Help me celebrate my 49th birthday by supporting We Animals

Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Fundraiser

For my 49th birthday, I'm raising $14,900 to ensure we continue our strong storytelling and partnerships into 2026. 

In the photo above, I'm spending time with my namesake, Jo-Anne! She was rescued by Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, and the photo was taken by Bridget Laudien.

  • $25,723

    Raised

  • $14,900

    Goal

  • 94

    Supporters

Recent Transactions

  • Laura Potts

    $10.00 / 24 days ago

  • Laura Potts

    $10.00 / 54 days ago

  • Laura Potts

    $10.00 / 85 days ago

  • Laura Potts

    $10.00 / 113 days ago

  • Catherine Collins

    $149.00 / 127 days ago

    I've used your photographs in my animal advocacy. Many Canadians want to think that these terrible things don't happen to animals here and without your work it would be harder to find visuals to support the facts. You're so brave to do this work and I know that your heart takes a beating. Thank you for doing this. ❤️

  • Tracy Keys

    $200.00 / 142 days ago

  • Laura Potts

    $10.00 / 144 days ago

  • Joseph Thywissen

    $250.00 / 145 days ago

    What an amazing 2025! Congratulations to Jo & to the whole WA team!

  • Carol Mair

    $1,490.00 / 146 days ago

  • Simona Niculescu

    $50.00 / 149 days ago

  • Val Koziol

    $1,000.00 / 152 days ago

  • Rebeca Medina

    $40.00 / 153 days ago

  • Elizabeth Li

    $50.00 / 153 days ago

  • Cindi Saadi

    $149.00 / 153 days ago

    Happy Birthday, Jo! Thank you for your continued dedication to the animals. You make such a positive impact with your talent, courage, creativity, leadership, and of course, with your big heart. Thank you for being such an important & beautiful inspiration. Now go and celebrate - you deserve it! Happy Birthday! XO

  • Anonymous

    $50.00 / 154 days ago

    Happy birthday, Jo! Congrats to you and the rest of the team for all your great work.

  • M.H. Tse

    $149.00 / 154 days ago

    Thank you We Animals, the world needs the vital work you are doing!

  • Samantha Connolly

    $25.00 / 154 days ago

    Happy Birthday Jo-Anne. I love this time of year, both for the holidays and for this fundraiser. Thank you for being awesome!

  • Lucy McNamee

    $49.00 / 154 days ago

    Happy Birthday... wishing you the best., and the biggest thank you for shining a light in the darkness. Much love...

  • Faraz Shoghi

    $50.00 / 154 days ago

    Happy Birthday Jo! Thank you and the team for everything you do to help make this world kinder

  • Anonymous

    $10.00 / 154 days ago

    Wishing you a very Happy Birthday!!! Thank you for all your do for animals (and people), you are a wonderful human and a role model for everyone!

  • Petri Aasma

    $149.00 / 154 days ago

  • Claudia Alonso Recarte

    $120.00 / 155 days ago

    Happy birthday Jo! All the best to you and to the people at We Animals!!

  • Anonymous

    $500.00 / 156 days ago

    Thank you for your courageous and incredibly impactful work. The images break my heart but they need to be seen. It is really encouraging to see the fur farm ban in Poland. Congratulations! I hope that with continued support there can be many more of these victories.

  • Julain Molnar

    $10.00 / 156 days ago

  • Lisa Roman

    $49.00 / 156 days ago

About Help me celebrate my 49th birthday by supporting We Animals

Hello friends, colleagues, and family!

I’ve made it a tradition to celebrate my birthday by raising money for my beloved organization, We Animals. I can’t stop doing it because you all keep flocking to support! I turn 49 this December 23rd. 

Would you consider celebrating with me by supporting my birthday fundraiser? 

I am ridiculously fortunate and I have what I need in life, but I will always need support in keeping my non-profit organization going, which is sustained by financial gifts and grants. Any birthday gift you give this year will go into our assignments, storytelling, the incredible resource that is our stock site, and our daily operations. 

Getting people to look at and consider animals is a truly long-term project. We do it through photos, films, and stories, and we do it with our partners. Sometimes there are immediate wins, which means we’ve helped create change for animals by partnering with campaigners. We love these wins! But we also understand that our work is by and large about systems and culture change, and that takes more time.

Our work keeps creating small and large victories for animals, but as you know, things are incredibly urgent. We have strategic plans to keep pushing the needle on what we can do and creating more impact. We need your help in doing it. 

And we really are doing so much! Pioneering and supporting the genre of animal photojournalism. Taking photos with partners and collaborators, or on solo missions, all over the world. 

We lead. We learn. We keep a close eye on when and how we need to adapt. We dislike rigidity and aim for nuanced and layered work. We don’t have all the answers that will lead to animal liberation, but we are so happy to be playing an important role in the overall work that heads in that direction. I’m not led by blind or naive hope. 

The team and I are laser-focused on action that can create change for animals, and my energies lie there (otherwise: exhaustion, regular existential crises, etc…). I remain hopeful and I hope you will, too. 

For my 49th birthday, I’m aiming to raise $14,900 to commemorate We Animals’ six years as an organization, and to help ensure we can do lots of important work in 2026. 

I love lists, so here are six reasons I’m asking for your support for We Animals this year (be happy it’s a list of six, not 49): 

1) We’re going to have more photographers and filmmakers in the field. Assignments ensure that animal uses and abuses are not kept in the dark. 

2) We are going to achieve broader reach via what I call The Fab Four partnerships: We Animals + Campaign partner + Legal collaboration + Media outlet. Collaboration for the win!

3) We are going to mentor more photographers. I love this work in particular. For the students and the teacher (me!), the exploring and learning never ends. 

4) We’re rolling out subsidized assignments so grassroots NGOs can still get the kind of visuals that change laws, minds, and menus. Your donation turns “we wish we could” into “we did”. 

5) We’re investing in skill-building for NGOs and APJs, turning good advocates into brilliant visual storytellers. You’re not just funding images; you’re building a stronger movement.

6) We have a new task force to focus on AI, so that we will keep pace with these massive technological and cultural changes. 

Exciting? 

Feel inspired to join me on this mission? 

I’d love your support. And so would the animals we’re fighting for!

There are a few ways to support this 49th birthday fundraiser. 

I’ll be so grateful for any amount you can give today, or you can make it fun by donating $4.90, $49, $490, or even $4,900 for my 49th :) 

Or you can make a donation of $125 or more and receive a beautiful We Animals print. More details here.

Thank you for helping me help animals, and making my 49th birthday wishes come true.

Jo

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