Graduating? Decorate Your Cap With an Animal Rights Message!

Posted by Calvin on June 23, 2023

No cap—school is a great place to spread animal rights ideas far and wide. If you’re graduating soon, why not go out with one more dynamic message? Let your fellow high school or college graduates know that all species deserve respect by personalizing your graduation cap with an animal rights design. Your eye-catching cap could inspire folks at the ceremony to make animal-friendly choices.

All you need is your grad cap, some art supplies, and a compassionate design idea—and we can help with that last one! 😉 Here are some of the ways graduates have decorated their caps to promote animal rights:

‘Ni oprimida ni opresora, liberación animal ahora’

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A post shared by Veganas en la iupi (@veganasenlaiupi)

One vegan activist—a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus—decorated their cap with a pink dotted border, an image of a human and a pig embracing in a field, and the message “not oppressed or oppressor, animal liberation now” written in Spanish. They chose this design to show that oppression affects everyone who wants to be free—nonhuman animals included.

According to their insta, which also has photos of scrumptious-looking vegan food 😏, their cap was a major talking point at the ceremony. Create a buzz at your own ceremony with a thought-provoking message about speciesist oppression.

‘My Human Is Graduating!’

Give your animal companion the star treatment they deserve by showcasing them on your cap. This graduate put a pic of her super-cute dog on her cap below the words “My Human Is Graduating!” in gold cut-out letters. She also lined the border with flowers and leaves to beautify her cap and make the interior pop.

If you’re going this route, make sure to use anti-speciesist language. Refer to any animals you live with as “animal companions” and to yourself as their “guardian” or “human.” This makes it clear that you treat your dogs, cats, or other companions as respected family members.

‘peta2,’ ‘be kind’

Sometimes, the simplest message makes the biggest impact. Write a concise and catchy caption that proves less is more—like this graduate who wrote “peta2” and “be kind” on her cap. These three short words are enough to spark curiosity and inspire compassion.

Putting “peta2” on your cap is sure to draw attention and could compel people to check out our peta2 community. You could be the reason why someone learns more about our movement and decides to make a difference by going vegan, supporting animal rights legislation, or buying cruelty-free products. And the phrase “be kind,” while so simple, truly embodies how we should all act. Seeing these words will remind people to make thoughtful choices in their daily lives.

‘Go Veg for the Animals’

One of the best ways we can make a difference for animals is by going vegan. When you ditch animal-derived ingredients and products, you’re refusing to support the meat, egg, and dairy industries’ rampant abuse of animals. Encourage others to do the same by making your graduation cap pro-vegan, like this “Go Veg for the Animals” one.

The graduate chose a straightforward, easy-to-understand message urging people to take an action for a specific reason. Filling the rest of the cap with images of pigs, chicks, and cows reminds people that any meat, eggs, or dairy in their fridge came from a living, feeling being who was abused for profit. The more people are exposed to this ugly reality, the more animals we can save. ❤️

‘I Did It for My Cats—Class of 2023’ 

Looking for another way to highlight the animals in your life? Make an appreciation cap like this one! A graduate cut out a beautiful pic of one of her cats, attached tiny paw prints, and wrote, “I Did It for My Cats—Class of 2023.” You can easily swap “cats” with “dogs” or any other animal companions you love. 

The great thing about this design is the various ways “doing it for them” can be interpreted. Did you pursue education to give them a great life? Did they motivate you to stay in school or push through a tricky class? Maybe they helped get you through rough patches. (How many times have our loving animals brightened tough days?) Regardless of your specific situation, you can use this opportunity to recognize your animal companions for being who they are.

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Here are even more animal rights messages you could put on your cap:

• Animals Are Not Ours to Use
• End Animal Testing
• Animal Liberation
• Be Sweet to Animals
• Be Kind to Every Kind

However you decide to design your grad cap, make sure it reflects your respect for all sentient beings. This is a big part of who you are, and you should be proud of your compassion and empathy. Your cap will remind others on your big day that they can have a heart for animals, too.

Have a blast at graduation, and remember to tag @peta2 on insta so we can see your cap ideas. Congrats, grad! 🎉