The Hen Report: “The Gateway Species” | Ridglan Beagle Rescue, No-Kill States & Farmed Animals

In this episode of The Hen Report from Our Hen House, Jasmin and Mariann cover major developments in animal welfare and the vegan movement, including the Ridglan Farms beagle rescue court updates, Wyoming becoming the sixth no-kill state, the Trump administration’s animal welfare agenda (and its exclusion of farm animals), the upcoming free Veganic Summit, and a heartwarming story of a young Spider-Man who released resort lobsters back into the ocean. Plus, a conversation about bridging the gap between companion animal advocacy and farmed animal rights, and a preview of Friday’s interview with Michelle Lerner, author of A Series of Opinionated Animals. Ridglan Farms Beagle Rescue Court Update: All 47 advocates who rescued beagles from the Wisconsin breeding facility appeared in court, with attorneys arguing they acted as rescuers — not thieves. Rep. Mark Pocan has called on the Dane County DA to drop all charges, and the Beagle Freedom Project reports 85% of the 498 released beagles had abnormal veterinary findings. Wyoming Joins No-Kill States: Wyoming is now the sixth U.S. state to achieve no-kill shelter status (90% live release rate), joining Delaware, Idaho, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont — thanks in part to special-needs cat rescues like Second Chance Sheridan. Trump’s Animal Welfare Agenda & Farm Animals: Jessica Scott-Reid writes in Sentient Media that while the administration is reportedly expanding protections for companion animals through USDA and FDA updates, the new era of animal welfare still excludes nearly all of the 10 billion land animals farmed for food each year. Veganic Summit (Free, Nov 6–8): A free online event teaching how to grow plant foods using vegan, organic techniques — no chemical fertilizers or animal byproducts like manure or bone meal. Register at veganicsummit.com. The Kids Are All Right: A young boy in Mexico donned a Spider-Man mask and released $400 worth of resort lobsters into the ocean, and a bipartisan Michigan bill — inspired by fourth graders — would designate shelter pets as the state’s official pet. RESOURCES Buy A Series of Opinionated Animals & A Portion Will Go To Our Hen House! Ridglan Farms beagles: Animal rights advocates appear in court Wyoming is Now a No-Kill State Trump’s ‘New Era of Animal Welfare’ Excludes Almost All Farm Animals A young boy wearing a Spider-Man mask released approximately $400 worth of live lobsters Thanks, Matthew Bierlein – State Representative for introducing a bill designating shelter pets as Michigan’s official pet. Beyond VegFest: Making Healthy Connections My Dog Is My Home, A Seat at the Table benefit _____________________________________________ The Veganic Summit is a free online event from November 6th-8th, 2026. You’ll learn how plant foods can be grown using techniques that are both vegan and organic, without any chemical fertilizers or any animal byproducts like manure or bonemeal. If you’d like to start your own veganic garden or learn about sustainable plant-based farming, sign up for the Veganic Summit today at https://veganicsummit.com/ _____________________________________________ 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.