Concerned citizens gathered at the Ferry Park Plaza in San Francisco Oct. 24 to bring awareness to the injustice and cruelty that their animal compatriots face in farms across the United States.

About 100 animal lovers took part in San Francisco's Walk for Farm Animals in an effort to educate and advocate an increased awareness of the "severe and unnecessary suffering that billions of animals raised for food endure everyday," according to the event's press release.

The annual event is sponsored by Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal protection organization, and takes place in more than 65 other cities throughout the U.S. and in Canada.

"We're here to raise awareness about farm animals and let people know how animals are treated," said Karine Brighten, event planner for the walk. "We're doing this walk so people can see us and think about it. We're the voices for the animals."

Franny Campbell visited Farm Sanctuary in Orland, Calif. two years ago and believes the walk is for a really good cause.

"It's the best illustration of how the industry treats animals," said Campbell, a 22-year-old Mills College student, of the sanctuary.

Farm Sanctuary "helped" Campbell go from vegetarian to vegan and she attended the walk in an effort to educate and aware others of the cruelty animals in farms go through.

Ulka Agarwal recently turned vegan and visited the sanctuary two months ago.

"I'm walking for more inspiration to stay active in the cause for farm animals and meet other people active in the cause," said the 34-year-old psychiatrist.

The event took place on a sunny day with author and journalist Christopher Cook and animal law attorney and Animal Legal Defense Fund co-founder Joyce Tischler speaking before citizens began to march.

Cook encouraged people to consider the entire system that underlies the mistreatment of farm animals and ultimately blames it on the capitalist system.

The walkers held signs and passed out informational pamphlets to people along Market Street as they made their way to Union Square and back to the Ferry Park Plaza.