Hope for the Animals

Hope’s flying solo today with a sweet story of rescue. Kakkuta the rooster was covered with blood when Hope found him in a parking lot. This rescue story will touch your heart and open your eyes to the plight of roosters in the egg industry. Hope explains why Kakkuta almost died because people believe the myth that backyard chicken keeping is a more ethical way to obtain eggs. Wherever there is a situation where hens are being kept for their eggs, we must always ask, “Where are their brothers?” Join us for this powerful story of rescue and get ready to open your eyes and heart to the truth that eating eggs, no matter the label, causes suffering. Resources:United Poultry Concerns- Backyard Eggs InfoThe Reason for Vegan Series: “Cage-Free” and “Free-Range” Eggs Explained

Hope starts us off today with a review of the Netflix show Sweet Tooth. She delves into the animal rights themes of hunting, experimentation, and speciesism that are explored in this thoughtful new show. Then Hope has a conversation with Gopi Om (Nicole Sopko) who has been teaching yoga for over a decade and has completed the advanced level Life of a Yogi teacher training at the Dharma Yoga Center in New York. A vegan for over 20 years, Gopi works alongside her partner, Dan, as Vice President of the natural foods company, Upton's Naturals. Gopi and Hope talk about yogic philosophy and how it relates to protecting animals. They also discuss Gopi’s company Upton’s Naturals and their focus on minimally processed, whole food ingredients for meat alternatives. Upton’s was a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the state of Mississippi for its insidious proposed law limiting what plant-based food companies could label their products with a possible two-year jail sentence for violators selling vegan meat alternatives.Resources:Uptons’ NaturalsEpisode 23: Ahimsa and the Spiritual Path

On this episode, we have Glen Merzer joining us. Glen has authored and co-authored eleven books about veganism. He was a playwright who also wrote for network television for many years before stumbling into a career writing books that advocate for a plant-based diet. In his latest book, Food Is Climate, he argues that the best way to reverse climate change is a global shift to a vegan diet. Glen talks to Hope about how rewilding millions of acres of grazing land is our best chance for a fast and effective drawdown of carbon emissions. Glen also debunks the proposed new farming methods of “regenerative” animal agriculture and "grass-fed" meat, and enlightens us about how important the oceans are to the climate crisis. Join us for an important discussion about the future of the planet and how we can save it.Resources: Get the Book! Food is Climatewww.glenmerzer.comAntiracism in Animal Advocacy: Igniting Cultural TransformationVegan Voices: Essays By Inspiring Changemakers

We begin todays show with another Glimmers of Hope Segment where Hope shares some good news stories for animals from around the world. Then we are joined by Dr. Leila Dehghan. Leila is a medical doctor turned plant-based nutritionist. After transitioning to a whole food, plant-based lifestyle, she earned a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate and obtained a Master’s of Science in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition. Her focus is to find effective ways to address racial and socio-economic issues that affect health. Her project "Athletes, Food & Diversity" seeks to introduce a plant-based diet to people of the global majority (a new term coined to refer to Black, Indigenous and people of color). Leila talks to Hope about racism’s negative effect on health, the importance of creating inclusive content in the vegan movement, and veganism as a social justice issue. Resources:Athletes, Food & DiversityFacebook: Dr Leila D.- Plant-Powered Qi NutritionInstagram: @plantpowered_qi_nutritionWebsite: drleilad.comLeila recommends this important article from Sentient MediaBook from Encompass: Antiracism in Animal Advocacy: Igniting Cultural Transformation 

For the fifth and final installment of our Microsanctuary Series, we are joined by Quincy Markowitz. Quincy is the co-founder of Farm Bird Sanctuary, a bird-only sanctuary located in southern Wisconsin. They have been caring for chickens for over ten years and also engage in community action, including a campaign against a yearly “chicken toss” event at a local “Pioneer Days” festival where chickens are thrown from the second story roof of a building to crowds of people. Quincy tells Hope about the challenges and joys of rescuing roosters, problems with free ranging hens bred for their eggs, and their first love, a rooster named Sunny. Resources:Farm Bird SanctuaryMicrosanctuary Resource Center

Our guest today is joining us from Ireland! James O'Donovan is a long time vegan and environmentalist. He is the chair of the Cork Environmental Forum and he runs an online magazine called Vegan Sustainably. James is working on projects that redirect government funding and subsidies from animal agriculture to ecosystem restoration and plant farming. He explains the damaging impacts of subsidizing animal agriculture and the detrimental harms of regenerative grazing. James explores the connection between the mindset of European colonizers and our speciesist views today and what he calls the colonialism of land and the colonialism of seed. He also shares his journey with Buddhist meditation that has helped expand his views of compassion and nonviolence.Resources: Vegan Sustainability Online Magazine Grazed and Confused YouTube VideoAvoiding Meat and Dairy is the Single Biggest Way to Reduce Your Impact on the Earth- Article   

On this episode, Andy Tabar joins us again to have a conversation with Hope about effective online communication for vegans and animal advocates. Andy is the co-host of The Bearded Vegans, a podcast in its fifth year dedicated to discussing the ethical grey areas of living a vegan life. Andy is also the owner of Compassion Co, an organic, USA made clothing line.  Hope and Andy discuss online trolls, self-confirmation bias and the backfire effect, the detriment of misanthropy, and the importance of being culturally and racially sensitive. They offer tips and suggestions for making your social media experience the most positive and effective it can be. Resources:The Bearded Vegans PodcastCompassion CoEpisode 24: Fat Justice and Veganism with Andy TabarThe Social Dilemma (film)Coded Bias (film)

or the fourth installment in our summer Microsanctuary Series, Hope has a conversation with Rebecca Moore, the founder of the Institute for Animal Happiness, a non-profit chicken rescue in Hudson Valley, New York. While working at large farmed animal sanctuaries for over 10 years, Rebecca found herself repeatedly bringing home chickens who required more special, individualized care, and realized there was a critical need for greater advocacy and education on behalf of chickens. Empowered by the Microsanctuary Movement, Rebecca turned a small rented backyard into a non-stop busy advocacy hub that is fiercely dedicated to a mission of care, activism, and change. Rebecca shares her years of expertise caring for special needs birds and the innovative approaches she has created for their care and recovery. She also talks about the need to deconstruct the current sanctuary model that mimics a farm environment and the importance of letting the chickens themselves be seen, heard, and allowed to tell their individual stories. Rebecca explains how even someone of little means and few resources can rescue and offer care to animals in need. Resources:Institute for Animal HappinessFacebook: Institute for Animal HappinessMicrosanctuary Resource Center

Today on the podcast we welcome environmental activist and earth warrior, Diana Oppenheim. Diana tells us about her love for the Point Reyes National Seashore on the coast of Northern California and the fight for the fate of the Tule Elk who live there. Ranchers lease the public land to use for breeding, grazing, and killing cows for their “grass-fed” flesh and “local” dairy products. The ongoing Tule Elk conflict is a fight for resources, water, and the very lives of the sensitive elk species. Diana founded the grassroots campaign forELK.org to help save the Tule Elk .She just completed a trip to Washington, D.C. to present over 100,000 petitions to Secretary Haaland at the Department of the Interior to end ranching in Point Reyes and stop the proposed killing of the endangered tule elk on public land. Hope and Diana discuss the issue with the elk as well as the larger environmental impacts of regenerative animal agriculture and local, grass-fed animal products. Resources:Website: ForELK.orgFacebook: Save The Tule ElkFacebook: Hope for the Animals Podcast

Continuing our Microsanctuary Series, we are joined on the podcast by Gwendolyn Church, founder of Friends of Philip Fish Rescue. Friends of Philip is an aquatic animal rescue and sanctuary in Sonoma County, California. Their goal is to expand the animal rescue conversation to include fishes and all aquatic animals, and to foster the connection between people and aquatic lives through sharing the stories and vibrant personalities of their rescued fishes. Gwendolyn shares sweet stories of rescue and recovery. She also talks about the wide range of emotional and social behaviors she has observed, the environmental impacts of wild caught tropical fishes for the “pet” fish and aquarium trade, and how anyone who is interested could rescue fishes!  Resources:Friends of Philip Fish RescueCreating Sanctuary for Aquatic AnimalsVegans with Fishes Facebook Group The Dark Hobby (film)