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

In this week’s episode of The Hen Report, we welcome back our favorite constitutional law scholar and wingman Michael Dorf to dish about the viral saga of Peanut the Squirrel. What started as a heartbreaking story about a beloved social media star squirrel and his raccoon friend Fred—both killed by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation under troubling circumstances—turned...

In this week’s emotional rollercoaster of righteous indignation, Mariann dives headfirst into the meat industry’s latest shenanigans. From legal battles over lab-grown meat to the absurdity of milk being crowned official state beverage in 20 states (water, anyone?), to the heartbreaking reality of dairy farm fatalities, this episode serves up a buffet of reasons why the meat industry s...

In her eye-opening book, Rethinking Rescue, journalist Carol Mithers examines how poverty and economic inequality create impossible choices for pet owners who love their animals but lack resources to keep them. Through the remarkable story of Lori Wiese, who pioneered community-based animal care in Los Angeles’ most underserved neighborhoods, Mithers demonstrates not only that we can’t...

In this eye-opening episode of The Hen Report, hosts Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan welcome back Jan Dutkiewicz, professor of political science at Pratt Institute and co-author of the forthcoming book Feed the People: Why Industrial Food is Good and How to Make it Even Better. The conversation centers on a problematic New York Times article about animal rights activism in…

In this week’s episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan examines several developments causing concern within the meat industry. From evolving shareholder activism tactics to questionable comparisons between cultivated meat and lab-grown diamonds, the episode reveals how animal agriculture interests are responding to various challenges while continuing to rely on government support and b...

This episode of the Animal Law Podcast features Christopher Berry, Executive Director of the Nonhuman Rights Project, discussing a groundbreaking court case that recognizes companion animals as family members in certain legal contexts. Mariann and Christopher explore how this New York decision challenges decades of precedent that treated beloved pets as mere property rather than family, potentiall...

In this week’s Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann weave through a tapestry of topics with their signature blend of wit and passion. From Rochester’s unseasonably cold August weather to the legal victory against “Alligator Alcatraz,” the conversation takes delightful detours while tackling serious issues like the persistent protein myths still plaguing vegans and the complexitie...

In this week’s episode of Rising Anxieties, we examine the meat industry’s growing concerns. From water scarcity issues affecting livestock-heavy regions to unexpected anti-vax policy changes impacting animal agriculture, Mariann walks listeners through the headlines that have industry executives worried. The episode covers everything from depleting aquifers in agricultural states to t...

This episode explores the powerful connections between factory farming, political repression, and the rise of authoritarianism with award-winning investigative journalist Will Potter. In a thought-provoking conversation about his new book Little Red Barns: Hiding the Truth from Farm to Fable, Potter reveals how his decade-long investigation uncovered the dangerous intersection between industrial a...

This episode features a conversation with Michael Dorf, Cornell Law School professor and animal advocate, who shares insights from his presentations at Vegan Summerfest. Jasmin and Mariann discuss their upcoming “staycation” plans while reflecting on the early days of Our Hen House. This episode explores: How human rights frameworks can be applied to animal rights advocacy The nationwi...

In this heartwarming episode, Jasmin and Mariann welcome Sherri Franklin, founder and executive director of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, a groundbreaking organization that has saved over 13,000 senior dogs since 2007. What began with just 27 dogs in Sherri’s kitchen has transformed into a revolutionary cage-free shelter in San Francisco that now rescues more than 27 dogs every week. Through...

In this delightfully candid episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann dive into a mix of animal rights victories, personal news, and the peculiarities of content creation in the digital age. Episode Highlights: Jasmin’s Big News: Jasmin reveals she’ll be playing Judy Garland in “End of the Rainbow” at Center Stage Theater in Rochester this December. Fur Industry Collaps...

In this week’s delightfully disturbing dive into animal agriculture’s paranoia, Mariann Sullivan unpacks the industry’s latest pearl-clutching over those pesky activists who have the audacity to…checks notes…document actual conditions on farms. Gasp! From Canadian farmers fretting about undercover investigations to Perdue shaping chicken meat into cute sea creatures while the pla...

In this collaborative episode with Animal Policy Alliance, Our Hen House explores the critical defensive battles being waged in state legislatures to protect animals from harmful agricultural industry bills. From blocking anti-drone legislation in Missouri to defeating rabbit farming expansion in Connecticut, our guests share their strategies for legislative success despite being outspent and outm...

In this episode of The Hen Report, Mariann and Jasmin welcome back Richard “Kudo” Couto of Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) for a crucial   follow-up to his interview from episode 819. When Kudo first appeared on the show, his major investigation into Woodcrest Dairy was just breaking, and he couldn’t share all the details. Now he returns to reveal how ARM’s…

In this week’s Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan dives into the theater of the absurd that is animal agriculture politics. From the Trump administration’s laughable attempt to blame California’s cage-free egg laws for nationwide price hikes (spoiler alert: it’s actually bird flu), to pork industry lobbyists desperately trying to justify their existence by fighting animal w...

In this compelling episode, Mariann Sullivan speaks with Elise Bennett, Senior Attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, about the lawsuit challenging the controversial immigration detention facility in Florida’s Everglades. Bennett details how this hastily constructed center in Big Cypress National Preserve threatens endangered species, water quality, and the integrity of a crucial e...

In this compelling episode, Mariann Sullivan speaks with Elise Bennett, Senior Attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, about the lawsuit challenging the controversial immigration detention facility in Florida’s Everglades. Bennett details how this hastily constructed center in Big Cypress National Preserve threatens endangered species, water quality, and the integrity of a crucial e...

In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan dives into the agricultural industry’s latest pearl-clutching moments. From state fair organizers panicking over PETA’s “Hell on Wheels” truck to a farmer claiming slaughterhouse screams are “edited,” this episode exposes the absurd lengths the animal agriculture industry will go to avoid confronting reality....

This week we dive into the mysterious kingdom of fungi with infectious enthusiasm and scientific precision. Our conversation with ecologist Aishwarya Veerabahu takes us on a journey from underground mycelial networks to the emerging world of mushroom-based alternatives to animal products. The unique perspective bridges the gap between ecological understanding and animal rights, demonstrating how o...

In a world seemingly drowning in sordid headlines, Jasmin and Mariann take a refreshing dive into some genuinely positive developments for animals. From chimpanzees finally escaping laboratory confinement to plant-based milk options becoming more accessible in schools, this episode serves up a welcome plate of good news with just enough irreverent commentary to keep it real. The hosts navigate thr...

In this delightfully sardonic edition of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan takes us on a whirlwind tour through the landscape of animal agriculture’s latest woes. From the Trump administration’s absurd lawsuit blaming California’s modest animal welfare laws (not bird flu!) for egg price hikes, to the stomach-turning news of deadly salmonella outbreaks from those same eggs, this...

In this thought-provoking episode of Our Hen House, Mariann Sullivan interviews philosopher John Sanbonmatsu about his groundbreaking book The Omnivore’s Deception: What We Get Wrong About Meat, Animals, and Ourselves. With intellectual rigor and a touch of irreverence, Sanbonmatsu dismantles the cultural narratives that keep some people comfortably consuming animals while knowing better. Fr...

In this delightfully chaotic episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan stumble through podcast identity confusion before diving into pressing animal rights news and media recommendations. The pair balance serious discussions about animal welfare trade policies and methane production with lighthearted moments about Jasmin’s new senior dog adoption and her “Hens Befor...

In this week’s parched edition of Rising Anxieties, Mariann dives into the meat industry’s growing water crisis – where aquifers are disappearing faster than industry excuses. While Texas suffers floods, livestock regions face exceptional drought conditions with vital aquifers dropping several feet annually. The meat industry’s brilliant solution? Water-free animals and air-to-wa...