It is with a saddened heart that we tell you our friend Suzanne Carey, Auckland Animal Liberationist and Direct Actionist passed away on Sunday February the 24th of 2008.
At 1.30am, Suzy lost her battle with a long-term illness.
Suzy was heavily involved in animal liberation group Auckland Animal Action for over 10 years and was active in the activist and direct action movement. Suzy went to every protest she could get to and often traveled around Aotearoa for conferences and actions.
Suzy was often in the background at protests and didn’t subscribe to any political ideology. She said she was only interested in taking action and wasn’t interested in theoretical debate. While others argued tactics endlessly Suzy was out organizing the next weekend’s direct action for Fur Free Auckland campaign.
Suzy was also our friend. We watching far too many movies and too much TV together, we got sick stuffing our mouths with fake meat made-of-who-knows-what at the vegetarian cafés in Auckland City and Penrose. We often went on missions to find Long John Silver vegan chippies, but if closed, we would go to the Burgerie for fatty vegan fast food on K’rd.
Our love to the family, Sandra and Julian, Yvonne, friends…
Love and Solidarity
Auckland Animal Action.
Suzy’s Funeral will be held on Friday 29th of February 2008 at Waikumete Cemetery, Great North Road, Glen Eden (West Auckland).
Comments
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
xoxo
lisa
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Suzanne Carey: animals, people and planet
Bieuuuw!
Love Simon
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Keith Mann
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Haere rā e hoa, you will be missed.
Strypey
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
My love to all her friends dealing with her loss.
George D
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
My deepest condolences to her family and close friends.
The funeral is at 11am.
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
I am going to miss you.
RIP
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
I can’t believe that you have gone
Without you here… how can I go on?
It’s hard to live in this cruel place
Without you here… it’s hard to face
And now I just don’t know what to do
I miss you Suzy, I love you
- xP
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
I knew Suz intimately, we developed a firery relationship during long nights sitting in her car outside homes of vivisectionists, factory farms and other assorted scum. I know she has personally saved countless lives and cost actual millions to the animal abuse industrial complex in New Zealand and UK. Her tireless work for the animals was never hindered by the 'pointless discussion' and petty squabbles that plagues political movements. Or as she would say, she would 'cut the crap'.
Although always displaying a quite and reserved front, her personality was actually strong and practical but loving once she let you in, and that was only reserved for those who were 'cool' in her eyes. And she would drop you if you ever disrespected that intimate trust. She always had a simplicity in her ideas that appealed to me and her results were always tangible.
She had a passion for vegan junk food, political punk, hip hop and ska. A fantastic sense of humor she was always making jokes that people not sharing our mind set would often find disturbing. She could always see the funny side even when were were sitting in the police cells and facing years in jail. One job she had was babysitting, she took care twin three years olds and while walking around KMart she would sometimes remark to the children "shut up or when we get home I'll lock you back in the cupboard" the twins laughed along with her while shocked mothers in earshot gave dirty looks. Suzy empathized with children and animals and had a way with them both. Her choice not to have children was a political one.
She worked but lived in debt and without any luxuries, including living at home for years because she was constantly pouring money into buying megaphone's, maintain her car, photocopying and tool kits and hoodies.
During the hardest times in my life Suzy supported me and shot down my detractors in times where I had become apathetic and disheartened. She helped me through serious depression and several times talked me away from suicide, I knew I could ring her late at night weather I had a car load of chickens or if I was feeling down and needed her to talk to. She was always perceptive when it came to other people, and if I had taken her advice I would've had a happier life with a few less crap people in it. She could always be relied upon to tell me to shut up or make me aware of being 'a drama queen'.
One funny story I can relate now about Suzy was how she got a small scar on her face. One night bricking shops in West Auckland a friend hiffed a large brick that bounced because it was aimed at the middle of the window rather than the edges and hit Suzy in the face. Seriously funny later but a little difficult to explain to A&E that night when she was bleeding badly.
If it wasn't for Suzy I wouldn't be Vegan, I wouldn't have got out of bed to do stalls and I wouldn't be a direct actionist in fact I might not even be here. I know you didn't have a concept of a higher power Suzy, you and I talked about this over chips and chocolate many times late at night. Because what sort of god would create hell on earth for earths most gentle creatures? But your karmic points or 'vegan points' were off the scale, you would be in a better place or reincarnated as a higher being. Of course thats bullshit and you want better for the animals now on earth. So I hope people take your life as example of how to live and as you would have said "shut up and start smashing shit."
My love to AAA, Sandra, Mum and the Family.
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Please email me at media (at) ndu.org.nz or call 021 922 551
I last visited them with Suzy near Gisbourne and have their names but they appear to have moved.
Cheers,
Simon
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Keith, on behalf of Unite Waitemata Branch
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
We will miss hanging out with you, your love of profanity and burping especially.
Your conviction and dedication will be hugely missed.
Who's going to keep tabs of our vegan points now you're gone?
K & M
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
In 1998 and 99 she lived in the UK for a year, causing all sorts of bother for shops selling fur coats in London.
One day Suzy and a couple of others were in her car driving around checking out factory farms around Auckland. We got to a turkey farm and she drove right up the driveway past the farmers living room. We could clearly see Mr and Mrs factory farmer watching TV on a Saturday afternoon. Are you sure this is a good idea Suzy? Shouldn't we wait until the farmer is gone? or maybe at night time? Too late, we are already here, stop asking questions and grab a turkey!
We waved at the farmer as we drove back down the driveway with two enormous turkeys on our laps! Suzy was like that, when it came to rescuing animals, careful planning and thinking ahead just slowed her down! I was constantly amazed at how much she got away with...
In November 1999 while traveling back to Auckland after a demo she was arrested at 3am in Bulls and accused of trashing several butcher shops, a meat warehouse and a bacon factory as she passed through Levin and Bulls. (She eventually got off most of it but was convicted for the meat warehouse)
In 2000 Suzy started the Fur Free Auckland campaign and became the main organiser of Auckland Animal Action. I didn't see her much after that as we ended up in different towns working on different things, but I still remember the old days when we would all pile into Suzies car for an expensive night out (well, expensive for animal abusers anyway!), almost every weekend, way back in the day.
good times
M@x
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
the comment about her quite possible cause of death should be left here as a reminder of what has happened to all of us.
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Tanja from Christchurch
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
When i was travelling australia and new zealand i met suzy, she came to pick me up from the airport (just email contact we never met before) and i ended up staying at her house for a week.
Talking about animal right issues, going to a courtcase, demo's, looking after her animals, eating nice vegan goodies and she made sure the movement knew i was there so i had sleeping places all over new zealand...
Thank you suzy i meant a lot to me, you will be deeply missed...
My love goes out to all the loved ones she left behind, especially to sandra and her parents and all her close friends.
deepest sympathy carolien (the netherlands)
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
A strong, independently-minded 'trouble-making' woman of principle and character.
I didn't even know you were ill and was blown away
with news of your untimely death.
Really enjoyed your 'take no shit' spirit and being arrested with you!
Suzy - you will be missed.
Lots of love xxx
Penny Bright
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Zaid
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
its sad for me to hear of another good person dying... I only knew suzy not very well, but did some demos etc some years ago, and once again
bella bella ciao
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Some of you will know that I am working on a book on the history of the animal rights movement and ethical vegetarianism in Aotearoa New Zealand. Sadly, it will not now be possible for me to interview Suzy, but I very much want to honour her life and many achievements with a profile in the upcoming book. So if you have any memories, stories, or photographs of Suzy that you would like to share for possible inclusion, please contact me at scorpii18 (at) hotmail.com.
I would also like to incorporate some of the comments on this page into the book – if anyone feels this isn’t appropriate, please either contact me, or add a line to your posting stating this. As most comments are anonymous, I will simply be citing quotes as “a friend of Suzy” or “an activist.”
For more information about the book, please see:
www.rebelpress.org.nz/upcoming.html
Arohanui
Catherine
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
love you heaps! and miss you enormously xxx
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
love you heaps! and miss you enormously xxx
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
love you heaps! and miss you enormously xxx
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist
Suzy, you will be missed there too...
Sam, from France
Re: Suzanne Carey September 10 1973 – February 24 2008, Animal Liberationist