Mrs SA top 10 finalist turns national spotlight toward animal welfare and crime prevention through education
The one health/one welfare principle, of the Society for Animals in Distress CEO Meg Harvey, recognises the wellbeing of animals, people, and the environment being inseperable.
Taking a one health/one welfare approach, in a bid save both animals and reduce violence, is Society for Animals in Distress (Said) CEO Meg Harvey.
Harvey, a Mrs South Africa top 10 finalists, is now turning pageantry into purpose. She said her experience was transformative, not because of the competition, but because of the platform it unlocked.
“Mrs South Africa showed me something profound: The power of South African women to unite for something bigger than themselves. This was not just a pageant for me; it was a test in leadership, and now, it’s a launching pad for impact.”
Read more: Society for Animals in Distress CEO uses Mrs SA to push humane education
During the competition, Harvey mobilised support for community upliftment, partnered with national brands, and helped bring visibility to issues of inequality, animal welfare, and the role of education in violence prevention.
“If we want to break cycles of abuse and crime, we must intervene early, and animals are the most powerful teachers we have. Compassion isn’t soft. It’s security.”
Harvey’s work at Said is grounded in the one health/one welfare principle, which recognises that the wellbeing of animals, people, and the environment are inseparable.
Under her leadership, Said serves thousands of animals and community members annually through veterinary outreach, education and humane-awareness programmes, mobile clinical services, crisis interventions, and community-based animal care models.
Also read: Community comes together in heartwarming Dog Jog to support animals in need
She said that these do more than save animals, as they reduce violence, improve mental health, and strengthen families.
Launching the next chapter: Compassion as a crime reduction strategy, Harvey is advocating for a national humane education framework, designed to be implemented in schools and communities, focusing on empathy-building, violence prevention, responsible pet guardianship, emotional regulation through animal interaction, and community safety practices.
This initiative will be aligned with existing Said outreach, and supported through partnerships with corporates, schools, and other NGOs.
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!
