Covering the local, national, global, and politically diverse campaigns, struggles and victories of the animal liberation movement. Tune in for interviews with a broad spectrum of activists and academics working toward the liberation of animals, social justice, and environmental health. Animal Voices strives to shine a light on the issues around the taking of animal lives for human pleasure. Vast archive of shows (1996-present) on website.
Knowledge Is Power: Che Green on Using Research to Advance Animal Advocacy
Big companies all use research to understand public opinion, hone their message, and measure their effectiveness. Shouldn't animal advocates be able to do that, too?
That's what Che Green had in mind when he founded the Humane Research Council. The HRC does research for animal advocacy organizations large and small (sometimes even for free!) (... More)
Big companies all use research to understand public opinion, hone their message, and measure their effectiveness. Shouldn't animal advocates be able to do that, too?
That's what Che Green had in mind when he founded the Humane Research Council. The HRC does research for animal advocacy organizations large and small (sometimes even for free!) and vegan-oriented businesses. Their tools include surveys, focus groups, and before-and-after assessment of campaigns' impact.
How can research like this help animals? Green has some stories for us, like the survey that convinced tour companies to fund spay & neuter programs at their tour destinations. What are some of the current trends in fur sales, meat consumption, and vegetarians “backsliding” into meat-eating? What should you study in school if you want to do this kind of work? Green will answer these questions and more in this interview!
Listen right now:
Download: 20130507_che_green.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
Check out some of HRC's free resources for activists: HumaneSpot.org, a treasure trove of research papers and data, Humane Trends, a “barometer of the status of animal protection in the United States”, and the Animal Tracker Graphing Tool.
Tagged: Che Green, Humane Research Council
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All My Relations: Margaret Robinson on Merging Mi’kmaq and Vegan Values
Margaret Robinson, author of Indigenous veganism: Feminist Natives do eat tofu, joins Animal Voices to speak about how Mi'kmaq values, as expressed in legends and her own family stories, dovetail with veganism.
Along the way, Robinson will tackle questions like: Does authenticity require that a culture be frozen in time? Is awareness of dietary (... More)
Margaret Robinson, author of Indigenous veganism: Feminist Natives do eat tofu, joins Animal Voices to speak about how Mi'kmaq values, as expressed in legends and her own family stories, dovetail with veganism.
Along the way, Robinson will tackle questions like: Does authenticity require that a culture be frozen in time? Is awareness of dietary control of diseases and food justice issues reversing the notion that vegetarian food is just for the wealthy and white? Robinson asserts that “we can be visible as modern native people, and we get to decide what that looks like”. With meat, cheese, and other animal products featuring so prominently in traditional foods around the world, Robinson's words will resonate with anyone who has felt a tension between their vegan values and their culture.
Listen right now:
Download: 20130423_margaret_robinson.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
You can read more of Robinson's writings on her website.
The Word that Started It All: Dr. Richard Ryder Talks About Speciesism, Painism, and Happiness
Dr. Richard Ryder would like to change how you think about the best way to help animals.
Ryder, whose animal activism résumé spans 40 years, notes that we usually weigh the goodness or badness of actions using two theories: utilitarianism (often expressed as “the greatest good for the greatest number”) and individual rights. But does “good (... More)
Dr. Richard Ryder would like to change how you think about the best way to help animals.
Ryder, whose animal activism résumé spans 40 years, notes that we usually weigh the goodness or badness of actions using two theories: utilitarianism (often expressed as “the greatest good for the greatest number”) and individual rights. But does “good for the greatest number” make sense? The pain a cow feels is not increased or diminished by whether there are a dozen, or a billion, other cows suffering just like her. Therefore, argues Ryder, we should always help the animals who are in the most pain, without regard to how many of them there are.
This simple notion suggests radical changes of direction for a movement where the number of animals suffering — or spared from suffering — is often emphasized. Ryder discusses it at length in his book Speciesism, Painism, and Happiness, and will chat with us about both the philosophical and practical consequences of the idea.
Incidentally, Dr. Ryder invented the term “speciesism”, and he once leafletted some guy named Peter Singer and got him interested in animal liberation. Ryder will share his reminiscences from the animal rights community in Oxford in the 1970s.
Atheists and Rational Thinkers: How a Facebook Phenomenon Opened its Mind to Animal Rights
Justin Watson, creator of the Facebook page Atheists and Rational Thinkers, joins Animal Voices to talk about intersections between atheism and veganism. Watson will tackle some big questions about searching for right and wrong in the absence of a divine authority. And as the moderator of a very large and active debate forum (67,000 likes and 280,000 (... More)
Justin Watson, creator of the Facebook page Atheists and Rational Thinkers, joins Animal Voices to talk about intersections between atheism and veganism. Watson will tackle some big questions about searching for right and wrong in the absence of a divine authority. And as the moderator of a very large and active debate forum (67,000 likes and 280,000 “talking about this” as of this writing!) Watson will share with us the lines of argument that have been most effective in persuading participants to get serious about animal issues. Above all, Watson reminds us that it's important to be “preachy” about things that matter: it was just one relentless questioner who started him thinking about animals, eventually leading him to make animal rights a major concern on the forum.
Taking Care of (Vegan) Business: An Interview with Vegan Mainstream’s Stephanie Redcross
Since founding Vegan Mainstream in 2009, Stephanie Redcross has provided consulting and marketing services to vegan entrepreneurs in sectors as diverse as publishing, food, fashion, retail, and travel. Today, Redcross joins Animal Voices to talk about how vegans turn their passion and talent into successful businesses. We'll cover defining your (... More)
Since founding Vegan Mainstream in 2009, Stephanie Redcross has provided consulting and marketing services to vegan entrepreneurs in sectors as diverse as publishing, food, fashion, retail, and travel. Today, Redcross joins Animal Voices to talk about how vegans turn their passion and talent into successful businesses. We'll cover defining your market (hint: for vegan products, the target market is never just “vegans”), understanding how ethical consumers buy, and navigating the tricky territory of aligning your brand with specific activism. Tune in and you'll also hear about the niche Redcross thinks is just waiting for business-savvy vegans to fill. Budding animal-friendly entrepreneurs, this show is for you!
So was Jesus a Vegetarian? A Faith Embracing All Creatures addresses Christian Vegans’ Most Frequently Asked Questions
Andy Alexis-Baker discusses A Faith Embracing All Creatures, a new edited volume that addresses some of the most common questions asked to and by Christian Vegetarians and Vegans. Authors such as Carol Adams and Stephen R.L. Clark tackle such questions as “Didn't God give man dominion over animals?”, “Doesn't Christianity regard humans as superior (... More)
Andy Alexis-Baker discusses A Faith Embracing All Creatures, a new edited volume that addresses some of the most common questions asked to and by Christian Vegetarians and Vegans. Authors such as Carol Adams and Stephen R.L. Clark tackle such questions as “Didn't God give man dominion over animals?”, “Doesn't Christianity regard humans as superior to animals?” and, of course, “Was Jesus a Vegetarian?”
Whether you're a Christian trying to reconcile your compassion for animals with your faith, an animal activist trying to engage with Christians, or just fascinated by religious history and the nuances of Christian scripture, this interview is sure to captivate!
Driving the Fur Trade Out of Ireland: Laura Broxson of the National Animal Rights Association
Laura Broxson, founder of the National Animal Rights Association (NARA) in Ireland, joins Animal Voices to speak about campaigning against fur.
Last year, Ireland came within a hair's breadth of banning fur farms, only to see the national government suddenly replaced by one friendly to fur farming. Undeterred, NARA is preparing for a busy (... More)
Laura Broxson, founder of the National Animal Rights Association (NARA) in Ireland, joins Animal Voices to speak about campaigning against fur.
Last year, Ireland came within a hair's breadth of banning fur farms, only to see the national government suddenly replaced by one friendly to fur farming. Undeterred, NARA is preparing for a busy year ahead. Building on impressive successes in Dublin — convincing stores to stop selling fur and convincing the city council to ban fur sales at its own fairs and markets — NARA will be taking the fight to the countryside: protesting and lobbying in the counties where mink farms exist, and pressuring the farms' suppliers to quit dealings with them.
Broxson will also tell us about NARA's work on circuses and vivisection, and share her best tips for staying safe while doing activist work.
Listen right now:
Download: 20130219_laura_broxson.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
Tagged: Fur, Laura Broxson, National Animal Rights Association
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A Travelling Animal Rights Fest: Open The Cages Tour Combines Education, Music, Activism
Today, Animal Voices gets the scoop on the 2013 Open the Cages East Coast Tour from tour director Mike XVX and volunteer coordinator Jenny Bundock.
Inspired by the Primate Freedom Tours of the 1990s, Open The Cages is “a travelling animal rights fest” featuring art, music, workshops for activists, and screenings of the documentary Maximum (... More)
Today, Animal Voices gets the scoop on the 2013 Open the Cages East Coast Tour from tour director Mike XVX and volunteer coordinator Jenny Bundock.
Inspired by the Primate Freedom Tours of the 1990s, Open The Cages is “a travelling animal rights fest” featuring art, music, workshops for activists, and screenings of the documentary Maximum Tolerated Dose. The tour combines education with action: after learning about animal experimentation, people can immediately attend a protest at a local laboratory.
Join us as Jenny and Mike discuss highlights and lessons from the successful 2012 west coast tour, getting past the secrecy surrounding animal experimentation, and bucking the trend of exploitive elements in demonstrations. And after you listen, visit openthecagestour.com to find out how you can participate in the tour stop nearest you.
Listen right now:
Download: 20130212_otc.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
Tagged: Animal Experimentation, Arts & Music, Jenny Bundock, Mike XVX
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Vegan Nutrition But Were Afraid to Ask, Part 2
In December, dietitian Jack Norris sat down with Animal Voices to answer some of our listeners' questions about vegan nutrition. But there were just too many questions for one interview, so we brought him back!
Are some nutrients harder to absorb from supplements or certain kinds of foods? Will taking EFAs make you smarter? Is fasting good (... More)
In December, dietitian Jack Norris sat down with Animal Voices to answer some of our listeners' questions about vegan nutrition. But there were just too many questions for one interview, so we brought him back!
Are some nutrients harder to absorb from supplements or certain kinds of foods? Will taking EFAs make you smarter? Is fasting good for you? Does soy do weird things to sexual development? (And does cows' milk?) Should everyone be on a low-fat diet? What are good foods for vegan kids? And what foods should you add to your diet right now, if you aren't already eating them? (Some of them may surprise you!)
Norris has a gift for boiling down the latest research into easily digestible advice. If you're interested in improving your own diet, or in becoming better at fielding others' questions about vegan diets, don't miss this interview!
Listen right now:
Download: 20130205_jack_norris.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
About Jack Norris: A co-founder of Vegan Outreach, Norris decided to become educated on the science of nutrition to help those who had tried to be veg but for health reasons didn't believe they could. Now as a Registered Dietitian, Norris helps people navigate the often bewildering world of nutrition information through his sites VeganHealth.org and JackNorrisRD.com and the book Vegan for Life (co-authored with Ginny Messina, R.D.)
A New Take on Animal Testing: Filmmaker Karol Orzechowski on his powerful documentary, Maximum Tolerated Dose
Past host Karol Orzechowski returns to Animal Voices to talk about his feature-length documentary on animal testing, Maximum Tolerated Dose. From the website: “the film charts the lives of both humans and non-humans who have experienced animal testing first-hand, with hauntingly honest testimony of scientists and lab technicians whose ethics demanded (... More)
Past host Karol Orzechowski returns to Animal Voices to talk about his feature-length documentary on animal testing, Maximum Tolerated Dose. From the website: “the film charts the lives of both humans and non-humans who have experienced animal testing first-hand, with hauntingly honest testimony of scientists and lab technicians whose ethics demanded they choose a different path, as well as the simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking stories of animals who have seen both sides of the cage.”
If you haven't attended a screening yet, tune in to find out about the film's unique (and non-gory) approach to the subject matter. If you have seen it, here's your chance to hear some of the stories behind the film, like what it's like to go undercover as an animal dealer in Laos. Even viewers with extensive knowledge of the vivisection industry are likely to find something new to think about in this challenging documentary.
Listen right now:
Download: 20130129_karol_orzechowski.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
P.S. You might also be interested in these past interviews with some of the people whose voices were featured in the film: Dr. John J. Pippin, Dr. Erika Sullivan, and Dr. Lynda Birke.
Tagged: Animal Experimentation, Arts & Music, Karol Orzechowski
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The Animal Activist’s Handbook: Veteran Activist Matt Ball Shares the Secrets of Effective Advocacy
Can one hour with Matt Ball make you a better activist?
Today, Animal Voices gets an hour to pick Matt's brain about the lessons he has learned from 20+ years of activism — lessons he summarizes in The Animal Activist's Handbook (co-authored with Bruce Friedrich).
Matt co-founded Vegan Outreach, an organization with a simple focus: (... More)
Can one hour with Matt Ball make you a better activist?
Today, Animal Voices gets an hour to pick Matt's brain about the lessons he has learned from 20+ years of activism — lessons he summarizes in The Animal Activist's Handbook (co-authored with Bruce Friedrich).
Matt co-founded Vegan Outreach, an organization with a simple focus: they hand out leaflets and talk to people. This may be “not sexy” work (his words, not ours!) but there's a lot involved in doing it well. Matt will tell us about the psychology behind the leaflets' message, and about conversational techniques he has practiced for overcoming skepticism, defusing hostility, and saving a discussion from getting derailed or sidetracked.
Matt will also touch on the subjects of “financial activism”, what can be learned from corporate advertising, and why he doesn't talk about health benefits of veganism. Don't miss this chance to hear an animal rights hall-of-famer share all the things he wishes he'd known from the get-go.
2012 was a tough year for Marineland. The Toronto Star ran a series of damning articles in which former Marineland employees told of neglect, chronic water quality problems that caused pain and even blindness in the animals, and mass graves on site. The revelations bolstered public opposition to the embattled park, culminating in an 800-person demonstration in which chanting protesters spontaneously flooded into the park.
Now, Marineland has lashed back by filing two $1 million-plus lawsuits: one against Dylan Powell, longtime community organizer and a major voice in Marineland Animal Defense, and another against Christine Santos, a former Marineland trainer whose criticism of the treatment of killer whale Kiska was featured in the Star.
Tune in as Powell talks SLAPP lawsuits and legal strategy. (SLAPP = Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, a lawsuit designed to intimidate and silence critics.) Powell will also reflect on the activism successes of 2012, and tip us off about what Niagara activists have planned for 2013, including a speaking tour about Marineland and an anti-vivisection campaign at Brock University.
Listen right now:
Download: 20130115_dylan_powell.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
(P.S. Longtime listeners may be experiencing a bit of déjŕ vu right now.)
Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries Accredits the Best, Helps the Rest
When Adam Roberts was working to end the trade in big cats in the United States, he came up against a vexing problem: how do you know where you can send rescued animals where they will truly have a “good home”?
Fast-forward to 2007, when Roberts and others formed the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. With input from veterinarians, IFAW, (... More)
When Adam Roberts was working to end the trade in big cats in the United States, he came up against a vexing problem: how do you know where you can send rescued animals where they will truly have a “good home”?
Fast-forward to 2007, when Roberts and others formed the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. With input from veterinarians, IFAW, HSUS, and AAVS, the group works to define very specific standards covering all aspects of animal care. Sanctuaries that meet the standards can be accredited — assuring rescuers and donors that the animals receive top-level care — and sanctuaries working towards meeting the standards can access mentorship and grants.
Join us as Roberts discusses GFAS's animal-centered approach to defining quality care, how GFAS is extending its reach through international partnerships, and the tough questions around breeding, euthanasia, and where fundraising activities cross the line into exploitation.
Listen right now:
Download: 20130108_adam_roberts.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
Tagged: Adam Roberts, Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, Sanctuaries
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If you made a New Year's resolution to catch up on your podcasts, then we have a treat for you! In this show, we feature highlights from the past year of interviews. Hear about life on board a Sea Shepherd vessel from Shannon Mann, and learn what it's like to run a farm animal sanctuary from Jenny Brown. Let Morgan Lance fill you in on how Animals Asia's Vietnam bear sanctuary is fighting an unjust eviction, and hear about the lessons Jennifer Cox brought to her animal activism from her work on queer, gender, and feminist issues. Find out how Mercy for Animals Canada brought the plight of pigs in Manitoba to a nation-wide TV audience, and finally, let motivational speaker (and hardcore singer!) Greg Bennick inspire you to wade deeper into activism in 2013!
2012 was Animal Voices' 17th year on the air. The dedication, heart, and hard work of animal advocates everywhere continues to inspire us. It has been our honour to bring you their stories, and we hope you will continue to tune in for more in 2013!
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Vegan Nutrition But Were Afraid to Ask, Part 1
Photo from JackNorrisRD.comAnimal Voices asks vegan Registered Dietitian Jack Norris some of our listeners' most burning questions about vegan eats. Still a little confused about the whole protein issue? Considering going raw? Want to know how big a deal B12 is? Wondering if agave is a healthy alternative to the demon (... More)
Photo from JackNorrisRD.com
Animal Voices asks vegan Registered Dietitian Jack Norris some of our listeners' most burning questions about vegan eats. Still a little confused about the whole protein issue? Considering going raw? Want to know how big a deal B12 is? Wondering if agave is a healthy alternative to the demon sugar? Curious if there's link between blood type and meat-eating? Then this is the show for you!
Listen right now:
Download: 20121225_jack_norris.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
About Jack Norris: A co-founder of Vegan Outreach, Norris decided to become educated on the science of nutrition to help those who had tried to be veg but for health reasons didn't believe they could. Now as a Registered Dietitian, Norris helps people navigate the often bewildering world of nutrition information through his sites VeganHealth.org and JackNorrisRD.com and the book Vegan for Life (co-authored with Ginny Messina, R.D.)
Mercy for Animals Canada Stuns Canadians with Undercover Video from a Manitoba Pig Farm
“On that day when Maple Leaf representatives were there conducting their audit, a pig gave birth. Workers moved her out of her gestation crate, killed all of her piglets in front of her, and later she went and laid down beside her dead piglets.”
Photo from Mercy For Animals Canada website Animal Voices (... More)
“On that day when Maple Leaf representatives were there conducting their audit, a pig gave birth. Workers moved her out of her gestation crate, killed all of her piglets in front of her, and later she went and laid down beside her dead piglets.”
Photo from Mercy For Animals Canada website
Animal Voices is joined by Twyla Francois, director of investigations for Mercy For Animals Canada, to speak about their recent undercover work at a Manitoba pig farm. The video footage, aired on the prestigious news program W5, has horrified Canadians by revealing practices like “thumping”, or smashing piglets to death against concrete. And the pork industry has presented anything but a unified front in response to the investigation, with Maple Leaf Foods condemning the acts seen in the video as “disturbing” and “not tolerated”, while the Manitoba Pork Council and a trio of experts defended them as “humane” and “part of doing business”.
From the big-picture statistics to the stories of individual pigs — like 21401, who would run over to play when called by a whistle, but was shipped off to her death for taking too long to come into heat — Francois takes us inside a world where regulations are vague and suffering is accepted as the norm. She asks that listeners consider signing a petition to ask Canada's largest grocery chains to refuse to sell meat from companies that use the practices seen in the video, and try going veg too!
Zoopolis: Will Kymlicka Puts a Political Spin on Human-Animal Relations
Political philosophy has a lot to say on the topic of governance. So why, wonders Will Kymlicka, has the field had little to say so far about the relationships between humans and the billions of animals in our homes, on farms, in the wild?
Kymlicka and co-author Sue Donaldson hope to remedy that with their book Zoopolis. They examine how (... More)
Political philosophy has a lot to say on the topic of governance. So why, wonders Will Kymlicka, has the field had little to say so far about the relationships between humans and the billions of animals in our homes, on farms, in the wild?
Kymlicka and co-author Sue Donaldson hope to remedy that with their book Zoopolis. They examine how concepts like sovereignty and citizenship can be used to think about the responsibilities we owe to different groups of animals — domesticated, wild, and those like raccoons and pigeons, who live in our cities but not with us.
In this interview, we will find out what we can learn from the disability rights movement, which works to enable people to communicate and express themselves in whatever way they best can, and from indigenous rights movements, which expose the dangers of “protection” vs. true sovereignty. We will hear about why some groups like the Amish elect to opt out of certain aspects of citizenship, even as others fight hard for full inclusion.
Join us for a fascinating discussion as Kymlicka shows us a vision of human-animal relations that brings new meaning to the term “political animal”.
John Fitzgerald on the Fight to Ban Blood Sports in Ireland
In 2010, John Fitzgerald spoke with Animal Voices about hare coursing, a “sport” in which captured wild hares are made to run for their lives from greyhounds. Now, Fitzgerald returns to tell us about a landmark event in animal protection in Ireland: the first updates to anti-cruelty laws in over a century.
In 2010, John Fitzgerald spoke with Animal Voices about hare coursing, a “sport” in which captured wild hares are made to run for their lives from greyhounds. Now, Fitzgerald returns to tell us about a landmark event in animal protection in Ireland: the first updates to anti-cruelty laws in over a century.
Photo from BanBloodSports.com
Animal advocates want the new law to ban hare coursing and fox hunting. These blood sports have more victims than just the hares and foxes: the greyhounds sent after the hares, and the terriers sent into holes to kill hiding foxes, also suffer for the sake of human entertainment.
The pro-animal campaigners have some powerful allies, such as politicians Maureen O'Sullivan and Clare Davy, and even Prime Minister Enda Kenny has admitted a personal dislike of hare coursing. The pro-blood sports lobby, however, is well-funded and has attracted a range of allies from hunters to Spanish bullfighters, who fear that their practices may be the next to go if hare coursing and fox hunting are outlawed. Visit BanBloodSports.com for updates, petitions, and more!
Bears and Bull: Animals Asia Works to Reveal the Lies, and Stop the Eviction
Morgan Lance describes the impending eviction of Animals Asia's 104 rescued bears from their Vietnamese bear sanctuary. The eviction order — which appears to be predicated on the false claims of a bureaucrat who has a financial interest in the sanctuary's lands — has drawn the ire of governments, celebrities and citizens worldwide. Lance asks listeners (... More)
Morgan Lance describes the impending eviction of Animals Asia's 104 rescued bears from their Vietnamese bear sanctuary. The eviction order — which appears to be predicated on the false claims of a bureaucrat who has a financial interest in the sanctuary's lands — has drawn the ire of governments, celebrities and citizens worldwide. Lance asks listeners to appeal to the Vietnamese Prime Minister to honor his country's agreement with Animals Asia, and to spare these victims of the bear bile industry any more suffering.
Listen right now:
Download: 20121120_morgan_lance.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
Tagged: Animals Asia Foundation, Bears, Morgan Lance
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Vegan Is Love: Author Ruby Roth Trusts Kids With the Truth About Why We Don’t Eat Animals
It all started when the children in Ruby Roth's art class asked why she didn't eat the cheese strings at snack break. She went looking for a book she could read with the children, one that covered the full gamut of reasons for her veganism in a child-appropriate way. When she didn't find one, she wrote and illustrated her own: That’s Why We (... More)
It all started when the children in Ruby Roth's art class asked why she didn't eat the cheese strings at snack break. She went looking for a book she could read with the children, one that covered the full gamut of reasons for her veganism in a child-appropriate way. When she didn't find one, she wrote and illustrated her own: That’s Why We Don't Eat Animals and Vegan Is Love.
Join us as Roth discusses the books, her gentle but truthful approach to difficult topics, and her observations of the different reactions the books evoke from children and grownups. (And school cafeterias and TV news hosts!) Roth also shares her thoughts on how to give children the confidence to handle tricky social situations and how to approach talking about veganism with non-vegetarian partners, relatives, and friends.
Paul York on Fighting Animal Use at U of T and Greg Bennick on Fear, Healing, and Sincerity
Today's Animal Voices presents two interviews. First, we welcome Paul York of the University of Toronto Animal Rights Club. With a focus on anti-vivisection work, UT-ARC has a formidable task ahead: the University of Toronto uses 90,000 animals every year, including rats, mice, dogs, and monkeys. And while the university once promised to stop using (... More)
Today's Animal Voices presents two interviews. First, we welcome Paul York of the University of Toronto Animal Rights Club. With a focus on anti-vivisection work, UT-ARC has a formidable task ahead: the University of Toronto uses 90,000 animals every year, including rats, mice, dogs, and monkeys. And while the university once promised to stop using monkeys, it quickly caved to pressure from researchers and reneged on that promise.
UT-ARC also works to bring guest speakers to campus, to lobby for vegan food options, and to inform science students about their right to refuse to experiment on animals and assist them in adopting out animals instead of killing them at the end of a study. Just recently, 8 mice made their way from a lab to caring homes through UT-ARC's efforts.
As further reading, York recommends David Sztybel's critique of the Canadian Council on Animal Care's ethics code.
Next, we speak with the multi-talented Greg Bennick: keynote speaker, filmmaker, singer for the bands Trial and Between Earth & Sky, and founder of the relief organization One Hundred For Haiti. Bennick shares insights about violence that he gleaned while working on two projects: Flight From Death and the Legacy Project. The film Flight From Death explored the psychological roots of aggression and domination, while the Legacy Project, which involves taking student groups to sites of atrocities, explores means of healing and leaving violence behind. Bennick also discusses how veganism fuels his work, how we can all listen more effectively, and the importance of getting out a message with integrity and sincerity that people can connect with.
Listen right now:
Download: 20121106_york_bennick.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
Tagged: Animal Experimentation, Greg Bennick, Paul York, University of Toronto Animal Rights Club, Youth
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Promises to Keep: The Fauna Foundation Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Pepper, 1970-2012
Since its establishment in 1997, the Fauna Foundation has fought to end chimpanzee research and provided sanctuary to ex-research chimps. Founder Gloria Grow tells us about the early years of the sanctuary, from her first meeting with some of the chimps at a lab in New York, to her last moments with (... More)
Pepper, 1970-2012
Since its establishment in 1997, the Fauna Foundation has fought to end chimpanzee research and provided sanctuary to ex-research chimps. Founder Gloria Grow tells us about the early years of the sanctuary, from her first meeting with some of the chimps at a lab in New York, to her last moments with her beloved Pepper who passed away this year.
With the insight that she's gained from years of daily interaction with the Fauna chimps, Gloria shares stories that are at once amazing and heartbreaking — from an unforgettable meeting between two elder chimps and a heartbroken young orphan named Toby, to Tom's jaw-dropping experiment with a tub of black paint. Gloria also discusses the importance of honesty in the relationships between traumatized chimps and their caregivers, and the recent controversy over whether the U.S. government's decision to retire 100 ex-research chimps to a lab rather than a sanctuary contravenes the intentions of the Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance, and Protection Act (CHIMP Act) of 2000.
Sailing with Sea Shepherd: Shannon Mann gives us a glimpse into the life of an ocean activist
Thanks to the TV show Whale Wars, Sea Shepherd is a household name. But what is it really like to be on board a Sea Shepherd vessel? This week's guest, Shannon Mann, takes us inside life on the ship: the tension as you try to find the whalers before their scouts find you, the sound of ice crunching against the hull just a few feet from your bunk, (... More)
Thanks to the TV show Whale Wars, Sea Shepherd is a household name. But what is it really like to be on board a Sea Shepherd vessel? This week's guest, Shannon Mann, takes us inside life on the ship: the tension as you try to find the whalers before their scouts find you, the sound of ice crunching against the hull just a few feet from your bunk, the experience of being treated like heroes in Australia and like criminals in Canada.
After five years on board with Sea Shepherd, Shannon has diligently devoted her time to connecting the local and the global with the organization Backyard Activist, which she founded with a dedicated team, including SHAC 7 member Jake Conroy. “Backyard Activist is a social media site for activism that will make it easy for like-minded individuals to connect, create projects, volunteer, and get involved. We want to build a global community of activists that feel empowered and supported, and provide them with a valuable tool to accomplish their goals.”
In this interview, we catch up with Shannon and her birds to discuss sailing the Antarctic, seeing herself and her crew on television, and what lies ahead for Backyard Activist.
Listen right now:
Download: 20120904_shannon_mann.mp3
or download an mp3 of the show.
Tagged: Backyard Activist, Oceans, Sea Shepherd, Shannon Mann
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Jenny from the ’Stock: Jenny Brown tells the story of the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in The Lucky Ones
Admit it: you've dreamed about opening an animal sanctuary. What animal lover hasn't?
Seven years ago, Jenny Brown and Doug Abel opened the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary near Woodstock, New York. In her new book, The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals, Jenny recounts — in candid and often hilarious style — her journey from (... More)
Admit it: you've dreamed about opening an animal sanctuary. What animal lover hasn't?
Seven years ago, Jenny Brown and Doug Abel opened the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary near Woodstock, New York. In her new book, The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals, Jenny recounts — in candid and often hilarious style — her journey from her meat-and-dairy-heavy childhood in Kentucky to finding her life's work as sanctuary director. Along the way, she educates readers about the ugly realities of modern animal agriculture, and invites us to meet the animals — the “lucky ones” — who have found a life-long home with her in Woodstock.
Beyond the heartwarming stories of Dylan the steer and Beatrice the turkey, though, Jenny gives us a glimpse into the hard work of running a sanctuary: the rigorous preparation (she lived and worked at Farm Sanctuary for a year, taking copious notes on every aspect of the operation), being strategic about everything from location to fundraising, and what it's like to face the hard choices when a sanctuary must say “no” to taking in more animals than it can responsibly care for.
Jon of the Dead: Vegan Cooking Meets Horror Movie Thrills in The Vegan Zombie
A post-apocalyptic cooking show? A host who dodges and battles the living dead when he's not sneaking into abandoned kitchens and cooking up delicious vegan comfort food?
It may sound like an unlikely recipe for success, but Chris and Jon, creators of The Vegan Zombie, have combined years of cooking experience with top-notch videography and (... More)
A post-apocalyptic cooking show? A host who dodges and battles the living dead when he's not sneaking into abandoned kitchens and cooking up delicious vegan comfort food?
It may sound like an unlikely recipe for success, but Chris and Jon, creators of The Vegan Zombie, have combined years of cooking experience with top-notch videography and makeup to produce a bona fide hit. It's fun, scary, suspenseful, and delivers inspiration and tips for novice and seasoned vegan chefs alike.
Tune in to hear how Chris and Jon develop their all-original recipes, what it takes to put together a zombie-filled film shoot, and how the “Zombie Crew” keeps expanding as other vegan celebs get in on the fun and guest-star in Jon's adventures in a nightmare world of flesh-eaters.
Follow the story and try the recipes at theveganzombie.com.
RT @NiagaraVegFest: Just recorded an interview with @Animal_Voices about #nvf13! It will air on May 28th. Thanks for having us on the show,'¦ 8 hrs 8 min ago
Tune in Tues 11am EST @ CIUT 89.5 FM or online http://t.co/zxJha0aCJe for an interview with vegan bodybuilder @RobertCheeke on AV! 8 hrs 8 min ago
RT @cacodaemonia: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Vegan Nutrition But Were Afraid to Ask, Part 1 http://t.co/85vNjy4MvG via @wordp'¦ 7 days 13 hrs ago
RT @cacodaemonia: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Vegan Nutrition But Were Afraid to Ask, Part 2 http://t.co/iM1jVKvccQ via @wordp'¦ 7 days 13 hrs ago
RT @cacodaemonia: Mercy for Animals Canada Stuns Canadians with Undercover Video from a Manitoba Pig Farm http://t.co/2wg8xUr2Go via @wordp'¦ 7 days 13 hrs ago
Tune in Tues 11am EST @ CIUT 89.5 FM or online http://t.co/zxJha0aCJe for interviews with Steph Brown & Bruce Passmore from the AV archive! 7 days 14 hrs ago
RT @ourhenhouse: This #MothersDay remember the dairy cows & other female farmed animals oppressed for their reproductive organs http://t.co'¦ 7 days 14 hrs ago
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RT @veganoption: Illegal direct action - what does it achieve? Animal Voices interview US researcher Carol Glasser: http://wp.me/pSPyG-xz18 days 15 hrs ago
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RT @DecipherImages: interview w/ Sharon Núñez Gough on Animal Voices. an essential update on the repression of animal activists in spain: h'¦ 18 days 15 hrs ago
RT @veganoption: Interesting story of legal innovation in USA: Animal Voices Toronto interviews Joyce Tischler of @ALDFAnimalLawhttp://t.c'¦ 18 days 15 hrs ago
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RT @AnimalRightsAdv: This is a very interesting discussion on animal behaviour with cognitive ethologist Mark Bekoff on Animal Voices.... h'¦ 18 days 15 hrs ago
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