Recent shows

January 26, 2010

Rescate Abierto: Open Rescues and Inspiration with Igualdad Animal’s Sharon Núñez

Photo from openrescue.net

In the (Western) world of image streams and media saturation, Igualdad Animal (Animal Equality) knows how to play the game, and be effective. Having built a strong network of supporters and activists across Spain (and now expanding to the UK, Colombia and Venezuela), the group holds close to a dozen actions per week, sometimes more, garnering public attention, generating discussion, and keeping the idea of abolishing animal exploitation circulating in the Spanish public consciousness. In all they do, whether it is rescates abiertos (open rescues) or town square demonstrations advocating veganism, Igualdad Animal does their work in a way that is ethically sound, attention grabbing, and serious. You won’t see any women in lettuce bikinis here.

In this, our third conversation with Igualdad Animal founder and director Sharon Núñez, we discuss the philosophy behind IA, the importance of open rescues, and the way that image obsessed Western culture can still be touched by a serious dedication to the truth. An inspiration for abolitionist activists everwhere, Sharon and IA prove that you don’t need to resort to childish antics to garner media attention, and that demanding abolition of animal slavery can be a goal that is reached for with more than just carefully worded pamphlets.

To donate via Paypal to help IA continue their open rescues, send funds to: info@igualdadanimal.org

News links:

• Live pigs blasted in terror attack experiments
• Alberta trio accused of shooting wild horse
• Farmer kills 51 cows then turns gun on himself

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.84 MB) and part 2 (2.79 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (8.48 MB) and part 2 (8.07 MB)

January 19, 2010

If You Want It: Gary Francione Discusses the Current State of Abolitionism

No one can accuse Professor Gary L. Francione, outspoken advocate of abolitionist animal rights, of mellowing with time. Though he has been writing books about animal rights theory and promoting veganism for decades, his energy shows no signs of abating. As he says himself in our conversation, he feels like the Energizer Bunny: he just keeps going and going and going.

In this interview, Professor Francione discusses the current state of abolitionism, his new “The World Is Vegan. If You Want It.” campaign, and why he’s pushing for a leaderless movement of animal rights activists. Always enthusiastic and thought-provoking, Francione is a good antidote for those who feel poisoned by the ethical inconsistencies, hierarchical structures, and financial imperatives of mainstream animal advocacy.

News links:

• U.S. livestock industry struggling
• Austria: Experiment on Pigs Suspended
• Five fatal flaws of animal activism

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (3.42 MB) and part 2 (2.31 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (10.3 MB) and part 2 (6.71 MB)

January 12, 2010

Onward: An Interview with Laurens de Groot, Sea Shepherd Crew Member

Photo from Sea Shepherd website

Tune in for a very special edition of Animal Voices as we speak with Sea Shepherd crew member Laurens de Groot, live via satellite phone from the M/Y Bob Barker. de Groot recounts his harrowing experience on the now-sunk Ady Gil, which was violently rammed this past week by Japanese whaling vessel the Shonan Maru 2. In the short time available, de Groot paints a clear picture of the stakes involved in this escalating battle over the lives of minke and fin whales in Antarctica. We also discuss the psychological effects of the ramming, the short memory of the media, and the power of a small group of individuals to create change.

News links:

• Group Says Boat Damaged After Whaling Clash With Japan
• Man mauled to death by pet tiger
• Ottawa coyote killing contest defended

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.67 MB) and part 2 (2.73 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (8.06 MB) and part 2 (7.5 MB)

January 5, 2010

Vegan Mind Meld: An Interview with Comedian Myq Kaplan

Is there something about veganism that is inherently funny? What exactly is funny about being a vegan comedian performing at a steakhouse? Is legalizing human-animal marriage really the next step after legalizing gay marriage? In this conversation with vegan comedian Myq Kaplan, we discuss the finer points of being a funny and conscientious person, comedy as outreach, and New Year’s Resolutions. With comedy that’s as pointed as a rusty nail (and just as infectious!) Myq Kaplan provides us with 45min of laughter in the form of his voice. You’ll laugh until you cry, I promise.

From his website: A Jewy-ish vegan atheist who spells the name “Mike” weird, Myq enjoys words, social justice, Netflix, and comic books. Also non-comic books, ping-pong, and being great with women. And grammar and run-on sentence fragments. And of course, being hilarious to his demographic, which is anyone who might know the word “demographic”.

News links:

• Gruesome animal abuse spikes in New Mexico
• Toronto Humane Society to open doors to public
• Catalonia votes to ban bullfighting

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.98 MB) and part 2 (2.2 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (8.98 MB) and part 2 (6.57 MB)

December 15, 2009

An Ocean of Energy: An Interview with Bob Timmons

Few activists can boast the energy and determination of Bob Timmons. Bursting onto the Toronto animal advocacy community just two short years ago, Bob has proven himself since to be a dedicated and tireless member of groups such as ARKII. He has written letters, facilitated networking among activists, and logged countless hours of in-the-streets activism. In addition to his on-the-ground work, Bob also continues to create stunning “awareness paintings” that call attention to the ever-tragic stories of marine animals around the world as he pushes his visual arts practice without concern for profit or fame.

Join us for this conversation where we learn about how Bob became passionate about animal issues, specifically marine conservation, and be a part of an exclusive announcement that Bob is now on the advisory board of Oceanic Defense! This is a portrait of an activist that you don’t want to miss.

News links:

• I’ll have my lobster electrocuted, please
• Animal-to-human transplant trials OK’d in Australia
• Outside experts to probe Calgary Zoo: president

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.9 MB) and part 2 (2.93 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (8.79 MB) and part 2 (8.77 MB)

December 8, 2009

The Great Chimp Migration: An Interview with Save The Chimps’ Jen Feuerstein

Join us on this week’s Animal Voices as we speak with Save The Chimps’ Jen Feuerstein. As Shelter Director, Jen is responsible for overseeing the operations of the STC shelters in Alamogordo, New Mexico and Fort Pierce, Florida, and for the “Great Chimp Migration,” which seeks to move the chimps currently housed at Alamogordo to the much bigger and custom built Florida facility. In a conversation ranging from the politics and economics of vivisection to the way that chimpanzees form familial bonds, Jen demonstrates her vast knowledge of chimps as individuals, and the ins and outs of running a shelter.

We also discuss the life and legacy of Dr. Carole Noon, founder of Save The Chimps, whose life serves as a guiding light for those looking to make a difference in any social justice struggle. Tune in to hear Jen’s tribute to STC’s founder and her dear friend, an indomitable woman who single-handedly established a lifelong home for chimps who had otherwise led lives as test subjects, entertainment props, and ill-advised pets.

News links:

• Hungry polar bears resorting to cannibalism
• ‘Rampant’ rhino poaching on the rise
• Prairie chicken wiped out in Canada

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.74 MB) and part 2 (2.58 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (8.08 MB) and part 2 (7.49 MB)

November 24, 2009

What Holds Back The Elephant: Julie Woodyer Discusses the Ongoing Case Of Lucy

The ongoing case of Lucy the elephant is perhaps one of the most well-known animal advocacy campaigns in Canada. Confined at the Edmonton Valley Zoo for over 30 years, Lucy’s story is a tragic case of neglect and abuse, as the normally far-ranging and very social elephant continues to be kept alone, in an inappropriate climate, in quarters that amount to no more than 1/4 acre. As a result of her confinement, Lucy has suffered depression and numerous health problems.

Zoocheck has been one of the organizations that has taken up Lucy’s cause, and is still pushing hard to get Lucy out of the Edmonton Valley Zoo and to a sanctuary in the US where she can stretch her legs, browse on good food, and be around others of her own kind. Tune in to hear about the past, present, and future of the Lucy case, and to find out how you can help.

News links:

• 100 sled dogs rescued in Laurentians
• Seal to be served in Parliament Hill restaurant
• Indian teachers call for replacement of dissections and animal experiments; major financial investment in life science education made

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.91 MB) and part 2 (3.17 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (8.46 MB) and part 2 (9.06 MB)

November 17, 2009

Voice of the Voiceless: Online and Offline Activism With Peter Young

Through avenues such as facebook, blogging and twitter, the internet has arguably become a powerful avenue for activists to share information, debate topics, and organize themselves. Though many (including Peter Young) would question the value and worth of online activism, it is for many veterans in the animal advocacy movements a new and necessary tool for getting the word out about emerging issues and getting people fired up. On this week’s program we get an update on his Voice of the Voiceless website, a tool which he hopes will provide “actionable” information for activists who wish to get off the internet and hit the streets. We also discuss the Morgan, Utah, a small town that holds 13 fur farms in its tiny territory and which will be the site of the upcoming Fur Free Utah convergence.

Peter Young is a veteran animal liberation activist and former political prisoner convicted for his role in liberating thousands of animals from fur farms across the country. Emerging from a grand jury indictment, 7 years of being wanted by the FBI, a federal prison sentence, and nearly 15 years in the animal liberation movement; today Peter is a frequent lecturer at universities and events, writer on liberation movements, and unapologetic supporter of those who work outside the law to achieve human, earth, and animal liberation.

News links:

• Prize cow sells for $1.2M
• Lab-grown penis lets rabbits mate like bunnies
• India bans elephants from zoos and circuses

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.73 MB) and part 2 (2.43 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (8.28 MB) and part 2 (7.37 MB)

November 10, 2009

When The Fight Is Over: Cockfighter Rehabilitation With Miriam Jones

Photo from Eastern Shore Sanctuary website

Cockfighting is major news in the United States these days, with almost weekly reports of police raids on the illegal fighting and gambling operations. What happens after the raids, rescue and relocation? On this week’s program, we catch up with Miriam Jones from the Eastern Shore Bird Sanctuary who tells us about the politics and practice of fighting rooster rehab. Though the process can be long and difficult, Jones gives us a clear picture about why it is vital that we don’t give up on animals who have been trained to fight.

From the Website:

“Founded in a rural region dominated by the poultry industry, the Eastern Shore Sanctuary and Education Center provides a haven for hens, roosters and ducks who have escaped or been rescued from the meat and egg industries or other abusive circumstances, such as cockfighting. We work within an ecofeminist understanding of the interconnection of all life and the intersection of all forms of oppression. Thus we welcome and work to facilitate alliances among animal, environmental, and social justice activists.”

The Eastern Shore Statement on Backyard Birds:
http://blog.bravebirds.org/archives/61

News links:

• Maple Leaf plant’s problems persisted after listeria find
• Charles and Camilla open Royal Winter Fair
• Animal abuser sentenced. But was justice served for Katrina dogs?

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.64 MB) and part 2 (3.18 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (7.98 MB) and part 2 (9.64 MB)

October 20, 2009

Local Actions and Legal Precedents: Interviews with Elizabeth Schoales and Will Potter

On this installment of Animal Voices we speak directly to an activist trying to effect important change on a local level in Canada, and to a journalist bringing attention to how a new legal precedent will affect activists all over the US.

Photo © Bill Swindaman

First, we speak with Elizabeth Schoales, an activist based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. In addition to work with the Cat Action Team (the only Trap, Neuter, Return program in PEI), Schoales has been busy trying to get the Charlottetown municipal government to rethink their wildlife removal program, which results in hundreds of skunks (and other animals) being trapped and shot every year within the city limits. We also discuss the recent bust of PuppiesAcrossCanada.com, a website operating as a front for a puppy mill in PEI. [To contact Schoales about helping her with her work, please contact: animalvoices AT gmail DOT com]

Next, we catch up once again with journalist and blogger Will Potter to discuss the recent upholding of convictions against the SHAC 7 by a US appellate court. Though the ruling has passed quietly and virtually unnoticed in the mainstream press, Potter gives us a grim analysis of its possible implications for what is and is not protected speech in the US. A must listen for any activists who encourage or endorse direct action as a tactic of animal liberation.

Download mp3s of the interview:
lower quality / smaller: part 1 (2.88 MB) and part 2 (2.2 MB)
higher quality / larger: part 1 (7.91 MB) and part 2 (6.07 MB)