Alicia Walker and her family have four cats, three guinea pigs and two dogs.

The realtor and Australian Animal Justice Party (AJP) candidate for Higgins became a vegan in 2012 after learning how animals are treated in the agricultural industry.

Ms Walker has since been volunteering at animal shelters such as Edgar’s Mission, the not-for-profit sanctuary for farm animals, and is actively involved with the animal rights community.

This is the 29 year-old’s first election campaign and she is using social media to call for volunteers to help her in the lead up May 18.

Ms Walker took over the LJ Hooker agency in Wallan, on the northern fringe of Melbourne, after almost 18 years in real estate.

She has raised her children as vegans and fostered several animals from hens to dogs, cats and horses.

She has said she is “passionate about the banning of grey hound racing, banning of live export,… [is] a strong advocate for companion animal rights…[and is] also a passionate advocate for ending family violence”.

Ms Walker has indicated she supports pill testing, carbon taxes, an increase in minimum wage and medically assisted euthanasia for terminally-ill patients. She has said she does

not support resettling all asylum seekers offshore, the development of new coal mines and, on an issue that might not endear her to the seat’s large LGBTQ+ community, marriage equality.

Ms Walker was not available for interview.