The Hen Report: Inside the 207-Mile March to Abolish Animal Testing

In this episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann sit down with Gretchen Primack and Ella Magers to debrief the historic March to Abolish Animal Testing (MAAT) — a 207-mile trek from Albany to Marshall Bioresources, the country’s largest breeder of dogs for animal experimentation. The organizers share what it took to mobilize over 1,000 people in just three and a half months, how they made animal activism accessible to everyday animal lovers, the media breakthroughs, including New York Times and CBS National coverage, and what comes next as the movement prepares for MAAT 2.0. Inside the March to Abolish Animal Testing: How Gretchen Primack and Ella Magers organized a 207-mile march from Albany to Marshall Bioresources in North Rose, NY — a facility holding over 42,000 animals, including 16,000 dogs, mostly beagles, bred for experimentation Building an accessible activist movement: How the march empowered everyday people to show up on their own terms — whether for a few hours or the full route — with community care infrastructure like daily route guides, WhatsApp groups, evening events with live speakers and vegan food, and partnerships with local shelters and rescues Media breakthroughs for the anti-animal-testing movement: Coverage from The New York Times and CBS National, the flaws in the NYT reporting (including undercounting marchers by hundreds), and why mainstream press attention marks a turning point for the movement The “Until Every Cage Is Empty” tattoo story: How a free afternoon during the march led to a group of marchers getting matching tattoos at the country’s oldest vegan tattoo shop in Syracuse, and how Jasmin and Mariann got inked the same week What’s next — MAAT 2.0 and beyond: The COMPACT Act, introduced during the march, momentum building for future actions, and how listeners can get involved or support the movement through Our Hen House’s flock membership RESOURCES March to Abolish Animal Testing _____________________________________________ 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.