Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

In this thought-provoking episode, Jasmin and Mariann welcome back Our Hen House’s “wingman” Michael Dorf to discuss a recent Daily Show segment that mockingly covered efforts to improve shrimp welfare. The conversation delves into the challenges of advocating for less charismatic animals, the complexities of welfare reforms, and the surprising effectiveness of humor in introducing animal suffering to mainstream audiences. Later, Jasmin shares key insights from the recent Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit, while Vicki reviews Ben Goldfarb’s eye-opening book “Crossings,” revealing how road ecology impacts wildlife. This episode explores: How comedy and satire can inadvertently highlight important animal rights issues, even when attempting to mock them The evolution of the animal rights movement toward including previously overlooked species like insects and aquatic animals Jasmin’s “top 10” observations about the current state of animal advocacy from the AVA Summit The shocking environmental impact of roads on wildlife and potential solutions from the emerging field of road ecology The importance of grassroots activism in building a more effective and inclusive animal rights movement RESOURCES Charity for Shrimps? Ronny Chieng Explores the Limits of Effective Altruism | The Daily Show Effective Altruism As It Relates to Animal Rights: An Open Ended Approach to Advocacy Animal Agriculture Land Buyout 9 US dietary guidelines should emphasize beans and lentils as protein, new proposal says MEDIA RELEASE: Michigan Cancels Goose Gassing After Receiving Pressure From Advocates New Bill Would Reveal How Many Animals Are Used in Government-Funded Experiments! The massive stakes of the Trump administration’s plans to end animal testing Recent Graduates Were Told They Were Coming to the U.S. for Cultural Exchange. They Ended Up Trapped in a Factory Farm. Crossings by Ben Goldfarb on Bookshop.org Episode 468: Ben Goldfarb We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter). The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan examines current developments in animal agriculture and political food policies so you don’t have to. From RFK Jr.’s contradictory stances on vaccines and ultra-processed foods to industry insiders acknowledging that cultivated protein may replace conventional meat production in the future, this episode dives into the contradictions and potential changes within the food system.  This episode explores: How industry insiders are predicting a future shift away from conventional animal agriculture toward cultivated protein technologies Emerging debates around the classification of plant-based alternatives as “ultra-processed” Agricultural communication strategies being developed by industry Proposed budget changes that would redirect $290 billion from food assistance programs to commodity support and crop insurance   We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Sebastian Joy, founder of Kickstarting for Good, shares his innovative approach to transforming our global food system. Sebastian, who went from leading a tiny vegetarian society to helping build a worldwide movement at ProVeg International, reveals how mentorship has helped launch initiatives raising over $500 million for plant-based innovation. With candid stories about developing B12-fortified toothpaste (when everyone said it was impossible!) and creating the rapidly expanding AVA Summit, Sebastian offers a masterclass in strategic thinking for animal advocates. This episode explores: The three essential pillars for any successful nonprofit initiative How Sebastian’s incubator is helping launch the next generation of vegan advocacy organizations across six continents Why we need both alternative protein companies AND nonprofits to create lasting change in our food system Why we should be working with governments to help farmers transition away from animal agriculture How strategic networking and mentorship can multiply your impact for animals ABOUT OUR GUEST Sebastian Joy is a globally respected changemaker and serial social entrepreneur. He is the founder of Kickstarting For Good, a groundbreaking incubator for nonprofits, which helps impact entrepreneurs working to fix our broken food system. Having had a lifelong passion for creating high-impact initiatives, Sebastian spent two decades at the forefront of the food-change movement as the founding president of ProVeg International, one of the world’s leading food awareness organisations. Under his leadership, ProVeg expanded into more than a dozen countries with over 200 employees, worked with governments and corporations to shift food systems, and launched countless initiatives that have influenced millions of meals and helped shape global food policy. Sebastian is known for both his strategic vision and for building cross-sector bridges – from public institutions and corporations, to grassroots communities and fellow NGOs. He was a lecturer in social entrepreneurship at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, and is a regular speaker at international conferences on sustainability, food innovation, and systems change. Supported by a hand-picked team of experts from the movement, Sebastian is now channeling his decades of experience and relentless energy into mentoring and launching the next wave of mission-driven charity entrepreneurs. He currently lives in Berlin, Germany, with his wife Melanie Joy, a celebrated psychologist, author, and founder of Beyond Carnism. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this delightfully loopy episode of The Hen Report (affectionately dubbed “Henry Port” by hosts Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan), the duo spans topics from coast to coast while delivering their signature wit and animal rights commentary. Jasmin checks in from Los Angeles, where she’s attending the Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit, reminiscing about her time living in the sprawling city and its vegan food scene. Meanwhile, Mariann dives into how Catholicism’s own teachings on animal welfare contradict modern practices, shares alarming news about Trump administration policies favoring the meat industry, and explores how narcissism affects our collective response to climate change and animal suffering. Jasmin explores LA neighborhoods and visits the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, complete with peacocks and old Hollywood glamour The hosts reflect on their recent visit to Harriet Tubman’s house and her extraordinary heroism Mariann reveals how Catholic doctrine actually states it’s “contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly” They discuss a Vox article detailing six ways the Trump administration has catered to the meat industry, including faster slaughter lines The conversation examines how narcissism impacts animal advocacy RESOURCES Every president is friendly to the meat industry — but Trump is taking it to another level Global narcissistic collapse: A metaphorical lens on humanity’s ecological crisis Meat Industry PR Group Hosts Panel at DC Climate Week Project Drawdown presents: The Climate Crisis on Our Plates: Rethinking Food and Farming Pets on Apple TV+ Ziggy’s Refuge on Instagram We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter). The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan exposes how the animal agriculture industry is desperately attempting to rebrand itself while facing mounting environmental and ethical challenges. This episode explores: How factory farming is co-opting “regenerative agriculture” as their newest meaningless buzzword to greenwash industrial practices The meat industry’s shocking new strategy to recruit teenagers aged 16-18 by giving them “hands-on experience” in slaughterhouses. Seriously? How The New York Times misrepresents animal testing by using euphemistic language like “sacrifice” and “euthanasia” New research from Denmark proving we can create sustainable food systems by reducing poultry and pork consumption while ELIMINATING beef entirely   We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with activist Robert Grillo, founder of Free From Harm, who shares his strategic approach to creating systemic change for animals. From disrupting congressional hearings to confronting food industry executives, Robert explains how his organization uses targeted activism to challenge the status quo and push for a transition to a plant-based food system. How Robert evolved from traditional outreach to confrontational activism targeting decision-makers How to create a “moral crisis” to shift public perception about animal agriculture Why focusing on federal policy and corporate leaders creates more leverage than individual outreach The importance of building grassroots momentum alongside policy work for meaningful change Practical strategies for new activists to overcome fear and make an impact in spaces of power ABOUT OUR GUEST Robert Grillo is an activist, author, and speaker working for a transition to a plant-based food system. Since 2009, he has been spearheading the work of the grassroots activism group Free from Harm, organizing actions and events around the country where the highest-level powerholders are making the biggest deals and decisions about our food system, impacting billions of animals, consumers, and the planet. Free From Harm website Free From Harm on Facebook Free From Harm on Instagram Free From Harm on YouTube We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

This Hen Report episode explores the concerning developments in animal agriculture and the inspiring grassroots efforts fighting back against institutional apathy. Jasmin and Mariann deliver a news roundup that examines: How the Trump administration’s $1 billion bird flu plan funnels taxpayer money to the poultry industry while ignoring the root causes of the crisis and the spread to dairy cows The horrifying reality of bird flu “depopulation” practices, where underage workers without proper protection are tasked with killing millions of birds in often inhumane ways A significant victory against pigeon poaching in New York City, highlighting how public awareness and police action are finally addressing a long-standing animal exploitation issue The community-led beaver relocation project in Oregon that demonstrates how grassroots environmental restoration can thrive even when government funding is cut The hosts also discuss Animal Equality’s latest undercover investigation, innovative “air butter” technology that could eliminate the need for dairy, and recommend powerful new books documenting the hidden realities of factory farming and animal exploitation. RESOURCES NYC Crowned Best US City For Vegans In 2025 Big win/big arrest made in the big apple Underage workers, millions of dollars and trucks full of dead chickens — inside the business of killing in response to bird flu Trump’s Plan for Bird Flu is a Big Ag Giveaway Exposé of Caged Pigs at Kansas Farm Linked to Major Supermarket Chains This Is What Community-Powered Restoration Looks Like Volunteers turned out in force to welcome beavers back to degraded mountain meadows. Scientists Are Ditching Cows to Make Butter From Greenhouse Gases Censored Landscapes by Isabella La Rocca González Out of Sight by Gail Eisnitz We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter). The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann dives into the animal agriculture industry’s publications to uncover what’s making them sweat these days. As she often points out, only two groups truly know what happens behind closed factory farm doors: advocates and the industry itself. The Rising Anxieties podcast uses their own words to pull back the curtain on what they are really worried about.. This episode explores: The industry’s panic over international tariffs creating a “mad scramble” to find new outlets for meat products originally destined for China—with producers likely expecting taxpayers to bail them out Why large-scale poultry producers in Brazil are having a meltdown over Indigenous communities starting small chicken farms The shockingly common phenomenon of “grain entrapment” killing dozens of workers annually—with industry more focused on body recovery than prevention How California sheriff departments are moonlighting as environmental policy critics by opposing wolf protection measures to please livestock producers Rising Anxieties offers a revealing glimpse into what agricultural publications inadvertently tell us about industry vulnerabilities. By reading between the lines of their own communications, we gain valuable insight into the economic, safety, and political challenges that might just be tipping the scales toward a more compassionate food system. **Editor’s note: In this episode, you’ll notice slightly tinnier audio quality due to an accidental mic switch during recording. The insights are as sharp as ever—only the packaging is different this time. Thanks for your understanding!** We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Danielle Hanosh, co-founder and executive director of LEAP (Leaders for Ethics, Animals, and the Planet), returns to Our Hen House to share how this innovative program has grown to 18 sanctuaries nationwide with plans to expand into Canada. LEAP provides middle and high school students with hands-on humane education at farm sanctuaries, offering an ethical alternative to traditional 4H and FFA programs while teaching leadership skills, animal ethics, and environmental stewardship. This episode explores: How LEAP creates sanctuary-based learning experiences where students interact with animals on the animals’ terms The powerful impact of teaching adolescents about animal agriculture when they’re naturally questioning authority Why building community for animal-loving teens is crucial for their development as advocates How sanctuary education programs face funding challenges despite their effectiveness LEAP’s evolution from scholarship offerings to supporting graduates with animal advocacy internships ABOUT OUR GUEST Danielle Hanosh is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of LEAP, Co-Founder of Blackberry Creek Farm Animal Sanctuary in Northern California, and also serves on the board of the wildlife conservation NGO, Women for Wolves. With a teaching credential, MA in Education, a decade of experience as a public school teacher, and ten years of experience running a non-profit farm sanctuary, she is delighted to be using her unique background to ensure children and teenagers across the country have access to critical hands-on humane education and leadership development. She is also a professional ghostwriter, passionate storyteller and animal advocate, and the author of several children’s books about animals. RESOURCES  Do Androids Dream of Animal Rights? If A.I. Systems Become Conscious, Should They Have Rights? NIH to prioritize human-based research technologies Washington state becomes twelfth state to restrict circus animal use Nearly Half Of All Americans Would ‘Consider’ Plant-Based Diet, Survey Finds New 44-acre nature reserve for former dairy farm Ex-NFL Player Faces Charges After Largest-Ever Federal Dogfighting Investigation USDA withdraws a plan to limit salmonella levels in raw poultry US FDA suspends milk quality tests amid workforce cuts Garrett Broad on Bluesky: Trump’s trade war with China might accidentally crush the US beef and pork industries. Zoe Rosenberg on Instagram: Trial Postponed ACTION ALERT: Center for Biological Diversity – Save the Endangered Species Act Our Hen House on YouTube We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

This Hen Report episode explores the disturbing parallels between systems of oppression, from ICE operations to the meat industry, and the looming threats to public health from factory farming. Jasmin and Mariann deliver a sobering Hen Report that examines: How the meat industry and immigration enforcement share similar dehumanizing tactics, with both systems relying on workers who must carry out brutal policies created by those in power The alarming spread of bird flu through dairy farms and other animals, with scientists warning it could potentially become a devastating human pandemic How the USDA is taking funds from school food programs to fight bird flu while the dairy industry continues expanding in New York A special appearance by Kathy Stevens, who announces her retirement from Catskill Animal Sanctuary after 25 years and discusses her concerns about the Trump administration’s impact on animal protection The hosts also highlight the New York Times’ problematic celebration of meat’s “comeback,” the USDA’s failure to regulate antibiotics in meat labeled “antibiotic-free,” and the inspiring story of an 87-year-old vegan ultramarathoner raising funds for animal rights. RESOURCES Meat Is Back, on Plates and in Politics Scientists warn what future bird flu mutations could mean for people | 60 Minutes Massive Chobani plant to be built near Utica, upping demand on dairy farmers USDA’s $1B bird flu plan uses money intended for schools, food banks Federal Inspectors Found Antibiotics in Beef ‘Raised Without Antibiotics.’ They Took No Action Trump Opens a Huge Marine Protected Zone to Commercial Fishing New Documentary Follows ‘Incredible’ 87-Year Old Vegan Ultrarunner Paul Youd The Economic Impacts Of A Plant-Based Transition: Exploring Two Growth Scenarios Free From Harm’s Adam Schiff Instagram post Spanish Government Allows Vegans to Eat Vegan Food in School Canteens WATCH: Elephants form ‘alert circle’ during earthquake at San Diego Zoo Safari Park Ridglan Farms sues Dane4Dogs over protests and social media campaigns Animal Activism Collective foie gras protest on Instagram MADNESS: The Deep Driver of Our Climate Crisis Lessons From My Family Farm By Jim Mason Sub-Human A 21st-Century Ethic; On Animals, Collective Liberation, and Us All by Emma Hakansson To Those Who Were Our First Gods by Nickole Brown Creature Needs Writers Respond to the Science of Animal Conservation – Lucy Spelman (Editor) , Christopher Kondrich (Editor) , Susan Tacent (Editor) The Vegnews Guide to Being a Fabulous Vegan Look Good, Feel Good & Do Good in 30 Days by Jasmin Singer & Vegnews Magazine We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today.  Between now and December 31, all donations will be TRIPLED up to $20,000! Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter). The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.