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

In this interview episode of Our Hen House, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan sit down with vegan zoologist, author, and activist Jordi Casamitjana for a wide-ranging conversation about the philosophy, legal landscape, and long-term vision of the vegan movement. Ethical veganism as a protected belief: Jordi shares the full story behind the landmark 2020 UK legal case that held that ethical veganism is a protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010 — and what that means for vegans around the world. The five core axioms of veganism: From ahimsa and animal sentience to anti-speciesism and vicariousness, Jordi breaks down the philosophical framework that underpins his book Why Vegans Don’t and explains why veganism is a sociopolitical movement, not just a diet. Radical and idealist — and proud of it: Jordi makes the case for holding firm to long-term vegan goals rather than diluting the movement to gain short-term acceptance, and why he sees radical idealism as essential to meaningful change. Autism, black-and-white thinking, and the vegan mind: In a candid and rarely shared revelation, Jordi opens up about being AuDHD and how neurodivergent thinking may be uniquely suited to the clarity and moral consistency that veganism demands. Finding your role in the movement: Jordi offers grounded, personal advice on how vegans can discover their own unique contribution — without compromising their values or shrinking their goals to fit in. ABOUT OUR GUEST Jordi Casamitjana is a Catalan-born vegan zoologist and animal behaviour specialist based in the UK, whose decades of activism span undercover investigations, zoo closures, illegal hunting prosecutions, and the banning of bullfighting in Catalonia. He is best known for the landmark 2020 legal case that established ethical veganism as a protected philosophical belief under Great Britain’s Equality Act 2010. He is the author of Ethical Vegan: A Personal and Political Journey to Change the World and Why Vegans Don’t: A Philosophical Guide to Vegan Behaviour, and works as a freelance writer, video creator, and public speaker on veganism and animal rights. 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 cover a range of stories at the intersection of animal rights, activism, and culture. They dive deep into the ongoing Ridglan Farms beagle rescue situation — with a planned April 19th action drawing thousands — and the support from Congressman Mark Pocan, who pushed back on Ridglan’s request for protection from activists. The hosts also revisit the largely forgotten history of the Hegins pigeon shoot, celebrate Ann Esselstyn’s Guinness World Record dead hang at age 90, share a heartwarming story about Poland’s Citizen Frog Patrol, discuss the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade’s latest victory against Visa’s sponsorship of Milan Fashion Week, and review World Animal Protection’s Moving the Menu report grading fast food chains on plant-based options. Ridglan Farms beagle rescue — Activists plan a mass rescue on April 19th; Congressman Mark Pocan publicly urges Ridglan to prioritize rehoming dogs under their court settlement Hegins pigeon shoot history — A look back at one of the animal rights movement’s defining moments of open rescue and direct action in 1990s Pennsylvania Ann Esselstyn’s Guinness World Record — The 90-year-old plant-based advocate sets a dead hang record, highlighting the power of a whole-food, plant-based diet Poland’s Citizen Frog Patrol — Community volunteers carry migrating frogs across dangerous roads each spring, a ritual that Mariann connects to the need for meaningful community practices in animal advocacy Fast food & fur industry accountability — World Animal Protection’s Moving the Menu report gives nearly all major U.S. fast food chains failing grades on plant-based options; CAFT wins another major victory as Visa drops its sponsorship of Milan Fashion Week RESOURCES Save the Ridglan Beagles Ridglan Farms activists plan return amid increased security measures Ann Esselstyn’s World Record Citizen ‘Frog Patrol’ helps amphibians survive a dangerous road journey in Poland The Afterlife Project by Tim Weed Moving the Menu report VISA INC. DROPS MILAN FASHION WEEK!  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.

This week on Rising Anxieties, Mariann runs through a lineup of stories that have the animal agriculture industry sweating — from a ballot initiative that could make killing animals for food illegal in Oregon, to the egg board spending a cool million to get scrambled eggs into school cafeterias, to bird flu quietly turning dairy cows into a mammalian petri dish. Plus: a study proving chickens can feel joy (don’t ask what the industry plans to do about it), and a USDA “Product of USA” promo that accidentally starred Calgary. In this episode: Oregon’s PEACE Act — Animal rights advocates are collecting signatures to put a ballot measure before Oregon voters that would remove cruelty exemptions — and the Animal Agricultural Alliance is very, very nervous Egg industry buys its way into schools — The American Egg Board drops $1 million to push eggs into school breakfast programs, with a big assist from USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, who assures us eggs are “as real as food gets” Colorado fur ban and the slippery slope everyone agrees is real — Wildlife commissioners advance a commercial fur sales ban, and both animal advocates and their opponents agree this is just the beginning Bird flu update: dairy cows as a training ground — Researchers warn that H5N1 may be using North American dairy cattle as a launching pad to better infect humans, and vaccination remains controversial Chickens can experience joy — A University of Bristol study finds gentle human handling triggers positive emotions in chicks; the poultry industry’s proposed response remains mysteriously unexplained 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.

Rose Patterson, Director of Animal Rising in the UK, joins Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan for a deep dive into one of the most daring and legally complex animal rescue stories in recent UK history. Rose shares how Animal Rising evolved from a climate-focused Extinction Rebellion offshoot into a frontline animal rights organization, and what it really takes to challenge the systems that exploit animals — from factory farms to royal estates. The MBR Acres Beagle Rescues: Rose details the two open rescues at MBR Acres, the UK’s only beagle breeding facility for animal testing — including the occupation, the 23 dogs saved, and the fate of Love and Libby, the puppies taken back by police. Five Trials, Mixed Verdicts: With 20 defendants split across five trials, the same act of rescue resulted in both guilty and not-guilty verdicts, raising urgent questions about jury discretion, legal precedent, and the honesty defense under UK law. Theory of Change Through Direct Action: Rose explains how bold, nonviolent actions — blockading McDonald’s and dairy distribution centers, disrupting the Grand National, and conducting the largest farm investigation in UK history — are designed to create moral shock and shift public culture. From Puppies to Pigs: Rose reflects on the strategic challenge of transferring public empathy from companion animals to farmed animals, and why she believes the UK is closer to ending factory farming than many realize, with 56–85% of the public already opposing it. What’s Next for Animal Rising: A massive multi-year factory farming investigation and campaign is set to launch this summer, backed by over 100 trained volunteer investigators and aimed at pressuring the UK government to phase out factory farming entirely. ABOUT OUR GUEST Rose Patterson is the Director of Animal Rising. She’s been a dedicated animal rights advocate since 2012 and has led major campaigns, investigations, and direct actions, including blockades of McDonald’s and dairy distribution centers, the disruption of the Grand National horse race, and the largest investigation in UK history on RSPCA Assured farms. Rose was recently found not guilty for rescuing beagles from MBR Acres, a breeding facility for animal testing. 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 week’s Hen Report, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan mark Mariann’s 76th birthday with a wide-ranging conversation touching on animal rights, food trends, and the power of changing your mind. Mariann reflects on her Rising Anxieties episode, connecting the Declaration of Independence’s “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” to animal rights, while Jasmin shares updates on her theater rehearsals and an exciting free book proposal program at World Shapers for nonfiction writers working on animal rights topics (apply by April 17th). Etsy bans fur – After just 58 days and 50 protests across 17 cities led by the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT), Etsy announced it will prohibit fur products — including mink, fox, and rabbit — effective August 2025 Young people and meat-free eating – A UK study of 1,000 young adults found half had considered going meat-free during school, with parental support emerging as the single biggest factor in whether they stuck with it Fiber maxxing goes viral – TikTok’s latest health trend promotes high-fiber eating, which naturally skews plant-based; benefits include reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Gen Z ditches meat alternatives for fermented foods – Kimchi, kombucha, miso, and sourdough are surging among younger consumers who want food that’s authentic and gut-friendly, not just a meat replica JBS invests $37M in cultivated protein – The world’s largest meat producer launches a R&D center in Brazil for cultivated meat, signaling growing industry confidence in animal-free protein RESOURCES Ever thought about writing a book that helps animals? World Shapers: Three Months to a Book Proposal ETSY BANS FUR! Etsy Bans Animal Fur Online Retail Giant Bows to Activists by Banning Fur Sales. It’s Hurting Conservation and American Trappers NEW MFW TARGET: VISA OHH Episode 917 with Suzie Stork Young people more open to ditching meat than previously thought – new study What Is TikTok’s Fibermaxxing—and How Does It Help Animals? The future of food isn’t just plant-based it’s fungal, fermented, and lab-grown Gen Z isn’t buying plant-based meat, but they’re spending record amounts on fermented foods JBS launches cultivated protein R&D center in Brazil with US$37 million investment FOR LOVE OF ANIMALS BOOK STUDY: To sign up for the study and to receive your copy of the book, email Sheila at [email protected]  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.