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

In this powerful episode, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan sit down with Lindsey Soffes, Head of Programs at Rise for Animals, to explore the growing movement to end animal experimentation. From the explosive Ridglan Farms story to landmark federal legislation, Lindsey breaks down why this moment may be a turning point for animals in laboratories — and what advocates can do right now to accelerate change. Ridglan Farms and the national spotlight: How years of grassroots activism, open rescues, and public outcry led to the rescue of 1,500 beagles from a Wisconsin dog breeding and research facility — and what it means for the broader animal research industry Shifting public opinion and bipartisan support: A 2025 Gallup poll found fewer than half of Americans find animal research morally acceptable, with opposition cutting across political lines — and what that means for federal policy The science of alternatives (NAMs): Why new approach methodologies like organoids and human-relevant in vitro systems are outperforming animal models, and why Rise for Animals is pushing back against industry efforts to frame NAMs as a “complement” rather than a replacement Federal legislative action: Updates on the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 and the SPARE Act — two bills that could fundamentally reshape how animal research is funded and regulated in the U.S. ARLO, the transparency database: How Rise for Animals’ public database of 40,000+ records exposes the systemic violence of the animal research industry — and how you can use it to investigate labs in your own community ABOUT OUR GUEST Lindsey Soffes is Head of Programs at Rise for Animals, a national animal rights organization working to end animal experimentation through exposure, advocacy, and public mobilization. With a background in law and mission-driven non-profit work, she leads investigative, educational, and community engagement initiatives that expose the hidden realities of the animal research industry, raise public awareness, support grassroots advocates, and advance animal liberation as a matter of justice. 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 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.

In this episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan are joined by Matthew Dominguez, U.S. Director for Compassion in World Farming, for an urgent deep-dive into the Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act — dangerous preemption language hidden inside the Farm Bill that could strip states of their right to pass and enforce farm animal protection laws, wiping out decades of hard-won legislative progress. Save Our Bacon Act / EATS Act explained: The factory farming industry has embedded roughly 100 words into the Farm Bill that would federally preempt state-level animal welfare and food safety laws — including cage-free and gestation-crate bans in California, Massachusetts, and beyond. Call your senators now: The Senate Ag Committee is drafting its version of the Farm Bill with a target vote by end of May; call the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121, ask to speak to your senator’s office, identify yourself as a constituent, and ask your senators to oppose any Farm Bill containing Save Our Bacon Act language. Broader implications: Harvard Law’s Animal Law Program identified up to 1,000 state laws — covering food safety, environmental protection, and consumer rights — that could be nullified if this preemption language passes. Bipartisan opposition and a growing coalition: Family farmers, food safety advocates, and even the MAHA movement are joining animal protection groups in fighting the bill, with Republicans and Democrats alike opposing the language. Incremental reform vs. abolition: Matthew addresses the debate over whether cage-free progress is meaningful, arguing that incremental wins — such as removing 140–150 million birds from barren battery cages — build the momentum needed for deeper systemic change. RESOURCES Save Our Bacon Act on Congress.gov Compassion in World Farming  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.

In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann digs into the uncomfortable gap between what institutions say and what they do — starting with Harvard Law School’s baffling decision to shutter its fully-enrolled Animal Law Clinic. From there: the industry’s coordinated PR campaign against plant-based alternatives (spoiler: they’re scared), the ongoing farce of in-ovo sexing technology being “not ready” for the US market, and a children’s book about chickens that ends with a recipe. Listen in and then bring your spirits back up with five actual reasons to feel good about being vegan in 2026. Harvard Law School is closing its Animal Law Clinic despite full enrollment and a waitlist — raising serious questions about who’s pulling strings at one of the country’s most prestigious law schools The meat and dairy industries are playing offense against plant-based and lab-grown alternatives, and their own trade press admits it’s because they watched dairy lose 15% of sales to oat milk In-ovo sexing technology — which could end the mass killing of male chicks — is being dismissed by egg producers not because it doesn’t work, but because it might not be good enough forever A Saskatchewan chicken industry book for children promises “an accurate picture” of chicken farming and ends with a recipe — a bold choice Chris Bryant’s YouTube video “5 Reasons for Vegans to Be Optimistic in 2026” is worth watching immediately after this episode, as a palate cleanser 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.

In this week’s interview, Jasmin and Mariann sit down with filmmaker Ray Cruzzola, founder of World Change Media, to discuss his moving documentary I’m Trying — a tribute to Canadian animal rights activist Regan Russell, who was killed in 2020 while protesting outside a pig slaughterhouse. Ray shares how he uses cinematic storytelling as a tool for social change, why he chose to center Regan’s story to connect audiences to animal advocacy, and what the film’s title means for all of us who want to make a difference but don’t know where to start. Regan Russell’s legacy: Who she was, how she died protesting Canada’s ag-gag Bill 156, and why her story resonates globally with animal rights activists and everyday people alike Film as activism: How Ray deliberately crafts each scene in I’m Trying to address audience fears, build empathy, and inspire viewers — especially passive vegans — to take meaningful action for animals Strategic storytelling for animal advocacy: Why leading with human stories (rather than graphic animal footage) can be a more effective bridge for reaching non-vegan and vegan audiences The Plant-based Treaty connection: How I’m Trying supports The Plant-based Treaty’s mission of policy-level change, with endorsement from Regan’s own family ABOUT OUR GUEST Raymond Cruzzola is a Toronto-based documentary filmmaker and founder of World Change Media, creating cinematic, story-driven content for nonprofits and social impact organizations. With over a decade of experience, his work spans documentary and short-form campaigns rooted in the belief that the power to reduce suffering carries a responsibility to act — inviting audiences not only to bear witness, but to respond. 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 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.

In this episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann cover a wide range of topics: Jasmin shares behind-the-scenes moments from her theater rehearsal, including an organic conversation about veganism, tallow lotion, and gelatin that unfolded among cast members without any agenda-pushing on her part. She also pays tribute to the legacy of Tommy Raskin, animal rights activist and son of Congressman Jamie Raskin, drawing from Jamie’s memoir Unthinkable. The hosts then dig into the story of marine biologist Emma Smart, who liberated a lobster from a UK fishmonger and faced a shockingly heavy-handed legal response, before closing with a rich discussion on Project Slingshot — a new UK campaign challenging factory farming with the slogan “Don’t Buy It” — and what it means for animal advocacy strategy. Project Slingshot & the anti-factory farming movement: Mariann breaks down this new UK pressure campaign, its broad definition of factory farming, its “Don’t Buy It” slogan, and the ongoing debate about whether explicit vegan messaging helps or hinders progress toward animal liberation. The lobster liberation story: Marine biologist Emma Smart rescued a lobster from a UK fishmonger, was strip-searched, and faced five criminal charges — raising urgent questions about how society and law enforcement respond to peaceful animal advocacy. Tommy Raskin’s legacy: A reflection on Congressman Jamie Raskin’s memoir Unthinkable and his son Tommy, a passionate animal rights activist whose final words called on people to care for animals and the global poor. Vegan identity vs. vegan options advocacy: Mariann draws a key distinction between advocacy that encourages people to go vegan versus advocacy that simply seeks to make vegan options more accessible and normalized. Kickstarting for Good & other opportunities: Applications are open for the Kickstarting for Good 2026 incubator (apply by May 31) and the Anima International 2026 Fellowship in Warsaw (apply by May 17); the Grassroots Animal Rights Summit is also coming to DC, May 15–17. RESOURCES I liberated a lobster and got crushed Don’t Buy It Why Factory Farming Need Cultural Pressure, Not Just Education Kickstarting for Good Anima International Fellowship Grassroots Animal Rights Summit  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.