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Targeted Executive Fights Back Against Animal Rightists

This past summer, animal rights activists targeted Dan Vasella, the CEO of Novartis, a large European pharmaceutical company, with several acts of vandalism and arson. Rather than slip into the shadows, Vasella decided to “stand up” and push for more aggressive action against these activists throughout Europe.

Animal rights activists were apparently angry with Vasella and Novartis for the company’s relationship with an animal testing facility. They went to his hometown and spray painted the word “murderer” on the local church. A week later, the graves of his sister and parents were desecrated. Finally, his vacation home in Austria was set on fire in early August.

Since then, Vasella has emerged as a major public figure working to rally public opposition to violent animal rights extremism and has also pushed for strengthening enforcement laws throughout Europe.

In a recent USA Today interview, Vasella, considered by some Europe’s most influential businessman, explained why he decided to confront animal rights activists. He also offers advice to other executives that are targeted with similar acts of vandalism. Among his suggestions were, “…to be cool and react with logic, be prudent, take precautions, but do not panic and be afraid.”