We hear it all the time: "I eat eggs only from free-range chickens", or "It's OK, it's a cage-free chicken". Vicky Bond, President of The Humane League, is here to bust the myth of "happy hens" in modern farming. She also discusses the myth that the best way to improve the welfare of farmed animals is to convince everyone to stop using animal products altogether. (Technically it is, but it isn't realistic on a large scale at the moment.)
Vicky is president of The Humane League, a global animal protection nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food. She is also a veterinarian and an animal welfare scientist who has spent more than a decade advocating for animals. Before becoming President of The Humane League (THL), Vicky led The Humane League United Kingdom as Managing Director. Under Vicky's leadership, both THL and THL UK have directly made an impact on the world's largest food corporations (including PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Compass, and Sodexo). THL and THL UK also work on policy to push for laws to end factory farming practices, including state bans like Prop 12 that ends cages for calves, laying hens, and mother pigs while they're pregnant.
Listen here:
Important topics we discussed:
>> A "happy hen" in modern farming likely does not exist, even in "cage free" or "free-range" contexts.
>> Of course we as vegans want the whole world to go vegan! But the best way to improve the welfare of farmed animals is not necessarily convincing everyone to stop using animal products altogether... at least not exclusively.
>> The work the organization does to promote veganism, including their 10 Weeks to Vegan program (running in 50 countries!), and their chef challenges
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