Vegan veterinary nurse sacked after keeping rescued turkey in her flat

A 'militant' vegan veterinary nurse who was sacked after the police found a rescued turkey holed up in her flat has avoided being struck off for stealing animals from farms.

Self-styled 'animal liberation activist' Shakira Miles, 36, was previously sacked over her ties to extreme animal rights groups and for keeping the rescued turkey in her flat.

The group donned balaclavas to raid farms and steal piglets and other animals they perceived to be in poor conditions.

The 'excursions were planned in advance' and the group used maps, discussed how to avoid cameras, and carried out reconnaissance visits ahead of the thefts.

They dressed in dark clothing, went at night, used walkie-talkies to communicate, and some of the offenders wore balaclavas.

Ms Miles tried to claim that 'ethical veganism' is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act and proclaimed that she wouldn't be discriminated against - but the tribunal didn't accept this.

She said the thefts were done in the name of animal welfare, but The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) tribunal said 'deeply-held personal convictions do not justify breaking the law' but allowed her to keep her licence and issued her with a warning.

The tribunal was told that in 2018, Ms Miles was part of a group who mainly targeted 'domestic settings' as well as Surrey Docks Farm, a working community farm and education charity in London.

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At the RCVS tribunal, Ms Miles said 'she never swayed from promoting animal welfare' and claimed 'ethical veganism is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act, and she should not be discriminated against'.

The report noted: 'The Committee did not accept or see the relevance of [her] justification based on the position of ethical veganism under the Equality Act.' 

The tribunal report said: 'She told the Committee about her passion for, and commitment to, animal welfare which had resulted in a number of professional awards and various forms of recognition over the years.

'She told the Committee that while she physically did not take all of the animals, she was involved with, and part of a group, in which others did.

'She was in a vehicle outside the various premises from which they were taken for five out of the seven incidents.

'She told the Committee that at the time she believed that the animals were suffering and were either going to die or continue to suffer without intervention.

'She told the Committee that the animals were taken to places where they would receive high standards of care. She told the Committee that she personally covered the costs of any veterinary bills which were required for the animals.'

The tribunal heard that in October last year Ms Miles was convicted of six counts of theft and one attempted theft at Reading Crown Court, Berks. She was given an 18 month community order after appearing alongside co-defendants.

The judge at the court said there was 'more potential to do harm than good' to the animals, which were re-homed, and that the owners suffered emotional harm and financial impact.

The panel concluded she should receive a reprimand and warning.

The panel said: 'For the avoidance of any misunderstanding, the Committee would like to make it clear that, while it accepts that an individual may hold deeply-held personal convictions on a matter, that does not justify breaking the law in order to uphold those convictions.

'The Committee rejects entirely [Ms Miles'] attempted justification of genuinely-held beliefs, as well as her lack of acceptance of the sentencing judge's assessment of the risk of harm to the animals which were stolen.

'The Committee also does not accept [Ms Miles'] justification that the stolen animals were now thriving in better conditions, and that one of the farms had subsequently been closed down.

The panel said that Ms Miles' risk of re-offending is low, said she has asserted she does not intend to break the law again, has shown 'insight' into her conviction.

'The Committee concluded that both a Reprimand and a Warning as to future conduct is sufficient and proportionate in this case', the panel concluded.

In 2022, award-winning Ms Miles made headlines when she tried to sue the Royal Veterinary College [RVC], the prestigious vet university where she worked.

She was sacked after a police raid found she was keeping a rescued turkey named Dorothy in her flat.

Bosses at the prestigious veterinary university were alerted to her arrest and subsequently launched an investigation.

They found social media posts where Ms Miles was seen holding a piglet in Barcelona under the heading 'Meat the Victims - One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws'.

They also found she had treated a rabbit that had been taken during a raid on a farm and featured in a Channel 4 documentary called 'How to steal pigs and influence people', the panel was told.

Ms Miles was sacked for gross misconduct after the RVC found she was associated with illegal activities carried out by extreme animal rights groups.

What's more, the university found she had been in breach of its 'no pet policy' by keeping Dorothy in her flat.

After her dismissal Ms Miles attempted to sue claiming she had been discriminated against for her 'ethical veganism' beliefs and that she had been unfairly dismissed.

But the panel found that her trespassing and removing animals in a bid to reduce the suffering of animals was not a philosophical belief.