Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation - Cruelty Free International with Monica Engebretson

Cruelty Free International with Monica Engebretson

07/16/22 • 60 min

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

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:

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 In...

*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.*

“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:

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 In...

Previous Episode

Pig Little Lies with Jane Velez-Mitchell

Jane Velez-Mitchell is a media powerhouse known for speaking up for animals, and today, we welcome her back to the podcast for a conversation about UnchainedTV, the free streaming platform committed to amplifying vegan, animal rights content. In our conversation, Jane explains how people can access this critical content worldwide, why she decided to make it available free of charge, and the metaphor behind the UnchainedTV name. She also shares the details of how the new network came to develop the world’s first reality show starring a family of pigs, Pig Little Lies, and why she believes the show has become wildly popular. We also discuss her focus on climate change and the importance of sharing animal rights content beyond our vegan bubbles and making sure it reaches as many people as possible.

*We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read Jasmin’s interview with Jane Velez-Mitchell.*

Jane Velez-Mitchell is a nationally known TV journalist, best-selling author, and founder and Managing Editor of UnchainedTV. She is the winner of four Genesis awards and commendations from the Humane Society of the United States and is committed to covering crimes against animals and the environment. Unchained TV is the culmination of a lifelong dream. Previously, Jane worked as a television journalist anchoring local news at KCAL-TV in Los Angeles and WCBS-TV in New York. Jane also hosted her show on CNN Headline News (HLN) for six years.

“We’re trying to normalize veganism.” – Jane Velez-Mitchell

Highlights for Episode 652:

How saving Dante and Beatrice from a high-kill shelter came to be featured on UnchainedTV’s programming, plus how a twist in the tale led to even more drama than the team anticipated
The importance of having animal media that makes people laugh
The cast of Pig Little Lies and the popularity of the show
The horror of unscrupulous pig breeders selling animals as ́micro ́ or ́teacup ́ pigs and what happens when their buyers realize that is far from the truth
How listeners can get involved in helping these pigs or other animals in similar situations
The types of programming UnchainedTV offers, including how they report on news
Whether Jane has hope, despite all she has seen in the course of her career
The pros and cons of cell-based meats and why Jane believes it is the way of the future

Resources:

Connect with Jane Velez-Mitchell:

Connect with Our Hen House:

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Next Episode

Maasai Vegan with Jack Lekishon

Powerhouse environmentalist, wildlife conservationist, and animal advocate Jack Lekishon joins the podcast this week from Maasai Mara, Kenya. A native Maasai, Jack shares traditions from the people of The Mara and tells us about the land on which they live and the plethora of wild animals that also know the Maasai Mara as home. Jack also shares why the traditional Maasai diet is so reliant on animals as a food source and outlines how he is encouraging his community to embrace a plant-based lifestyle. Plus, Jack highlights the importance of educating the region’s young people on looming climate change issues and how they can play their part in slowing the progression of the climate crisis.

*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 Jack Lekishon.*

Jack Lekishon is a native Maasai currently residing in Maasai Mara, Kenya. He is committed to preserving the natural environment and teaching young leaders how to be future stewards of the land. Jack aims to inspire youth in Kenya, and more broadly East Africa, to become involved in both wildlife and environmental conservation efforts while raising awareness of the natural world’s great economic, cultural, and aesthetic value. Jack holds a diploma in Wildlife and Tourism and Management and Conservation from Wildlife Clubs of Kenya – Center for Tourism Training and Research. He currently works with Million Dollar Vegan to promote veganism and raise awareness about animal rights and the challenges facing our planet.

“There is a very positive impact when it comes to educating young people.” – Jack Lekishon

Highlights for Episode 654:

Jack shares why he made such a huge shift in the way he eats and why he became a vegan
Jack’s experience with a vegan food relief program during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the community received the initiative
He talks about why the Maasai people traditionally resisted farming and how Jack is working to change the view that a healthy diet has to contain meat
He discusses the impact of drought and climate change on the Maasai people’s diet
He shares the benefits of ecotourism to the Maasai economy
He offers a brief overview of the conflict between the Maasai people and the Tanzanian government
The interview covers Jack’s work with local children on understanding the environmental significance of where they live and how they can protect it
We discuss why the Maasai are open to making the necessary changes in their way of life to ensure the safe future of their people
Finally, we go over how to learn more about and support Jack’s work

Resources:

Connect with Jack Lekishon:

Connect with Our Hen House: