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

Author, animal activist, and founder of Australia’s NSW Hen Rescue Catherine Kelaher joins us today to provide insight into her rescue work, share her most harrowing rescue experience (and the subsequent court case!), and detail how she goes about the rehoming process for rescued hens. She also tells us about her latest book, Saving Animals, a how-to guide for aspiring activists, and just wait till you hear about how Our Hen House helped bring it into existence! (We’re kvelling!!) Catherine and Jasmin also discuss everything from the many problems with hatching programs in schools to the importance of taking care of yourself when caring for others.
Catherine is a vegan animal activist, feminist, and children’s book author who has dedicated her life to liberating caged hens. Catherine’s NSW Hen Rescue works to rehabilitate and rehome hens and other animals from factory farms. Both she and NSW Hen Rescue have received awards for animal activism and rescue. Catherine was born and raised in England and studied English literature and creative writing at Kingston Upon Thames University. She moved to Sydney, Australia, in 2006 and has been rescuing animals and trying to make the world a better place ever since.

“By using your own narrative you can bring about change for animals.”
– Catherine Kelaher

Interview Highlights:

• Why Catherine decided to write Saving Animals and some of the amazing young activists she spoke to
• Catherine’s best care tips for companion animals
• Why we need to be honest with children and young people about what happens to animals
• How to introduce children to animal rights and the need for equality
• Insights into Catherine’s work at the NSW Hen Rescue, the hens she is currently caring for, and where they have been rescued from
• The difficulties and joys of rescuing roosters and how to deal with them as compassionately as possible

Resources:

• Saving Animals

Connect with Catherine Kelaher:

• NSW Hen Rescue’s Website
• Ashland Creek Press Website
• NSW Hen Rescue on Facebook
• NSW Hen Rescue on Instagram
• NSW Hen Rescue on Twitter

Connect with Our Hen House:

• Our Hen House Website
• Our Hen House on Facebook
• Our Hen House on Instagram
• Our Hen House on Twitter

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This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

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You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week!
Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.
The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Amy Quichiz joins Our Hen House podcast co-host Jasmin Singer in this episode to tell us about an extraordinary collective she co-founded, Veggie Mijas, and how it started and how it has since grown. Amy was inspired to found this vibrant community, which has since expanded well beyond its original home on Instagram, because she wanted to show the Latinx community how they could access healthier foods, talk about their rights within the food industry, and bring their perspectives to the issues of animal liberation and environmental justice. As a woman of color from Jackson Heights, New York, Amy has witnessed the environmental racism that has given rise to a lack of resources and opportunity in Latinx communities, and is committed to forging social change.
Amy shares why veganism is a vital part of her worldview and heritage, and how white vegans can better center and include vegans (and prospective vegans) of color. Amy also discusses how the movement has changed and developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, how she and her colleagues prioritize their own mental health to continue supporting their community, and her hopes for the future. Amy feels that the work of Veggie Mijas as a social movement has the potential to inspire communities to organize for profound social change while maintaining the authenticity of Latinx culture.
In this week’s “Our Hen House Supports Vegan Businesses,” we’re supporting Maxine’s Heavenly, a vegan cookie company, and Veltree, a plant-based soul food restaurant located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“It’s always about finding your voice, finding your passion
and finding what you want to change in the world.”
– Amy Quichiz

This Week in Our Hen House:

• How the Veggie Mijas collective expanded and grew, and the unique perspective that draws people to join them
• What “decolonizing your diet” means and why what you eat isn’t necessarily an independent choice
• How Veggie Mijas’ potlucks have been successful in building community, Amy’s favorite potluck thus far, and how the potlucks double as a safe place for vegans of color to be open and honest
• How Amy has steered Veggie Mijas during the pandemic
• How Veggies Mijas plans to move forward with advocacy and events post-pandemic
• The internal work that Veggie Mijas coordinators are doing to ensure they can continue to serve their communities, and the personal and collective goals the group is focusing on
• Why the collective is addressing veganism through a feminist, queer, leftist lens
• How the plant-based lifestyle aligns with food justice and provokes meaningful conversations

Connect with Amy Quichiz :

• Veggie Mijas Website
• Veggie Mijas Cookbook
• Veggie Mijas on Facebook
• Veggie Mijas on Instagram
• Amy Quichiz on Instagram

Connect with Our Hen House:

• Our Hen House Website
• Our Hen House on Facebook
• Our Hen House on Instagram
• Our Hen House on Twitter

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This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

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You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, a...

This week Jasmin talks to the legendary Colleen Patrick-Goudreau about her new book, The Joyful Vegan, and the messages she wants people to take from the book. She also shares how she remains so Joyful in a world that often feels painful, why people continue to eat animals, what tools we can use for navigating and overcoming the most common challenges of staying the vegan course, and solutions for managing the pressure (often self-inflicted) to be a perfect vegan.
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s compassionate living philosophy is propelling plant-based eating into the mainstream and forever changing how we regard animals. A recognized expert and thought leader on the culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of living compassionately and healthfully, Colleen is a speaker, cultural commentator, podcaster, and award-winning author of seven books. She shares her message of compassion and wellness on national and regional broadcast programs and as a monthly contributor to National Public Radio. She lives in Oakland, CA with her husband David and two cats Charlie and Michiko.
In the intro to the show, Mariann goes to Miami Beach, prompting a discussion on the horrors of plane travel, Jasmin goes to a street fair and finds some great vegan food, and Jasmin interviews Tulsi Gabbard for VegNews. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties!
As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer.
This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.
Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network.
You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week!
Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.
The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Mariann talks to Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni about how he became active in the animal rights movement; what he is excited about in the animal rights world, including the activities of Sea Shepard and Mercy For Animals; why he believes that animal rights organizations are at their best when run by women; and how he uses his venture capital companies use investing to increase the well-being of animals all over the world He also of course talks to us about his wine and how he has been growing it organically and free of animal products since 1989. Lastly, he offers his thoughts about battling climate change.
Born in Milan, Italy, in 1966, Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni is an award-winning entrepreneur, investor, activist, and advisor to businesses and governments around the world. He is the Chairman and CEO of NKGB Strategic Advisory (based in Switzerland) with a focus on M&A, international policy, plant-based economy, technology, and impact investing. He is the owner and honorary chairman of one of the most renowned and innovative Italian wine estates, Querciabella, organic since 1988 and biodynamic since 2000. His Tuscan wines have garnered worldwide acclaim, including “Best Italian Wine” in 2004. Querciabella currently holds one of the largest extensions of biodynamic vineyards in Europe, and has pioneered vegan agriculture, viticulture and winemaking for over two decades. He served as Economic Advisor to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy from 2014 to 2016. Mr Cossia Castiglioni is an investor in over 40 companies in the food innovation and plantbased sector, and was one of the early investors in Beyond Meat. He recently created and is about to launch a top quality gluten-free pasta brand (Bontasana), and a baby food brand (PeaKidz). He is a partner of Blue Horizon, and the main partner of Matthew Kenney’s global operations. He serves as advisor, among others, to plantbased companies Lighter, Plantable and The Vurger.
In 2017, he joined Impact NRS (New Reality Solutions) – a leading innovation company based in the US and Israel, developing transformative solutions to address persistent global challenges in human health, food production and agriculture – to serve as Senior Strategic Advisor. Among other innovations, NRS recently introduced two new cancer diagnostic and management tools that are poised to revolutionize the sector. He recently launched a new investment fund, with his partner Miray Zaki, called Dismatrix, dedicated to Dynamic Capital Solutions and Vegan Investments.
Although his expertise spans the food, finance, wine, technology, life sciences, design and art sectors, his main focus is animals. An impassioned vegan for the past few years, and an animal rights activist for over 35 years, his aim is saving animals in every possible way: from removing them from the food chain and other human activities through investment and entrepreneurship, to protecting them via direct action and strategy. He serves on the Board of Advisors of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society; on the Board of Compassion Over Killing; on the Advisory Council of Animal Equality; and on the Board of the Culture & Animals Foundation.
In the intro to the show, Jasmin‘s Vegan Lesbian Killjoy comedy act makes another appearance, Mariann and Jasmin talk about that AMAZING Joaquin Phoenix speech everyone is talking about and the reactions to and ramifications of it. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties!
As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer.
This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.
Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network.
You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast epi...

Monica Engebretson is working to end cruel animal testing practices, and this week, she joins the podcast for an in-depth conversation about the state of medical and cosmetic animal testing. The North American Head of Public Affairs for Cruelty Free International, Monica breaks down how the global organization is working to bring an end to animal testing worldwide. Plus, she explains the difference between animal research and animal testing, the most cogent arguments for its ineffectiveness, and the existing non-animal alternatives. She also gives us an overview of animal research and testing in the United States and discusses various legislative and regulatory initiatives on behalf of animals trapped in labs.

*We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read Mariann’s interview with Monica Engebretson.*

Monica Engebretson is the North American Head of Public Affairs for Cruelty Free International – an organization working to end animal testing worldwide. Monica has worked in the field of animal protection since 1999 with a range of experience, including fieldwork, undercover investigations, lobbying, and media and public education campaigns. She has also worked on various issues in addition to animals in research, including human-wildlife conflicts, trapping, farmed animals, and captive birds. She has helped write and pass several state laws on many of these issues. Before working professionally in the animal protection movement, Monica earned a Bachelor of Science in wildlife with a minor in environmental ethics from Humboldt State University in Northern California. Monica’s work for Cruelty Free International has focused on initiatives in the US and Canada to end cosmetic testing on animals, working to accelerate the replacement of animals in FDA regulatory testing through the Make Alternatives a Priority (MAP) campaign, advancing humane science funded by the NIH with the Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Sciences Testing (HEARTS) Act, and maximizing the number of animals released from laboratories through the Companion Animal Release from Experiments (CARE) Act.

“Every year, it’s estimated 192 million animals are used in experiments around the world, and the US is one of the largest users of animals.” – Monica Engebretson

Highlights for Episode 653:

• The complexities of testing medical and cosmetic products
• The central criticisms of using animals in experiments
• Why animal testing is a historic methodology that has proved to be ineffective
• Other non-animal testing methods that are showing signs of being more useful
• The major objections to the use of non-animal testing alternatives
• A review of the current US state and federal research and testing laws and recent changes to those laws, including what the Animal Welfare Act requires from organizations and businesses
• How Cruelty Free International is helping to ensure that non-animal testing methods are prioritized
• Some of the shortcomings in existing laws
• The Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Sciences Testing (HEARTS) Act
• Why Cruelty Free International is working at the federal level to build programs that help animals find homes once their role in research is over and how that initiative serves to remind people of the ongoing issue of animal testing
• Changes happening at the State level, particularly in New York, concerning cosmetic testing
• How the Leaping Bunny mark ensures you’re buying cruelty-free products
• How you can find out if a product is cruelty-free or vegan
• How to get in touch with and support Cruelty Free International

Resources:

• Plant Based Meat By Far The Best Climate Investment Report Finds
• Faunalytics

Connect with Monica Engebretson:

• Cruelty Free International Website
• Sign up for general US-based alerts and newsletters at Make Their Voice Count
• Cruelty Free USA on Twitter
• Cruelty Free International on Twitter
• Cruelty Free International on Instagram:
• Cruelty Fr...