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

The Hen Report: “Giant Mainstream Numbers” | Animal Rights Weekly News

This episode covers the Save Our Bacon Act getting shut down (again) in the Farm Bill, the delightfully weird strange-bedfellows saga around the Ridglan Farms beagle rescue, and the growing bipartisan side-eye toward animal testing — plus a Nonhuman Rights Project update and a preview of the next Animal Law Podcast episode. The pork industry tried (again) to torch state animal protection laws like California’s Prop 12 — and got shut out for the sixth time in nearly 20 years. We’re savoring this one. A juicy New Republic op-ed, How MAGA Stole Animal Rights from the Left, breaks down why Tomi Lahren and friends helped kill the bill, and dares Democrats to stop assuming animal lovers will vote blue no matter what. Over 2,000 beagles are finally out of cages after activists took on Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin breeding-and-research facility — and yes, RFK Jr. tried to take a victory lap. The Economist says the quiet part out loud: a bipartisan coalition is nudging the NIH, FDA, and EPA toward ditching animal testing for smarter, non-animal methods. Bonus round: Nonhuman Rights Project updates out of Michigan and Hawaii, a sneak peek at the Animal Law Podcast’s episode on activist Taj Uppal, and a heartfelt book rec, Penelope: A Love Story. RESOURCES Vermont Law & Graduate School Penelope: A Love Story Animal protection triumphs in the Senate: ‘Save Our Bacon Act’ abandoned as Farm Bill stalls ahead of summer recess How MAGA Stole Animal Rights from the Left How a bipartisan coalition is taking aim at animal research “KEY OUT”: When a Chimpanzee Asks to Be Free The Animal Liberation Hour /// Episode 68 – Jasmin Singer  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 Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Undercover Videos, Vegan Supermarket Fantasies, and A Water Fight Nobody Asked For | Rising Anxieties

Animal abuse industry PR groups are suddenly very worried about undercover investigations targeting retailers instead of farms, a Brazilian trade show imagined a vegan supermarket with no bread (checks notes: vegan bread abounds), and a Wisconsin dairy program is teaching kids about cows via “virtual escape rooms.” Also: Congress “fixed” school milk access, USDA quietly un-fixed it, and somehow bird flu is now a trade negotiation. Animal Agriculture Alliance writers sound the alarm that undercover campaigns are shifting focus from farms to retail brands like Costco — treating “allegedly” like a magic word A Brazilian trade group staged a vegan supermarket stunt to mock plant-based shopping, but got basic facts about pasta, beer, candy, and pretty much everything else wrong New federal law was supposed to expand non-dairy milk access in schools, but USDA rules left the provision unfunded and unimplemented Wisconsin’s “Adopt a Cow” classroom program is quietly reshaping kids’ trust in dairy farming through propaganda Bird flu vaccination could stop the ongoing poultry crisis, but the US won’t do it because trading partners threaten to cut off poultry exports  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 LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Beyond Factory Farming: Björn Ólafsson on the Psychology of Meat Reduction and Plant-Based Nudges

Animal advocacy researcher Björn Ólafsson (More Than Meats The Eye, Better Food Foundation, Spain’s Animal Welfare Observatory) joins Jasmin and Mariann to unpack new UK survey data on public attitudes toward factory farming, why cognitive dissonance keeps animal lovers eating meat, and the behavioral science tactics — from “tasty titles” to plant-based defaults — that are quietly reshaping what people order. New Project Phoenix survey data reveals a generational paradox: older Brits are more likely to call factory farming immoral, while younger people are more likely to actually reduce meat consumption Why cognitive dissonance, not ignorance, explains why animal lovers keep eating meat — and how activists can avoid triggering defensiveness in the first place The case for dropping the word “vegan” from menus in favor of appealing, flavor-forward food names How plant-based nudges (climate-friendly ratios, plant-based defaults) are quietly increasing vegan food uptake in cafeterias, hospitals, and universities Why “high-arousal” emotions like anger — not sadness — are what make facts about animal agriculture go viral ABOUT OUR GUEST Björn Ólafsson is an animal advocacy researcher and communicator, and the author of More Than Meats the Eye, a Substack that translates behavioral science and social research into practical strategy for advocates working on meat reduction. He has a background in psychology and behavioral science at the University of Chicago and the Center for Decision Research, and sociology and demography at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Currently, he’s also the Impact Specialist at Spain’s Animal Welfare Observatory and a Research Specialist at the Better Food Foundation. He also works as a freelance researcher and consultant in the movement, involving collaborations with Veganuary, Te Protejo, V-Label, Bank for Nature, Project Phoenix, VARC, Ethical Seafood Research, Agora, and more, this year alone. _____________________________________________ 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 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 LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

The Hen Report: “I Don’t Want To” | Vegan Allies, Factory Farming & Animal Advocacy

This week’s Hen Report dives into what makes an ally “natural” for animal advocacy, questioning whether meat reducers, cruelty-free (but non-vegan) consumers, or regenerative farmers truly share the movement’s goals. Jasmin and Mariann also break down troubling news about organic chicken production, the slow progress of cultivated meat, and the power of language in shifting public perception of animal agriculture. Are meat reducers and cruelty-free shoppers “natural allies” for animal advocates? Are regenerative farmers? Investigation reveals Costco’s organic chicken supplier violated animal welfare standards despite “humane” certification Aleph Farms secures Singapore approval for cultivated beef, targeting a 2027 restaurant launch New research shows “animal factory” may resonate more powerfully with the public than “factory farm” Urgent action alerts: support the Captain Paul Watson Foundation’s anti-whaling campaign in Iceland and push the Senate to pass the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 RESOURCES Aleph Farms Secures Singapore Approval for Cultivated Beef, Targets 2027 Restaurant Launch Costco’s organic chicken isn’t what it seems Animal Factory, Factory Farm, Or Something Else? Testing The Language Of Advocacy Captain Paul Watson Foundation: Here’s What to Know About the Bandero and Its Crew Operation 86: Stop Iceland’s Last Whaler URGENT: Ask the Senate to Save Animals, Pass the FDA Modernization Act 3.0! Life And Life Only: Episode 68- Animals For Food: A Horror Story (Part 1 of 3) Mo Gilligan Eats Fried Chicken Every Day For A Month In New Documentary  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 Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

ShopKind, Temple Grandin’s PR Spin, and the Industry’s Never-Ending Excuses | Rising Anxieties

This week’s Rising Anxieties discusses ASPCA’s “humane” shopping guide which has the industry in quite a tizzy, dismantles Temple Grandin’s feel-good slaughterhouse “culture” story, exposes the industry squeezing yet another product out of exploited cows, shreds the myth that farmers are the real victims of subsidy policy, and tracks the fights against factory farming still being waged in the Senate and at the ballot box. ASPCA’s ShopKind guide may still treat animal exploitation as negotiable but is driving the industry nuts nonetheless  Temple Grandin’s “culture has improved” claim ignores that abuse is baked into slaughterhouses whether or not anyone’s watching The dairy industry’s new colostrum cash grab is one more way cows’ bodies are being commodified Farm Babe’s subsidy defense conveniently ignores how taxpayer money keeps the exploitation machine running The Save Our Bacon Act and Oregon’s animal agriculture ballot measure show the fight against factory farming is far from over   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 LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.