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Published by Jeremy Loeb
Spinoff of a podcast I co-produce with animal rights activist/attorney Wayne Hsiung. Animal rights is the theme. I will expose the good in other activists and put my tiny weight of support into their efforts. I will highlight activists, artists, and community members with fascinating stories, typically related in some way to animal rights. I will use my press background as a former host and reporter at various NPR member stations to do engaging conversations and attempt to find angles and interesting points that haven't been covered in the movement or in the activists' work or history.
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Will Potter's novel "Little Red Barns: Hiding the Truth, From Farm to Fable" had an instant impact on me. Beyond it being exceptionally readable despite delving into dark topics, the book resonated with me as a former journalist who similarly felt the tension between "bearing witness" and living the story you're telling. Unsurprisingly, Will described that this 10 year project turned into something of a memoir as he navigated the shifting landscape of government repression of activist movements, particularly the animal rights movement."Little Red Barns" takes us beyond the mythical barnyard walls the industry has intentionally erected into the reality of modern animal agriculture. The words on the pages are alarming because the apocalyptic world it describes is right down the road, not far off. And today, not in the future.Beyond Will's extraordinary books, including "Green is the New Red" which I also highly recommend, I deeply enjoyed getting a chance to speak with him, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Will's website Will's YouTube "Little Red Barns" "Green is the New Red" Will's IG Will's FB Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
I recently came across a story in the Raleigh News&Observer about PETA condemning research Duke University scientists were conducting on pigs to study decompression sickness, or "the Bends." This grotesque study subjected pigs to unspeakable suffering, and ultimately death. Shriya Swaminathan, science policy advisor at PETA, has been on top of the issue for years. Just 3 years prior she was on another podcast talking about similar research being conducted on sheep at the University of Wisconsin Madison. I wonder how many animals will pay the price for humanity's hubris.This type of work can be grim and depressing, so I feel deeply grateful for people like Shriya who dedicate their lives to pursuing an end to this exploitation. I highly encourage everyone to follow the links below and urge an immediate end to cruel testing on animals. This podcast is also available on YouTube .Links: Act Now PETA's YouTube News&Observer story PETA's IG PETA's FB PETA's TikTok Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
Animal rights attorney Wayne Hsiung revisits the podcast to give an update on the Ridglan beagle trial. It's Wayne's first time on the podcast since we became co-defendants for rescuing dogs from Ridglan Farms, a notorious breeder of laboratory beagles. Wayne explains how on August 24th, our due process rights were violated and how this fits into a pattern in the legal system, and institutions as a whole. Luckily we have voices and microphones we intend to use, but the animals too often have no one to speak out for them. Stay tuned for developments in the Ridglan trial. Join the Save the Dogs summit from Sept. 4-6 in Madison, WI. Details here Join the March to Abolish Animal Testing Sept. 12-26 https://savethedogs.io/ for all the info you need. Additional links: Wayne's YouTube Wayne's blog Wayne's IG Wayne's TikTok Wayne's FaceBook Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
When I first met Taj Uppal, he came across to me as soft-spoken but confident and determined. I remember being unsurprised to later see a video of Taj, now an attorney, attempting to give a police officer animal cruelty evidence of a Meyenberg goat milk factory farm in California. Taj had just helped to rescue emaciated baby goats from the Whole Foods supplier and had returned, along with his fellow rescuers, in the hopes of helping the rest of the animals. Taj was instead arrested, and later charged with felonies. He and three others face over 6 years in prison for their role in the rescue. Taj is putting an enormous amount on the line for his convictions: specifically a promising law career, and his own freedom. But what so resonates with me is the pain and guilt he feels for the suffering that is shared amongst his loved ones. It's something I share with Taj, when taking on high-risk actions, the idea of causing stress and worry to those closest to me is an enormous weight to carry. I really appreciate that Taj is open and vulnerable enough to share it with the world. I hope that Taj's family sees what a truly remarkable person they raised. He embodies some of the best qualities we can have as people: compassion, kindness, courage, humility, sacrifice. Taj's actions were out of love for suffering animals, and a burning desire to alleviate that suffering. They should be celebrated, not prosecuted. This conversation is also available on YouTube . Links: Taj's substack Taj's IG Rescue video Direct Action Everywhere Right to Rescue Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings
Back when I started my podcast two years ago, I'd always ask my guests if they had a channel to recommend. Numerous times, guests brought up That Chip Guy. And it's easy to see why. He's a phenomenal vegan street outreacher and debater who also works collaboratively with other activists. Cip and I have discussed doing a podcast for awhile, but for one reason or another hadn't gotten around to doing one. So I'm thrilled that we finally got to do it. I already liked Cip before, but even moreso after doing the podcast. He's a very thoughtful, introspective person, constantly evaluating the best way. And in fact, that was what surprised me most about our interview was his sincere questioning of the right path forward. I know that whatever path Cip embarks on next, the animals will benefit from it. This conversation is also available on YouTube . Links: That Chip Guy on YouTube On IG On FB On TikTok We the Free Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings
Darius Fullmer had plenty of reason to withdraw from the animal rights movement, having served prison time as one of the SHAC 7. The Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty campaign against Huntingdon Life Sciences was an inflection point in the movement, notable for the tremendous successes achieved by grassroots activists, ultimately undone by severe government repression. Six activists from the campaign in America, including Darius, served prison sentences for their role. But Darius didn't go away. He's now an attorney with the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, helping activists facing repression themselves.I'm fascinated to speak with activists who put the plight of animals above themselves, and Darius surely did that. Similar to my conversations with fellow SHAC 7 prisoner Andy Stepanian and SHAC UK activist and author Tom Harris, this conversation was insightful on many levels and ended up feeling like a quick conversation, not a multiple hour podcast. I'm grateful to Darius for helping the animals and fellow activists in his current work, and I hope you find the conversation as valuable as I did. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: AALDP AALDP IG National Lawyers Guild 'Know Your Rights' workshop "The Animal People"
Logging onto social media as an animal rights activist can be a drag. The algorithm knows what to show you, and oftentimes it's grim photos of animal suffering. That's why I'm grateful for people like Danny Ishay. Over the years, Danny's made me laugh numerous times with his witty satirical takes on common anti-vegan arguments and misinformation. Whether it's another ex-vegan nonsense video or the latest diet fad drivel, I can always count on Danny's videos to offer a humorous and clever response. Underneath all of that is Danny's obvious intelligence. I've watched him over the years in debate and philosophy spaces learning and honing his craft, something he uses to his advantage working with Allied Scholars for Animal Protection, speaking with college students across America. He's even penned many of the common anti-vegan arguments and their debunking in a book. But what I appreciate most about Danny Ishay is his genuine kindness and generosity behind the scenes. He's repeatedly used his platform and spoken in defense of activists facing trial for the rescue of animals. Whether it's the latest iteration of the carnivore diet or the corrupt legal system, Danny exposes it all with his biting satire. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Danny's YouTube His IG His FB Danny's book Allied Scholars Danny's video about Ridglan trial Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
I got to know the incredible attorney Steffen Seitz when I had the privilege of serving on Wayne Hsiung's legal team during his trial for organizing mass open rescues of animals in Sonoma County, California. Steffen was fresh out of Yale Law School and there to be of assistance in any way he could. And his positive impact was immediately felt, by myself and the whole team. What I found in Steffen was someone extraordinarily bright, insightful and generous. Beyond his enormous help to the team, I will never forget the late nights when I was scrambling to finish something up for court the next day and Steffen staying up late to help me with this thing or that thing when he didn't have to. Steffen is the person who completed what I consider a crazily improbable hail mary pass in getting a special prosecutor appointed to look into beagle breeder Ridglan Farms. At that point, Ridglan had just dropped charges that had been pending on Wayne and his two co-defendants for rescuing dogs from that place, and a petition was filed to appoint a special prosecutor to finally do something about Ridglan. Steffen's successful petition ultimately led to the agreement reached between Tim Gruenke and Ridglan to give up their state breeders license, a massive win, but a win tempered by the refusal by authorities to do anything for the beagles still remaining there, a problem that remains unresolved to this day.Steffen's work, along with his colleagues at the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, is one of the true godsends for the animal rights movement. I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: AALDP AALDP IG AALDP LinkedIn Voluntary Prosecution and the Case of Animal Rescue Conspiracy and Social Movements "This is an Uprising" book Sign up for the April 19 Rescue Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
I've wanted to have Jeremy Beckham on my podcast for awhile to talk about his deep research into how beagles became the dogs used as lab experiments. Now with there being so much focus on beagle breeder Ridglan Farms due to a March 15 open rescue that got 22 dogs to safety, it's the perfect time to speak with him and look at the big picture. It was likely Jeremy himself who largely put Ridglan under a microscope years ago when, while living in Madison, he happened to learn of a secretive dog breeder nearby that was at that time the 3rd largest breeder of beagles for research in America.Jeremy documented in his harrowing research paper " Radioactive Beagles " how the Cold War-era focus on atomic energy and weapons prompted a surge in studies about how radiation affects the human body. But, as he documents, through a series of decisions of convenience, the beagle was chosen to conduct that research, costing many thousands of dogs a life of suffering which continues to this day. In this episode you'll hear Jeremy's take on what's happening at Ridglan Farms, animal testing and the animal rights movement over his decades advocating for animals, whether with Beagle Freedom Project, PETA, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, or any other of the many roles he's played. I hope you enjoy this insightful conversation as much as I did. This episode is also available on YouTube .Links: Radioactive Beagles Jeremy's LinkedIn "Animal Liberation Now" John Gluck book Jeremy on Wayne's podcast Join the April 19th Riglan rescue Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings
Roger Yates has had so many titles over the years that it's difficult to even know where to begin. So I just settled on introducing Roger as a longtime animal rights advocate. But to dig in a bit more, Roger was once a spokesperson for the Animal Liberation Front, a committee member of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, and founder of numerous groups. He's also a sociologist. Roger is probably most visible these days on his YouTube channel where he also does a podcast called "Still Alive" with ALF founder Ronnie Lee. Roger was there for so many notable moments in animal rights history, some which we talked about here. As he mentioned to me, he also feels very protective of the movement. He has some sharp observations about it that we also got into. He has loads of knowledge and wisdom to draw from. But the main takeaway for me is that Roger is a genuinely enjoyable guy to speak with. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Roger's YouTube Roger's IG Roger's FB Roger's TikTok Tom Regan speech "Defending Animal Rights" Roger on Green Scare Pod Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings
For my last episode of the holiday season, I thought it would be appropriate to take stock of the incredible achievements of the animal rights movement in 2025. And the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT) was a huge part of it. Orchestrating a dizzying number of wins that just keep rolling in, CAFT has shown what a relatively small group of committed activists can achieve with the right amount of focus and determination. CAFT executive director Suzie Stork is a big reason for it. Suzie is an impressive leader of an impressive group that's part of an impressive coalition, along with groups like Animal Activism Collective (AAC) and the International Council for Animal Welfare (ICAW) that have brought big results for animals this year. The latest CAFT win, getting influential designer Rick Owens to go fur free, was won in just five days. I can barely keep track of all the wins. And that's the best holiday gift I could ask for. Thank you for an amazing 2025, and here's to a 2026 that sees the fur industry finished for good. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: CAFT website CAFT newsletter CAFT IG AAC Linktree ICAW Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
Alex Hershaft was just a child when he and his family were forced into the Polish Warsaw Ghetto by the Nazis. Fortunately, Alex survived where so many others perished, making his way to America. Years later, while inspecting a slaughterhouse, he was taken back to images he remembered from the Holocaust. He would dedicate his life to saving animals, organizing a national conference in 1981, a huge milestone in the American modern animal rights movement and forming the group Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM).Now 91 years old, I had the honor to speak with Alex for the first time for this podcast. Alex comes across to me as very affable and thoughtful, with loads of insight into the history of the animal rights movement, a major topic of interest for this channel. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Five Decades - One Mission Alex's website Alex's blog Alex's IG Alex's FB "Never Again" FARM Watch Earthlings
Dr. Richard D. Ryder coined the term "speciesism" in the late 1960s at a time when there were new terms such as "racism" and "sexism" more widely beginning to permeate the culture, describing a prejudice based on morally insignificant traits. This concept started to bounce around a small group of intellectuals at the University of Oxford, including the young philosopher Peter Singer, who would go on to popularize the term in his transformative book "Animal Liberation." Ryder had originally agreed to be a cowriter along with Singer, but pulled out with other work at the time. But his influence on "Animal Liberation" was significant. It was, in fact, this intellectual framework thus described beautifully in the opening monologue of the documentary "Earthlings" which led to my discovery of animal rights and directly changed the course of my life. Put simply, I am doing what I am doing today in large part due to the groundwork laid by Richard.And in fact, it was Peter Singer who graciously made the introduction to Richard at my request. I didn't know at the time how opportune a moment it was to be asking, as Peter alerted me to Richard's new book "The Ban on Hunting with Hounds and Other Campaigns Against Speciesism." Richard explained that this book would describe the massive campaign against hound hunting while simultaneously serving as a sort of autobiography. He said it would probably be his last book. The book is set to be released on December 8th. It was a real honor and treat to be able to speak with him about it, and to meet a man who gave voice to the animals throughout his entire life and indirectly changed the course of mine. Thank you, Richard. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Richard's author page on Amazon Watch Earthlings
Melanie Kaplan's new book "Lab Dog" is a crowning achievement. The book is a story of Melanie's research project she undertook with her co-pilot beagle Hammy, the titular "lab dog" himself. It was to find out where Hammy came from and what had been done to him. That project ballooned into an incredibly well-researched exposé into the world of animal testing. And while she obviously had "Hammy bias," as she put it, this is a work of journalism, looking at multiple viewpoints and facets. It sort of blew my mind how little I actually knew about the subject and learned from this book. It was a joy to speak to Melanie and I hope everyone reads "Lab Dog." A blurb on the cover from Jane Goodall calls it "remarkable" and I tend to agree. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Melanie's website "Lab Dog" on Amazon Hammy on IG Melanie on FB Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings
It would be impossible for me to capture in words the amount of gratitude I feel towards Ingrid Newkirk. The co-founder of PETA is simply a giant of the animal liberation movement. It could be argued that everything I do as an animal rights activist can be traced back in some way to Ingrid laying the groundwork. On August 1st, PETA announced that Ingrid would be stepping aside as president and remaining on as PETA's principal (which she said would change her day-to-day very little). Tracy Reiman was named PETA's new president. PETA and Ingrid are no stranger to criticism. While some of those critiques have some merit to them, I find most of them to be absurd. Speaking for myself, I can only say that Ingrid's dedication is a massive inspiration to me, something to strive to equal or exceed. A question I am constantly asking myself is: Am I making the world a better place for animals? Or: Has my presence on this planet been a net positive or a net negative? I don't know the answer to these questions, but I can confidently say that the world is a better place because of Ingrid Newkirk. Thank you, Ingrid. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: PETA PETA YouTube PETA IG PETA FB PETA TikTok PETA BlueSky "I Am An Animal" Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
An amazing thing happened last month when it was reported that the infamous Ridglan Farms would be losing its license to breed beagles to sell for animal testing. That closure would end at least that portion of the operations of the second largest beagle breeder (with Marshall BioResources in upstate New York the largest) for cruel and inhumane tests on dogs. While credit for this huge leap forward goes to many people, the local group Dane4Dogs was instrumental and so I brought Dane4Dogs president Rebekah Robinson on to chat about it.Rebekah is an incredible activist. And it's not hard to see why Ridglan had their hands full with Rebekah. Her background is with the U.S. Army and she worked at the Pentagon for over a decade. After Wayne Hsiung staged a daring rescue of three beagles from the Dane County, Wisconsin breeder in 2018, Rebekah was inspired to start the group Dane4Dogs, which kept the relentless focus on Ridglan that ultimately led to where we are today. I have a huge amount of gratitude towards her for all her work to save those beagles, and really enjoyed this episode. This conversation is also available on YouTube . Links: Dane4Dogs FB Dane4Dogs website Dane4Dogs IG Wayne Hsiung substack Wayne's YouTube The Marty Project FB Alliance for Animals Rise for Animals Animal Wellness Action
For the same reason beagles are beloved family members to so many, they are exploited by researchers. Their docile, trusting and forgiving nature makes them the unfortunate targets of a callous industry that regards them as a means to an end. This horrific practice is not known by a large segment of the public, and Fiaz Ahmed is out to change that with his upcoming documentary Born on Death Row.Fiaz is a first-time filmmaker who embodies the spirit championed on this channel of TRY. I find it incredibly inspiring that he had the courage to step up, despite the nagging doubts we all feel such as: am I good enough? I hope this podcast answers that question with a resounding Yes. Fiaz is deeply thoughtful, articulate, and hard-working. And I can't wait what he and his co-director wife Jacqui come up with, and I hope the end product moves us closer to abolishing this barbaric industry. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Support the Film BODR YouTube BODR website BODR IG Real Media YouTube Real Media IG
There's been a flurry of wins in the last few weeks for the grassroots animal liberation movement. Most notably: Vogue publisher Condé Nast will no longer promote fur across all their publications. Just days after that monumental win, Omni Hotels announced they will drop foie gras across their vast hotel chain. There are many people to thank for the win, but unquestionably, the main drivers were Animal Activism Collective and the Duck Alliance. That was a great opportunity to bring back to the podcast my buddy Trey at AAC. I'm a huge Trey-head. Not that it's a competition, but I put Trey right in the top tier of animal rights activists. Part of it is that some of our very formative moments in activism were together, but also that I see the huge and growing number of wins that AAC is able to facilitate. It's hugely inspiring and I feel really honored anytime I'm around the guy, much less have him on the podcast. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: AAC on YouTube AAC's Website Donate to AAC AAC on IG AAC on FB AAC on TikTok Duck Alliance IG Duck Alliance Linktree CAFT CAFT IG ICAW ICAW IG Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings
The Animal Liberation Front is a fascinating study. The leaderless, amorphous group of mostly young people carrying out raids on laboratories and fur farms, rescuing animals and inflicting economic sabotage, was most active in the 80's and 90's. It's incredible to learn how desperately intense the struggle for animal liberation was since before I was even born. Around 50 years since it was formed, the founder of the ALF, Ronnie Lee, is still fighting for animals. And it was such a joy to speak with him.Ronnie comes across to me as incredibly gregarious, generous and thoughtful. I learned a huge amount from Jon Hochschartner's biography of Ronnie, and what stood out to me the most was his bravery and initiative. Ronnie wasn't waiting around for anyone to organize for the animals, he did it himself. And it was that DIY ethos that was the ALF. Ronnie paid the price of his struggle with 3 prison stints, but he has never let that stop him. Even as others have come and gone through the movement for the animals, Ronnie has stayed on. It was really fascinating to hear Ronnie recount some of those notable moments, and I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. This conversation is also available on YouTube .Links: Ronnie's FB Ronnie's biography "The Animals Film" Ronnie's band Total Attack "Shake Some Action" Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings
In a major development, Condé Nast announced they were no longer going to promote new fur in any of their publications, which includes Vogue Magazine. This came after a nearly year long campaign by the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT). It could be a major turning point in the culture of fashion and another nail in the coffin of the fur industry.When news of this broke, I reached out to Lauren at CAFT to invite her on the podcast. Lauren and CAFT have been great partners over the last few years to myself and other groups I've been involved with. Something really beautiful has been happening lately in the animal rights movement. A movement that unfortunately is often beset by great divisons, there have been recent sparks of collaboration. One partnership has been especially fruitful: the one between CAFT and Animal Activism Collective, who have teamed up to boost each other's campaigns, and in so doing, scoring dramatic wins against the fur industry. That in turn has sparked collaborations with other groups, notably the International Council for Animal Welfare (ICAW). These collaborations are animal exploitation industry's worst nightmare. When we work together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.Fur is no longer in Vogue. It's because of activists like Lauren and the hundreds of others who took part. Next up: Berluti. This conversation is also available on YouTube . Links: CAFT website CAFT newsletter CAFT IG CAFT YouTube AAC Linktree AAC YouTube ICAW Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion
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Observed September 13, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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