Hope for the Animals

In this solo episode of Hope for the Animals, host Hope Bohanec breaks down major recent developments shaking the vegan and animal advocacy world. From the return of beef and dairy to the top of U.S. dietary guidelines, to government-backed support for the beef industry, to controversial new campaign encouraging people to donate money instead of going vegan — Hope examines how political power, industry influence, and shifting advocacy strategies impact animals, public health, and social change.Hope calls for renewed moral clarity, reminding listeners that behind every policy and marketing campaign are living, feeling beings. With honesty, urgency, and compassion, she explores why ethics must stay at the center of veganism, why individual choices still matter, and why speaking up is more important than ever — especially when it feels like we're moving backward. With heartfelt conviction, this episode challenges complacency, defends individual action, and encourages advocates to stay vocal, critical, and empowered in the long game for animal freedom.Support this podcast:Hope for the Animals PodcastCompassionate LivingSocial Media:FacebookInstagramYouTube 

Grassroots activism is at the heart of justice movements, but animal advocacy has undergone significant changes in recent years. The grassroots has dried up and resources and energy has shifted. Laila Kassam has dedicated the past decade to researching social justice movements and analyzing their effectiveness. She will share her insights and practical strategies for implementing a healthy movement ecosystem in our latest episode.Laila is a Founder and Director of Project Phoenix, cultivating a national network of organizations and individuals working toward shared goals for animal freedom. Laila is a Co-Founder and former Director of Animal Think Tank where she served for six years. She is co-editor of the book ‘Rethinking Food and Agriculture: New Ways Forward’ which envisions a truly just and sustainable food system. She is on the Advisory Board of Animal Advocacy Careers and The Empathy Project and a mentor for Kickstarting for Good. Laila has been involved in social change for most of her career having previously worked in international development for 15 years. She has a PhD in Development Economics (SOAS) and an MSc in Development Management (LSE).Resources:Project Phoenix Website: https://www.project-phoenix.org.uk/Substack Post: Have we lost our nerve as a movement?: https://projectphoenixuk.substack.com/p/have-we-lost-our-nerve-as-a-movementAnimal Freedom Network: https://www.animalfreedom.org.uk/Substack post on the first phase of the RSPCA campaign last year: https://projectphoenixuk.substack.com/p/for-charlie-a-unified-campaign-toSupport this podcast:Hope for the Animals PodcastCompassionate LivingSocial Media:FacebookInstagramYouTube 

Hope’s husband, Cogen, returns to the show for a unique discussion on the portrayal of animal personhood in media. They delve into the evolution of children’s entertainment and examine the representation of animals as individual, intelligent persons. Cogen and Hope explore how the depiction of animal personhood in these films has shaped our perception of animals. From Mickey Mouse to Charlotte’s Web and the Muppets, they examine how we have come to empathize with animals and recognize their emotional nature and how far we still have to go.Films discussed:Early Mickey Mouse CartoonsBambiDumboThe Fox and the HoundBeauty and the BeastPrincess and the Frog101 DalmatiansThe Secret of NIHMCharlotte’s WebBabeFinding NemoFinding DoryMoanaLucaBrother BearKung Fu PandaThe Lion KingThe Muppets

On this episode we explore Buddhism with Forrest Tierce, U.S. Project Director for Dharma Voices for Animals (DVA). DVA works to raise awareness on the connection between the ecological crisis caused by animal agriculture and Buddhist ethics—helping individuals and communities align their food choices with sustainability and compassion for all beings. Forrest has been a dedicated vegan for 18 years and draws from two decades of Buddhist practice across multiple traditions, with a deep commitment to the heart of the Buddha’s teachings—especially the Five Precepts—as guiding principles for compassionate and ethical living.Forrest’s story of transformation is inspiring. He grew up in Texas, his father worked in poultry industry, and in this youth, he hunted and fished animals. Forrest shares how he transformed to a life of nonviolence through Buddhism and vegan living. He talks about how practitioners of the teachings of the Buddha strive to reduce the amount of suffering in the world, but how that can too often leave out animals exploited for food. His new campaign with DVA is called the Sustainable Sanga Collative That supports Buddhist sangas and retreat centers in serving plant based foods. Forrest also tells us about when he was a park ranger and how he would incorporate vegan ethics into his presentations for park visitors. Resources:Dharma Voices for AnimalsSustainable Sanga CollativeAhimsa Living CircleSupport this podcast:Hope for the Animals PodcastCompassionate LivingSocial Media:FacebookInstagramYouTube 

Joining us today is Dr. Faraz Harsini, the founder and CEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection (ASAP). Faraz shares with Hope the importance of creating ongoing infrastructure on US college campuses that students can utilize for continued outreach. They discuss various vegan education tactics such as the use of graphic imagery and its effectiveness. Faraz also talks about encouraging changes to dining halls and how student activists should focus on increasing vegan options and not distractions like cage-free egg transitions. Dr. Faraz Harsini is a food systems and biomedical scientist. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering with a focus on environmental research and nanobiotechnology, an MSc in cancer research, and a PhD in Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics.  As the founder and CEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection (ASAP), he is building permanent infrastructure in university to protect animals. Through ASAP, Faraz empowers students, promotes veganism, advances alternatives to animal testing in universities and medical schools, and helps dining halls transition to plant based food systems.  He also lectures at many universities educating students on the benefits of a vegan diet. Resources:www.alliedscholars.orgwww.instagram.com/alliedscholarswww.instagram.com/dr_faraz_harsiniwww.youtube.com/c/DrFarazHarsinihttps://twitter.com/DrFarazHarsiniWebsite:www.alliedscholars.orgAhimsa Living Circle RegistrationSupport this Podcast:Hope for the Animals PodcastCompassionate Living 

Hope is right at home this episode talking about one of her favorite subjects, humanewashing. Lia Wilbourn joins Hope for a conversation about their mutual frustration with the humane hoax and the deceptive marketing and cover-up tactics employed by the animal farming industry. They explore the detrimental impact of continuing to use the term “factory farming” and argue that the animal advocacy movement should phase it out. Lia and Hope also discuss the cage-free egg industry transition, challenging the notion that this industry shift is a positive development for animals. They also address the criticism of using the word “vegan” and how some people are saying that we shouldn’t use the word as it has too many negative connotations. There are lots of strong opinions on advocacy in this one, we unpack it all for you! Lia Wilbourn has been active in a wide range of animal rights activism, including street outreach, demonstrations, writing, social media, speeches and art as activism. She is currently the Farmed Animals Campaign Coordinator at In Defense of Animals, advocating via articles, petitions, videos, etc. and co-hosting a monthly online Vegan Mentor Support Group. She also works with Allied Scholars for Animal Protection, is a volunteer on the Humane Hoax Project team, and is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University.  Resources:Lia’s Contact/Instagram: @liaforanimalsThe Humane Hoax ProjectArticle: Fixating on Factory Farms...Article: Stop (Saying) Factory FarmingThe Ahimsa Living Circle monthly online gathering: info and registrationSupport this podcast:Hope for the Animals PodcastCompassionate Living

Farmed animal sanctuaries are the heart of the animal advocacy movement. Our guest today, Zoe Novic, Executive Director of CAPE (Center for Animal Protection and Education), knows this well as she grew up on a sanctuary in the Santa Cruz hills. Zoe has a diverse background that includes two years in the Peace Corps in Indonesia, a Master’s in Public Health, and leadership roles at The Humane League, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and Greener by Default, Zoe has expertise in grassroots organizing, public health policy, and advocacy.On the podcast, Zoe discusses the significance of the human-animal connection in comprehending and understanding nonhuman animals. She talks about how sanctuaries serve as acts of resistance, providing physical spaces where we can shape the world as we envision it. She and Hope also discuss how sanctuary and rescue efforts have been devalued in recent years, with current animal advocacy funding and philanthropy philosophies moving away from funding direct animal care and how that is impacting the movement. Zoe emphasizes the importance of emotion in advocacy, highlighting how it can often prompt action more effectively than logic or reason. She further explains how sanctuaries deeply evoke emotions. Additionally, Zoe shares her public health background, underscoring the intricate connections between this sector and animal agriculture.Resources:CAPE: Center for Animal Protection and EducationSonoma County VegFest, September 27, 2025Film: Called to RescueSupport this podcast:Hope for the Animals PodcastCompassionate Living

Janet O'Shea, an academic and activist from UCLA, delves into the debates surrounding veganism as a form of boycott. She critiques the notion that going vegan is ineffective, highlighting how individual actions can create social change. Drawing parallels with Gandhi’s Khadi movement, she emphasizes the historical significance of grassroots efforts. Janet also discusses the environmental impact of animal agriculture and the importance of positioning veganism within the broader framework of social justice, urging for collective action to challenge systemic issues.

 Patty Leon and Rich Winograd both grew up as animal lovers…or so they thought. It was during the pandemic that they came across documentaries, books, and articles that removed their blindfolds and led to the light switch moment to make a change for the better. Today they continue to learn and grow, sharing, their insight as animal rights, vegan and social justice activists. They actively volunteer for various organizations and have written a young adult novel titled “True Justice 4 All.” Rich and Patty share with Hope how they awakened to the hypocrisy of our relationship with animals and the detrimental impact of the food production system on animals, humans, and the planet as a whole.Resources:Rich and Patty's Book: True Justice 4 AllInstaGram: @truejustice4allSonoma County VegFest, September 27, 2025

On this episode we are sharing the recording from the Humane Hoax Project Panel Discussion: Egg Prices Are Not the Only Crisis, The Current Political Situation and Animal Agriculture.The political climate has left many feeling frustrated as we witness the dismantling of government oversight and structure. This is further compounded by the avian flu crisis and its impact on the food system. Hope Bohanec hosts a panel of experts who will examine the current situation, navigate the political turmoil, and discuss the effects on farmed animals, our advocacy strategies, and the food industry. PanelistsVasile Stanescu, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Chair of Communication at Mercer University. He received his Ph.D. in the program of Modern Thought and Literature (MTL) at Stanford University. Stanescu’s research focuses on greenwashing by animal agribusiness, critiques of humane meat, in vitro meat, and consumerist options for social change. He is the author of numerous publications on the study of animals and the environment including publications in the Journal of American Culture, Rhetoric of Health & Medicine, the American Behavioral Scientist and Animal Studies Journal. Stanescu is also the co-founder of the North American Association for Critical Animal Studies (NAACAS). Kathryn Gillespie, PhD, is a writer and researcher dedicated to uncovering the harms done to animals in industrial and so-called "humane" systems of production. She is VP of Research and Strategy at Farm Forward and Associate Director for the Center for Food Systems Transformations at the University of San Diego. She is the author of The Cow with Ear Tag #1389 (University of Chicago Press, 2018), a book about the lives of cows in the U.S. dairy industry. . John Sanbonmastsu, PhD, is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and a charismatic, internationally recognized authority in animal ethics.  He is the author of The Postmodern Prince and editor of the book Critical Theory and Animal Liberation. His latest book, The Omnivore’s Deception, offers a bold new way of thinking about human purpose in the context of our troubled relations with animals and food. Resources:Related Podcasts:The Cage-Free Conundrum with Hope BohanecGreenwashing and Animal Agriculture with Vasile StanescuThe Omnivore’s Deception with John SanbonmatsuBooks:On Effective Altruism: The Good it Promises the Harm It DoesThe Omnivore’s Deception by John SanbonmatsuCow with Ear Tag #1389 by Kathryn Gillespie Article: Trump’s tax bill is a win for Big Ag