I wholeheartedly encourage any steps in the right direction, in whatever time frame works for the person on the path.

Animal rights is a serious subject, but I do my best to find humor where I can, and I have some great help: there are almost two hundred cartoons included in the book, including dozens from the brilliant Bizarro strip.

It is important to meet people where they are. It reminds me of yoga, to which people may flock for the physical benefits, often to find that the spiritual benefits match or even outweigh them.

Indeed, a report from the United Nations has revealed that the livestock industry is the number-one contributor to global warming gasses - higher than even the transport industry. Plus, the effect of the livestock industry on our waterways and oceans is disastrous.

Mostly, I make sure to stay keenly aware of my own shortcomings so that I am more patient with others.

Seriously, many people have told me they can't eat turkeys anymore after getting to know them. I think in the wider world, when the stories air on the media, they help banish the idea that birds, other than parrots, are somehow lesser.

Remember that veganism is a compassionate lifestyle not a punitive religion. Enjoy it! And if the going gets rough, it's better to relax the rules occasionally than to give up the game entirely.