy all the very best things about Easter in an ethical way that is kinder to all animals, from rabbits to cows and chickens!

Here are our top 4 ways animal lovers can celebrate with family and friends this upcoming long weekend:

1. Share the love with a tasty plant-based Easter picnic feast

The Easter long weekend is the perfect time to get together with family and friends to enjoy the sunshine before the weather starts to cool down. So pack a picnic hamper, pop the dogs in the car and meet your loved ones at a local park to share some of these easy-to-prepare, animal-free goodies – you’ll be sure to impress both kids and adults with these crowd favourites:

  • Pizza Pockets: cheesy, doughy, pizza-y goodness – they only take 15 minutes in the oven so it’s easy to whip up a big batch. How good!
  • Potato Salad: This delicious creamy vegan potato salad packs a tasty punch, the perfect picnic staple (plus, everyone loves potatoes, right?)
  • Mixed Berry Pull-Apart: this is seriously so simple to make and is a perfect sweet treat for sharing!
  • Lamington Loaf: light fluffy sponge, jam, and coconut – what’s not to love?

Hot Tip: Picnic without single-use plastics to spare the environment – grab a couple of reusable bamboo cutlery sets and pop them in your picnic bag for a waste-free, eco-friendly afternoon out!

2. Visit a sanctuary and meet some rescued animals

Animal sanctuary visits are a great way for animal lovers of all ages to connect with the animals we share our world with – those who are lucky enough to be allowed to grow old. Animal sanctuaries like Edgar’s Mission (Victoria), Brightside Farm Sanctuary (Tasmania), Little Oak Sanctuary (New South Wales), Greener Pastures (Western Australia), and Freedom Hill (South Australia), rescue and care for animals who are usually trapped in the food system, or injured wildlife who can’t be released.

This image contains content which some may find confronting

A young boy holds a hen affectionately.
Visiting an animal sanctuary is a great way to connect with and support rescued animals this Easter weekend.

It’s not often you can get respectfully close to curious adult pigs, playful sheep and handsome roosters – and sanctuaries are the perfect place to do this. Many sanctuaries rely on visitors to keep operating, and so by spending a few hours visiting and meeting the animals, you’re helping give rescued animals the life they deserve, and a chance to grow old in peace. Be sure to check your local sanctuary’s opening hours and visitor policy before heading out.

3. Host an Easter treat hunt with an animal-friendly twist

Being egg- and dairy-free doesn’t mean being treat-free! Get the kids (and grown-ups) together for some fun, filling upcycled paper gift bags or cardboard gift boxes, then hiding them in the garden for others to find! You can fill the bags with dairy-free chocolate, vegan lollies and even plush bunnies for the little animal lovers in your life.

This image contains content which some may find confronting

A sweet plush Easter bunny and some certified vegan rocky road is the perfect Easter treat for the the animal lovers in your life!

4. Gift sustainable and meaningful presents that last

Share your love for animals with an ethical, reusable gift that directly helps animals in Australia and around the globe by shopping at the Animals Australia online shop. Whether it’s the best-selling socks, a plant-based cookbook, a handy reusable drink bottle or even a beautiful tea towel, you’re sure to find a gift that will continue to share the message of kindness for many Easters to come!

….and we can’t forget about chocolate! It wouldn’t be Easter without it – so check out our range of Aussie-made, gourmet Nestar chocolate that is kinder to calves, and an easy gift-giving win (or a perfect little treat for yourself).

This image contains content which some may find confronting

Animals Australia's Be Kind reusable drink bottle being held up, a black cow with horns is in the background slightly out of focus.
Give reuseable, sustainable gifts that share an animal-friendly message for many Easters to come.

A kinder Easter is just the beginning…

It’s never been simpler to leave animals and animal products off our plates at Easter time and beyond. Discover healthy, ethical cooking tips and crowd-pleasing recipes by ordering your FREE Veg Starter Kit today.

GET YOUR FREE VEG KIT