Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation
Arts & Culture Podcasts
Join hosts Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan for intimate conversations with leading vegan activists, animal rights advocates, and changemakers transforming our world. Each week, Our Hen House brings you inspiring stories from the frontlines of animal liberation, practical activism strategies, and the latest developments in the fight for animal rights. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or newly vegan, discover how to make a difference for animals through engaging interviews and actionable insights.
Location:
United States
Description:
Join hosts Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan for intimate conversations with leading vegan activists, animal rights advocates, and changemakers transforming our world. Each week, Our Hen House brings you inspiring stories from the frontlines of animal liberation, practical activism strategies, and the latest developments in the fight for animal rights. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or newly vegan, discover how to make a difference for animals through engaging interviews and actionable insights.
Twitter:
@ourhenhouse
Language:
English
Website:
http://www.ourhenhouse.org/
Email:
info@ourhenhouse.org
Episodes
The Case of Banning the Truth in a Public Park | First Amendment, Animal Agriculture & Free Speech
9/26/2025
In this thought-provoking episode of the Animal Law Podcast, we dive into a First Amendment case that cuts straight to the heart of animal advocacy: can the government prevent activists from showing the public what actually happens to animals in industrial agriculture? Mariann speaks with Sara Berinhout of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and John Greil of the University…
Duration:01:10:50
The Hen Report: “Both Nature and Nurture” | Animal Rights, Chicken Suffering, and Cultivated Meat Innovation
9/25/2025
From horse-drawn carriages finally facing political opposition in NYC to innovative cultivated meat farms in the Netherlands, this week’s Hen Report serves up a feast of animal rights news with a side of irreverent commentary. Jasmin and Mariann dive into Kenny Torrella’s eye-opening Vox article quantifying chicken suffering (spoiler alert: it’s worse than you think), celebrate animal rights pioneer Jim Mason’s…
Duration:00:38:28
Meat Industry Surveillance Exposed: Big Ag Is Tracking Animal Rights Activists | Rising Anxieties
9/23/2025
In this week’s episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan dives headfirst into the meat industry’s surveillance state that would make Big Brother blush. From the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s creepy database of 2,400 activists (complete with tracking their romantic partners) to their direct line to the FBI, we discover that taking photos of farm conditions is now considered “extreme activity” while the…
Duration:00:25:12
Drawing the Line on Factory Farms: Policy Approaches to Industrial Agriculture
9/19/2025
Our Hen House presents an eye-opening conversation about the growing movement to limit factory farming through state legislation, focusing on New York’s efforts while exploring the broader national implications. This episode explores how advocates are working to address the environmental devastation and animal suffering caused by industrial animal agriculture through policy change. This episode explores: The details of New York’s proposed…
Duration:00:43:13
The Hen Report: “You ok?” | Animal Rights in Challenging Political Times
9/18/2025
In this candid conversation, Jasmin and Mariann explore how animal advocates maintain their focus during politically challenging times, reminding listeners that their commitment to changing the world for animals remains central even when everything else feels overwhelming. This episode explores: How animal rights activism provides perspective during politically tumultuous times Zoe Rosenberg’s trial for rescuing chickens from a Purdue slaughterhouse Colombia’s…
Duration:00:29:14
AI, Slaughterhouse Shenanigans, and Legal Victories | Rising Anxieties
9/16/2025
In this episode of Rising Anxieties, we go on a whirlwind tour through the meat industry’s latest absurdities. From a meat industry writer’s hilariously misguided claim about “the first real science fiction movie” to the EPA’s disturbing rollback of slaughterhouse waste regulations (because nothing says “unleashing prosperity” like animal blood in the water supply), Mariann doesn’t hold back. The episode culminates…
Duration:00:17:35
From A Vegan Dinner to Jail Time: Adam Durand on His Groundbreaking Open Rescue Case
9/12/2025
What happens when a casual vegan dinner leads to one of the most significant open rescue cases in US animal rights history? This week, we’re joined by Adam Durand, who went from rule-following citizen to jailbird activist after exposing conditions at Wegmans Egg Farm back in 2004. Adam shares the wild journey of sneaking into a factory farm with a ragtag…
Duration:00:46:02
The Hen Report: “Who invited the vegan?” | The Squirrel Who Crossed the Political Divide
9/11/2025
In this week’s episode of The Hen Report, we welcome back our favorite constitutional law scholar and wingman Michael Dorf to dish about the viral saga of Peanut the Squirrel. What started as a heartbreaking story about a beloved social media star squirrel and his raccoon friend Fred—both killed by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation under troubling circumstances—turned into a…
Duration:00:41:16
Rising Anxieties: Shareholder Activism, Cultivated Meat, and Media Bias
9/9/2025
In this week’s emotional rollercoaster of righteous indignation, Mariann dives headfirst into the meat industry’s latest shenanigans. From legal battles over lab-grown meat to the absurdity of milk being crowned official state beverage in 20 states (water, anyone?), to the heartbreaking reality of dairy farm fatalities, this episode serves up a buffet of reasons why the meat industry should be nervous.…
Duration:00:19:43
Forget the Judgment, Remember the Bond: Carol Mithers on “Rethinking Rescue”
9/5/2025
In her eye-opening book, Rethinking Rescue, journalist Carol Mithers examines how poverty and economic inequality create impossible choices for pet owners who love their animals but lack resources to keep them. Through the remarkable story of Lori Wiese, who pioneered community-based animal care in Los Angeles’ most underserved neighborhoods, Mithers demonstrates not only that we can’t adopt our way out of…
Duration:00:55:26
The Hen Report: “It’s the Cow, Not the How” | Media Critique & Food System Myths
9/4/2025
In this eye-opening episode of The Hen Report, hosts Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan welcome back Jan Dutkiewicz, professor of political science at Pratt Institute and co-author of the forthcoming book Feed the People: Why Industrial Food is Good and How to Make it Even Better. The conversation centers on a problematic New York Times article about animal rights activism in…
Duration:00:44:27
Rising Anxieties: Shareholder Activism, Cultivated Meat, and Media Bias
9/2/2025
In this week’s episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan examines several developments causing concern within the meat industry. From evolving shareholder activism tactics to questionable comparisons between cultivated meat and lab-grown diamonds, the episode reveals how animal agriculture interests are responding to various challenges while continuing to rely on government support and biased media coverage. This episode explores: The evolution of…
Duration:00:14:16
Animal Law Breakthrough: Court Recognizes Dogs as Family Members with Christopher Berry
8/29/2025
This episode of the Animal Law Podcast features Christopher Berry, Executive Director of the Nonhuman Rights Project, discussing a groundbreaking court case that recognizes companion animals as family members in certain legal contexts. Mariann and Christopher explore how this New York decision challenges decades of precedent that treated beloved pets as mere property rather than family, potentially opening new doors for…
Duration:01:07:16
The Hen Report: “It’s Not Happening” | Protein Myths and Animal Rights Advocacy
8/28/2025
In this week’s Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann weave through a tapestry of topics with their signature blend of wit and passion. From Rochester’s unseasonably cold August weather to the legal victory against “Alligator Alcatraz,” the conversation takes delightful detours while tackling serious issues like the persistent protein myths still plaguing vegans and the complexities of meat reduction trends worldwide. This…
Duration:00:43:48
Factory Farms are VULNERABLE: Water Scarcity and Activism Are Changing Animal Agriculture | Rising Anxieties
8/26/2025
In this week’s episode of Rising Anxieties, we examine the meat industry’s growing concerns. From water scarcity issues affecting livestock-heavy regions to unexpected anti-vax policy changes impacting animal agriculture, Mariann walks listeners through the headlines that have industry executives worried. The episode covers everything from depleting aquifers in agricultural states to the prosecution of mink liberation activists, while also exploring challenges…
Duration:00:16:44
Little Red Barns: Exposing Factory Farms and Fascism with Will Potter
8/22/2025
This episode explores the powerful connections between factory farming, political repression, and the rise of authoritarianism with award-winning investigative journalist Will Potter. In a thought-provoking conversation about his new book Little Red Barns: Hiding the Truth from Farm to Fable, Potter reveals how his decade-long investigation uncovered the dangerous intersection between industrial agriculture and fascist movements. With authenticity and passion, Mariann…
Duration:00:59:47
The Hen Report: “A Relatively Uncontroversial Proposition” | Animal Rights Strategy with Michael Dorf
8/14/2025
This episode features a conversation with Michael Dorf, Cornell Law School professor and animal advocate, who shares insights from his presentations at Vegan Summerfest. Jasmin and Mariann discuss their upcoming “staycation” plans while reflecting on the early days of Our Hen House. This episode explores: How human rights frameworks can be applied to animal rights advocacy The nationwide shelter crisis and…
Duration:01:30:55
Senior Dog Rescue Champions: A Conversation with Sherri Franklin of Muttville
8/8/2025
In this heartwarming episode, Jasmin and Mariann welcome Sherri Franklin, founder and executive director of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, a groundbreaking organization that has saved over 13,000 senior dogs since 2007. What began with just 27 dogs in Sherri’s kitchen has transformed into a revolutionary cage-free shelter in San Francisco that now rescues more than 27 dogs every week. Through Sherri’s…
Duration:01:04:04
The Hen Report: “YouTube Is Ruining My Personality” | Content Creation Challenges & Animal Rights News
8/7/2025
In this delightfully candid episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann dive into a mix of animal rights victories, personal news, and the peculiarities of content creation in the digital age. Episode Highlights: Jasmin’s Big News: Jasmin reveals she’ll be playing Judy Garland in “End of the Rainbow” at Center Stage Theater in Rochester this December. Fur Industry Collapse: Discussion…
Duration:00:36:04
Animal Ag’s Legal Panic: Activism Crackdowns, Banned Dairy Ads, and Perdue’s Fishy Chicken Nuggets | Rising Anxieties
8/5/2025
In this week’s delightfully disturbing dive into animal agriculture’s paranoia, Mariann Sullivan unpacks the industry’s latest pearl-clutching over those pesky activists who have the audacity to…checks notes…document actual conditions on farms. Gasp! From Canadian farmers fretting about undercover investigations to Perdue shaping chicken meat into cute sea creatures while the plant-based industry gets crucified for “confusing” labeling, the hypocrisy reaches ocean…
Duration:00:15:03