The Vegan Report

Animetrics is a women-led research and capacity-building organization, founded in 2023 by two economists from Türkiye with PhDs.

We specialize in economics, impact evaluation, and research tailored to local contexts. We help animal advocates, especially in the Majority World (also called the ‘Global South') and Muslim comminities, use evidence to strengthen their work. Most of the world’s farmed animals live in these regions, yet resources for advocacy are limited. We’re here to change that.

Visit Animetrics Now: https://www.animetrics.org/

Follow The Vegan Report on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veganre...

According to a 2017 survey, 73% of vegans self-identify as atheists or agnostics.

That’s why I know this might not be the most popular opinion, but I deeply believe that leading a spiritual practice is not only a powerful way to deal with the struggle of being an outspoken vegan in a non-vegan world, but also an essential part of a happy healthy life.

To discuss the power of spirituality, I am joined by Victoria Moran. Victoria is a longtime animal activist, successful author (she has written more than 13 books!), fellow podcaster (she is host of th...

Seth Ariel Green is a research scientist at the Humane and Sustainable Food Lab.

Humane and Sustainable Food Lab: https://www.foodlabstanford.com/

The first paper I'm talking about: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666325003861?via%3Dihub

The second: https://osf.io/z6rn2_v1

Maya Mathur, who runs the lab: https://www.mayamathur.com/

Andrew Jalil, whom I mention in contexts of Jalil et al. 2023: https://www.oxy.edu/academics/faculty/andrew-jalil

That paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-023-00712-1

Today, we compare two different approaches to advancing the environmental cause from two vegan giants: Jane Goodall and David Attenborough.

CORRECTION: David Attenborough is not vegan. "(...) though he has significantly reduced his meat consumption for environmental reasons and recommends plant-based diets. He no longer eats red meat and consumes cheese and fish, a decision he has called a "middle-class hypocrisy" given his public advocacy."

Both have released documentaries focused on the climate crisis, animal welfare, and their personal journeys into activism. Jane Goodall's documentary, The Hope, is available on YouTube. David Attenborough's A Life on...

I have a Big Announcement to make! In addition to the usual Tuesday episodes, I invite you to tune in every Wednesday for a special episode about the science of activism.

Every Wednesday, I will give the microphone to researchers who study the effectiveness of animal advocacy and vegan activism. Learn from them what are the best, and worst ways to make a positive difference in the world.

Since starting this podcast, I have come across strong - some would even say stubborn - opinions on what the way forward looks like. I even developed...

Throughout her life and remarkable career, Jane inspired generations of scientists, brought hope to countless people from all walks of life, and urged us all to remember that “every single one of us makes a difference every day – it is up to us as to the kind of difference we make”

To discuss Jane Goodall's life and her legacy, I have with me three people who have met her and whose lives have been touched by her life work.

I am joined by Dr. Mary Lee Jensvold, the Primate Communication Scientist and Associate Director at Fauna...

Did you know that most of the plant-based food you are eating is grown using animal products as fertilizers? Manure, blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, and fish emulsion, All obtained from the animal exploitation industry.

But there is a better, safer, more sustainable and ethical alternative: veganic farming. Veganic agriculture uses plant-based techniques instead of animal products to grow crops. So, for example, instead of using shrimp compost for fertilization, the veganic farmer will use vegetable compost, chipped branch wood or mulch.

To discuss this topic, I have with me Meg Kelly. Meg co-founded...

I want to discuss the tens of millions of hens that are kept in the backyards of your neighbors. There are currently more than 85 million hens in the US, at least 1,2 million in the UK, 2 million in Australia - and those global numbers: they were a fraction of that only yesterday. Virtually all of those hens have been bred by the poultry industry. And for everyone of them, there was a male chick systematically eliminated.

For me, this is a fire in the house situation, and I wanted to talk with other vegans who share that feeling...

Today, we respond to an episode from the Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, posted on April 17 and titled "The Best Argument Against Veganism".

For that episode, Dr. Peterson interviews Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farm and an outspoken proponent of regenerative animal farming. Joel Salatin happens to be featured in Chapter 8 of the Omnivore's Dilemma, the best-seller of author Michael Pollan. Both of them, Salatin and Pollan, have been instrumental in popularizing the idea that animal exploitation can be humane and ecological.

To debunk this Jordan Peterson interview and set the record straight, I have with...

Billy Nicholles is a researcher specialising in the pet food protein transition. He is based at Bryant Research, a UK research consultancy specialising in the protein transition, where he conducts research related to pet diets, with a focus on the environmental impacts of meat-based and vegan pet foods. He has published on the sustainability of pet diets, and on consumer attitudes towards alternative proteins. He was also formerly a Founders’ Associate at Omni, one of the UK’s leading vegan pet food companies. He has spoken internationally on the pet food protein transition.

Follow The Vegan Report on I...

"Does eating eggs from your backyard chickens vegan?" This question just accepts the premise that owning backyard chickens in the first place is acceptable. Maybe if you own lots of land in a rural area, where farming already takes place.

But this idea that vegans from the city or the suburbs can totally adopt rescue hens, put them in their small backyards and, in fact, we should give that a cool name - like micro sanctuary- is totally wrong. It means we have accepted that this is the new normal. That this cultural battle was lost, despite...

Today, the story of someone who had the wisdom to let go for the better.

Her name is Catherine and she is the founder of SAFE sanctuary, which was the first and only farm animal sanctuary in Quebec, hands down the worst Canadian province in terms of animal welfare.

SAFE, for more than 20 years, was central to Catherine's life. Imagine devoting most of your time, money, energy and thoughts to one project. The sanctuary was part of her identity. Yet, when she realized that her health was declining and that put the lives of her...

Today, we are promoting neurodiversity. Maybe it's the first time you are hearing about neurodiversity. It is the concept that there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and neurological differences in people - such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, OCD and more - should not be automatically classified as inherent flaws or deficits.

To discuss this topic, I have with me Sabina Bravo, the founder of Animal Law Focus, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing legal protections for farm animals, especially in the Global South.

We talked about the link between neurodivergence and...

Today, an exclusive window into a high stakes world, at the heart of the animal rights movement. Hear from the fundraisers driving the dollars that fuel the fight for animals.

Those conversations are very common among professional animal advocates, yet always behind closed doors... that is, until now.

To discuss this topic, I have with me Alice Muller Coleman, development manager for Balanced, and Liz Wheeler, philanthropy manager for Faunalytics. Among other things, we talked about the dangers of toxic work environments, what power do funders hold over animal organizations and why are sanctuaries the...

Today, we’re celebrating a powerful victory by Madeline Krasno, founder of Justify, against her alma mater—the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The university censored her online denunciation of the cruel animal testing conducted in its labs, but Madeline fought back and won.

She shared with me shocking new details about how the university monitored her social media and even planned to infiltrate an animal rights lecture by creating fake accounts.

We also discussed Bryan Kohberger—the Idaho killer who, surprisingly, is vegan. Plus, the launch of Madeline’s new podcast, which I am really excited ab...

32 years have passed since the release of the first Jurassic Park movie, now a cinema classic. For today's episode, we are revisiting the original franchise through an animal rights perspective. As the multi-billion dollar bio-tech firm Colossal is seriously considering opening its own Jurassic Park - let's examine closely the impact and legacy of those 90s era movies.

To discuss this topic, I have with me Alex Ventimilla Sanchez, a professor of the English & Film Studies Dept of the University of Alberta. He is also part of the team behind the amazing egg-truth.com initiative. Among other...

Today, we denounce the complicity of the media in animal exploitation. How they have accepted so much money to carry water for this cruel industry, promoting meat, dairy and egg while perpetuating biased and deceitful anti-vegan beliefs.

To discuss this topic, I have with me Donny Moss, a life long animal rights activists who launched my new favorite activist project: Veg Media Watch. What Donny does is scout through all mainstream media coverage of veganism or the animal cause, and call out media organizations or journalists showing a clear anti-vegan bias.

I asked Donny "Who...

Today I challenge you to dream of a world where 2 billion Muslims, inspired by their faith, decide to become vegan and embrace the animal cause. At the forefront of making this dream a reality is Green Islam, an initiative of Kind World Media, that reminds Muslims of how modern consumption and lifestyle practices are incompatible with the original ethical spirit of Islam.

To discuss this pioneering work, I have with me none other than the founder of Kind World Media and Green Islam, Zehra Abbas. I asked Zehra what to make of Aid Al Adha, an Islamic...

Before you attend your next pro-animal protest, listen to today's episode on why you could be doing more harm than good and how to make sure your protest has the impact you want it to have.

To discuss this topic, I have with me Björn Ólafsson, a researcher, science communicator and animal rights advocate who has recently written for Faunalytics: The Science Of Protests And Demonstrations.

For the sake of being a more effective movement, please share this episode far and wide. This is an important PSA episode on the science behind protesting effectively.

In this episode, we address one of the hottest topic in the vegan community: romantic relationships. We answer all the important questions. Dating questions such as: should I date a fellow vegan or go with chemistry and open my life to carnists? where can I find a vegan partner? can I turn my partner vegan or am I deluding myself? But also, questions about lasting relationships, making veganism sexy or choosing to have kids.

And to answer all those questions, we have our in-house professional match-maker, Rabbi Akiva Gersh, also known as the Vegan Rabbi. He had...

He is back! The legendary Gary Yourofsky is back from retirement after 11 years of silence, to sound the alarm on the dire lack of funding to animal sanctuaries - more specifically SASHA farm, a sanctuary he has volunteered for since around 1995, and one of the oldest, if not the oldest vegan farm sanctuary in the world.

Today, I give you an exclusive interview with the man who has moved millions of hearts to embrace veganism. We discussed the burnout that lead him to retirement, the behind the scenes of "the Best Speech You Will Ever Hear", effective...

As you might know, this movement is a big fan of debating non-vegans. However, debates around major deciding strategy questions on how to progress forward as a movement are much less frequent.

Well, for today, I am happy to present you with an exception to this rule. What you are about to listen is a clash of minds about Cultivated Meat, an industry worth billions of dollars that promises vegans a future without factory farming.

I invited one of the debaters, John Sanbonmatsu, for a conversation about the behind the scenes of this debate and...

Today, I am happy to talk with John Sanbonmatsu, the author of the new book "The Omnivore's Decepetion", which is a fascinating guide into who are the intellectual handmaiden of the animal exploitation world. To put it simply, think the carnist version of Peter Singer or Gary Francione. People like Michael Pollan - and if you don't know who Michael Pollan is, you are in for a surprise.

We had the chance to discuss some really interesting passages of the book, like the myth of humane meat or how farming animals is empowering to women. But first...

In light of recent news that the Trump administration is scaling back animal experimentation across various levels of government, such as the National Institute of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and even the military, it is time to put to rest this idea that conservatives do not care about animals or have no place in the animal protection movement.

I believe that anyone willing to advance this cause and put an end to the bloody business of animal exploitation, indiscriminately of religion, culture, race, ethnicity or something as trivial as political inclinations, should be welcomed and supported...

In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves - these words spoken by Carl Sagan and were inspired by "The Pale Blue Dot" a picture of Earth taken by the Voyager 1 space probe from a distance of 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles).

In the spirit of that insight, I asked today's guest, Rabbi Akiva Gersh, also known as the Vegan Rabbi, "Why does God not intervene to stop the horrors of animal exploitation?" That kicked off a fascinating conversation about religion and its place...

If you are a dog lover, this episode is for you. because today, we are talking about Brambles, a very special border collie who lived 175 years - that is in dog years - making her one of the top ten longest-living dogs, according to the Guinness World Records.

And what makes this story even more special is that Brambles was vegan. In fact, she is considered to be the first vegan dog in recorded history.

As a treat for all of us, I have today, with me, Bramble's mom, Anne Heritage, who I consider to...

This episode is a reminder of why we want others to become vegan. Not just because we care about animals, but also because being vegan is amazing, and we want to share this beautiful life experience with the rest of the world.

And to discuss this topic, I have with me Dr. Angela Crawford, a psychologist who wrote an entire book dedicated to this issue called "The Vegan Transformation", which explores the impact of a vegan lifestyle on our emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Among other things, we discussed if there was a wrong or...

This is an intervention. Vegan burnouts are real and I see it all around me, constantly. Stress and anxiety from the carnists around you: boyfriend, girlfriend, in-laws, mom and dad, even your own children. Constant excruciating reminders of the violence of animal cruelty from movies, tv-series, ads, your social media feed. And as an activist, which is a position we are all forced upon at some point, it is a whole other level of hell: hearing the same well-known arguments again and again, watching painfully horrific slaughterhouse footage, saving and caring for animals despite the financial strains and this...

Back in 2016, Sherry Colb and Michael Dorf published one of the most thought provoking book in the animal rights world. It is called "Beating Hearts", and it attempts to resolve a challenging question: How can you condemn hunting, animal farming, and animal experimentation while also favoring legal abortion, which is the deliberate destruction of a human fetus? If you are someone like me who thinks abortion should be legal but goes as far as not to even kill mosquitoes, than this issue hits home.

But more than that, this book is the proof that the secular vegan...

Baby chicks mailed by the national postal service, animal testing lab whistleblowers getting threatened by mysterious powers, polar bears allowed to be hunted, despite being in danger of extinction: this is Canada in 2025, as it faces what could be the most consequential election in its history, fighting an economic war with Trump's United States.

In today's episode, I am joined by the inspiring Liz White, leader of the Animal Protection Party of Canada, for one of the few conversations exploring what is at stake for the billions of animals whose fate will soon be decided at the...

Bill Rodgers ★ Regan Russel ★ William Sweet ★ Fernando Pereira ★ Bartolomeu Morais da Silva ★ Mike Hill ★ Tom Worby ★ Jill Phipps ★ Karel Van Noppen ★ David “Gypsy” Chain Beth O’Brien ★ Robert “Naya” Bryan ★ Barry Horne

Those are the names of the activists featured in the Fallen Warrior section of the North American Animal Liberation Press Office website, animalliberationpressoffice.org. In other words, those are activists who have payed the ultimate price, their life, for standing up to animal abuse and exploitation.

In today's episode, I invited Dr. Jerry Vlasak, a press officer and long-time animal rights activist, by profession a trauma surgeon, to...

A week ago, I came across the Kickstarter campaign of a vegan couple named Tom & Sol, to launch their fantastic illustrated book called Reynard the House-Wolf, which is all about escaping the city, reconnecting with nature, and growing curious, compassionate and loving towards our fellow animals.

The message behind this project, its philosophy, and just how thoughtful and talented Tom & Sol are, compelled me to support their Kickstarter campaign and invite them on the show for an incredible conversation on their journey out of the city and the power of their art.

Support Tom & Sol's...

What does a Trump presidency mean for animals? Today, we answer this question by covering political news that impact the lives of animals. We discuss the price of eggs, the avian influenza, the appointment of Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture, Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, the clearing of forests, and much more!

Robert Grillo is an activist, author and speaker for plant-based food system change. He is also the founder and director of Free from Harm, a non profit dedicated to advancing a plant-based, slaughter-free food system through bold and innovative grassroots action.

Donate to...

For decades, we've held a clear and widely accepted picture of what prehistoric humans were like. Central to that narrative is the belief that they followed a so-called "Paleo diet"—a diet consisting of whole foods, heavily focused on animal proteins, while avoiding grains and legumes.

However, a groundbreaking study published this year challenges that claim. According to this research, our ancestors' diets were predominantly plant-based, including grains and legumes. This revelation suggests that early humans might have been more accurately described as gatherer-hunters rather than hunter-gatherers.

How did such a misconception about prehistoric humans ar...

Way back then, I remember how Israel was looked at very favorably by vegans. One media outlet called it "the global center of veganism". Online, I remember the many popular videos of Gary Yourofsky being interviewed on Israeli TV, always with Hebrew subtitles.

But since October of last year, since the brutal attacks and kidnappings perpetrated by Hamas, and then the violent retaliation of Israel, something shifted in the vegan movement. And I witnessed internal conflict not about how effective activism should be done, think about welfarism vs abolionism, but about the Gaza war. And when I...

Today, make the acquaintance of Rebecca Brooks, an outspoken vegan, for a casual conversation about the following points of criticism vegans often get:

Nutritional deficiencies: Critics claim that a vegan diet can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, iron, and calcium.

Economic cost: There's a perception that a vegan lifestyle is more expensive due to the cost of specialty products and organic produce.

Animal testing paradox: There’s an argument that some vegans overlook the use of animal-tested medications and products.

Family dynamics: Some claim that being ve...

I have always equated the success of the plant based alternatives market with the success of the vegan cause. If more tasty products come replacing meat, dairy and egg, than veganism is winning. Or is it? Today's guest, Miyoko Schinner, vegan icon and successful entrepreneur, made me think twice about that assumption. From food colonialism to cultivated meat, our conversation was a deep dive into the disconcerting world of the food industry.

Connect with Miyoko on social media. Also, consider supporting the good work of her sanctuary, the Rancho Compasión. More details in the episode's notes.

It is said that "money is the nerve of war", and in the war of making a better world for animals, the same rule applies. The only reason why professional vegan nonprofits, such as Mercy for Animals, PETA, the Paul Watson Foundation or SASHA Farm, exist and thrive is because of money. And that money does not grow on trees: it is the result of extensive fundraising efforts.

And for today's episode, my wish is for vegan organizations, both big and small, to become champions of fundraising. To help us achieve this goal, I am thrilled to...

There is a strong, impactful and clear Christian argument for veganism, and my hope was for Christspiracy to successfully make that argument to the Christian community. But I discovered that this is not what the documentary is about. What I watched was a patchwork of extraordinary claims that deserved some review.

And who better to deliver that review then Daniel Mascarenhas. Daniel is a Jesuit Seminarian, currently studying to become a priest. He is also the activist behind vegancatholic.org, THE resource for anyone interested in understanding why Christianity and Veganism go hand in hand.

...

If you are vegan, let me remind you of how amazing that is. What you have done is breaking free from 16 000 years of conditioning that makes us humans see other animals as mere objects of exploitation. And by doing so, your world has grown livelier, more exciting and kinder. Above all else, what I admire the most in my fellow vegans is that independent mindedness, that capacity to think and feel against the strong winds of normalized animal exploitation.

And this is what today's episode is about: staying faithful to that independence of mind. To avoid the...