Amy Soranno

Soranno was a participant in the 2010 Queen Silver Star Excellence program run by the Vernon Winter Carnival.[2] She won the title of "Princess Silver Star".[3][4]

Around the age of 20, Soranno went from being healthy to becoming chronically ill and was diagnosed with POTS at age 20.[5] After seeing 14 different specialists in Canada, she sought help in the US.[5] She was diagnosed in November 2013 with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).[5] She has also been diagnosed with Lyme disease and Sjögren syndrome.[6] At one point she was confined to her bed 90% of the time.[7]

Her family created a documentary about her case to raise awareness, releasing it in May 2015, to coincide with Lyme Disease Awareness Month.[7] They established a fundraising campaign for her medical expenses on GoFundMe.[7]

On July 20, 2019, while giving a headline speech, Soranno suddenly sat down on a chair.[8][9] Soranno then briefly explained that she was “sick" and suffers from a heart condition, nerve disorder, connective tissue disease, and significant allergy responses.[8] Soranno stated "my suffering is insignificant in comparison" and then focused the remaining 45 minutes of her speech on animal rights activism.[8]

Soranno has been part of an animal rights movement called "Meat The Victims", which originated in Australia.[1] She engaged in the first "Meat the Victims" action in Canada on April 28, 2019.[1][10] During that action, approx 65 activists entered, without authorization, Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford, British Columbia.[10][11] The group obtained video of the animals and refused to leave until members of the media were allowed inside the facility.[1][12][11] Outside the farm more than 100 additional activists lined the street.[13][11] The protest was sparked by a video released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.[10][11] Negotiations with the police lasted for seven hours and then, after all demands were met, Soranno was the only one arrested and taken to the police station.[1]

Soranno has also been an organizer for "Okanagan Animal Save", part of the global Animal Save Movement, in which she coordinated protests and vigils for animals at various farms, abattoirs and events.[14][15][16] On some occasions they would "wave down trucks headed to slaughterhouses so that they can take the animals’ photos and comfort them before they're killed."[1][17][18] Following a protest at Rocana Meats in Salmon Arm, B.C., during which protesters temporarily stopped trucks of livestock from entering the slaughterhouse, Soranno said the purpose of the protest was "largely to draw attention to the ways animals are slaughtered, which they feel are inhumane."[19][18]

Soranno is also affiliated with the animal rights group "Direct Action Everywhere" as she claims to have participated in at least two DxE protests. During the summer of 2019, she, along with other DxE protestors, entered a Maple Leaf Foods Slaughterhouse in Toronto, Canada.[20][21] Once inside, they had their arms affixed to a bin filled with cement.[21][20] On June 3, 2019 Soranno "stormed police lines" in Sonoma County, California to assist leading approximately 600 activists to protest at a lock-down, which was already in effect, outside the Reichardt Duck Farm.[22][23][24]

At the Interior Savings Credit Union headquarters in downtown Kelowna, BC, on November 18, 2019, Soranno, along with others, chained herself to the doors.[25][26] Her group was protesting the ISC's sponsorship of Ribfest, which they claimed promoted cruelty to animals.[13][27] They were arrested for mischief as a result.[13][28]

Soranno is often giving "talks or workshops on veganism & activism".[23][24] During the summer of 2019 she gave a speech on 'civil disobedience' at the Toronto Liberation Conference.[29][30] On February 27, 2020 she gave a presentation to a Critical Animal Studies class at the University of British Columbia.[31]

In August 2020 it was revealed that Soranno had been charged with seven criminal offences allegedly occurring between February 2019 and April 2019.[32][33][34] Soranno is scheduled to appear in court on September 3, 2020 to face these charges; five for “break and enter to commit an indictable offence” and two for "mischief".[32][33][34]

• List of animal rights advocates

• Amy Soranno on Instagram