Author: Lauren Corman, Rob Moore Offered: Weekly

Subscribe to this: (Click the above links to open this Podcast in the listed podcast sites.)

Average Rating: 3.5  Based on 2 ratings Click Stars to Rate: Review this title

Animal Voices Podcast by Lauren Corman

Steven passed away in 1997 but his words remain the foundation for why Animal Voices exists today.

About Podcasting:
For those of you new to podcasting, Click Here to read our "Introduction to Podcasting" Article.

Write a Review of Animal Voices Podcast

J.E., February 17, 2006
Reviewer: J.E. from Chicago, Illinois

The Animal Voices podcast keeps listeners informed of the latest happenings in the world of animal rights advocacy. The show usually starts off with a brief reading of animal rights news, and then moves on to an interview with someone involved with the cause.

I like animals well enough and I am interested in seeing them receive fair and humane treatment, but I don't consider myself an activist. So some of these topics were a bit "out there" for me. For example, one show included a discussion with someone from an organization that is fighting to grant great apes some of the same basic legal protection currently reserved only for humans.

On the whole, though, I think this podcast has a great purpose, so I'm willing to listen again. If you feel strongly about animal rights, you will definitely want to subscribe to this one.

Podcast Feed URL:

(Copy the above URL into your Podcast Application. Click Here to learn more.)

Advice from Best-Selling Vegan Cookbook Author, Isa Chandra Moskowitz

animalvoices@gmail.com (Animal Voices)
Tue, Jun 24, 2008

Pancakes and photo by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

In this show, Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Veganomicon and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World fame, imparts her well-honed baking and cooking wisdom to our inquisitive listeners. On the sweet side, discover Moskowitz' all-time favourite cupcake and the one she still hopes to invent. On the savory side, check out Moskowitz' pointers for freezing casseroles and the secrets of a satisfying vegan brunch. You'll also learn Moskowitz' tips for introducing vegan food to teenagers and how to rescue a failing dish.

With her unique sense of humour and serious love of food, Moskowitz' culinary philosophies and practical advice go down like a dry martini: distinct and refreshing, with a touch of attitude.

News links:

• Homes sought for 70 rescued dogs
• Polar bears could survive — as brown bears: scientist
• SPCA Seizes 18 Birds From Site Of Alleged Cockfighting Ring
• Ontario facing massive cull of pigeons
• DDr. Martin Balluch is being artificially fed

Tags: Cooking

Original air date: February 8, 2005

We speak with Dr. Rita Laws about connections between vegetarianism and Native Americans. Dr. Laws, who is Choctaw and Cherokee, will provide a historical analysis of hunting and colonialism, along with an examination of some Native American traditional views on non-human animals.

Dr. Laws has been vegetarian since 1979. In 1974 she witnessed the slaughter of a lamb in front of a mother sheep, and the experience strongly influenced her choice to become vegetarian. At the same time, she also learned about the "tens of thousands of kids in foster care [who] are waiting for permanency" and she became a special needs adoption activist. She has written several books and articles about domestic adoption and children with special needs. She is currently revising a book she wrote last year about Indian Peace Medals, which signify lasting friendship and peace.

Here is Dr. Laws' article entitled "Returning to the Corn," and additional info about the author:

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rlaws/vegetarianindians.html

News links:

• Spanish parliament to extend rights to apes
• Canadians urged to don sealskin as "birthday" suit
• 2nd July 2008: Day of Solidarity

Source: Thousand Mile Song website

First, animal rights campaigner Paula Stibbe provides an update about the ten imprisoned Austrian animal activists who were arrested on May 21st. We learn of their recently-extended remand, and the condition of the advocates, including Dr. Martin Balluch who was on a hunger strike. Stibbe also describes the many successes of the animal rights movement in Austria, and what she believes are the political motivations behind the arrests.

To offer your support, please visit the VGT (Verein Gegen Tierfabriken/Association Against Animal Factories) website.

Then we reconnect with clarinetist, composer, and philosopher, David Rothenberg, author of such books as Always the Mountains, Why Birds Sing: A Journey into the Mystery of Bird Song and the recently-published Thousand Mile Song: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound. With his characteristic exuberance and thoughtfulness, Rothenberg introduces us to the musical world of whales. Throughout, he urges his readers to revisit whale-song anew, with both an appreciation of current ethological research and a willingness to admit how little we really know.

Tune in to hear about the sublime lives of whales, anecdotes from Rothenberg's adventures, and his own attempts to blur the watery boundary between our species and theirs.

Tags: Arts & Music

Photos from animalsasia.org

Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of Animals Asia Foundation, joins us from Chengdu, China. Tune in to hear Robinson describe her work with Chinese and Vietnamese animal activists to provide sanctuary for moon bears (Asiatic black bears), and their efforts to stop bear bile farming.

Robinson provides detailed first-hand accounts of bear rescues, painting vivid pictures of the farms and the conditions that the bears endure. From mutilations and physical pain, to emotional and psychological damage, rescued bears face significant challenges in their recovery. Some do not make it. Others manage to thrive at the two Moon Bear Rescue Centers, one in Tam Dao, Vietnam, and the other in Chengdu, China. Listen in for some of the bears' stories.

Also in this interview, Robinson outlines the economics of bear bile farming, traditional medicines (TM), successful lobbying techniques, and the stumbling blocks the Foundation works to overcome.

One of our favourite interviews to date!

Tags: Animal Rescues | Captivity | Farmed Animals | Sanctuaries

This nutrition grab bag show re-presents clips from interviews with China Study author Dr. T. Colin Campbell, vegan triathlete Brendan Brazier, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine founder Dr. Neal Barnard, and registered dietitians Vesanto Melina and Bev Miller.

A bullfight in Quito, Ecuador. © iStockphoto.com / Evert Van Scherpenzeel

Fueled by a dedicated group of animal activists, AnimaNaturalis continues to effect positive change for animals in Latin America. In this interview, we connect with Paula Gilbert who provides a behind the scenes peek into the work of the organization and the treatment of animals in Ecuador, in particular. Hear how Gilbert and others use creative — and sometimes even surprising — tactics to challenge practices such as bull- and cockfighting. Listen in, too, for information about AnimaNaturalis' appeals to Ecuador's constitutional assembly. In the aftermath of those appeals, the organization wonders, should the creation of a political party for animals be the next step?

News links:

• P.E.I. says fish kills in rivers could be extensive
• Fur flies between animal rights groups
• Message from Elmar, one of the Prisoners

Tags: Politics

Photo credit: Molly Wald / Best Friends Animal Society

Farm Sanctuary's Tricia Barry shares with us the extraordinary story of the large-scale pig rescue that occurred in the midst of the Midwestern United States' flood disaster. A testament to their incredible courage and industriousness, pigs from Iowa's factory farms fought the elements in truly perilous conditions. Those who were not killed by bullets, drowning, or hunger continued to starve as their skin burned under a blistering sun.

Photo credit: Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary and other animal organizations waged an emergency effort that was both a considerable technical and organizational achievement. Tune in for a gripping rendition of the events, including the logistics behind the rescue and the stories about the individual pigs who survived and who are now recovering in at the Sanctuary's New York shelter. Additionally, Barry provides insight into negotiating within a deeply agricultural state that was faced with a monumental crisis.

Tags: Animal Rescues | Pigs

Get the scoop on the upcoming 24th Annual Vegetarian Food Fair happening on September 5, 6, and 7 in Toronto. In this interview, we are joined by the Toronto Vegetarian Association's (TVA) enthusiastic and very busy Food Fair Coordinator, Mishka Alarcon. Alarcon provides an overview of the Food Fair, highlights from the events' schedule, and tips for getting the most out of your experience. We also hear about some exciting new additions, and why the TVA decided to focus this year's Fair on environmental themes. So make sure to bring some re-usable containers and cutlery, a big appetite, and your curiosity!

News links:

• Meat recall could cost millions more: Maple Leaf
• In cod we can't trust: DNA shows fish often mislabelled for sale
• PETA Is Sued by Author Over Slavery Comparison

Tags: Cooking | Veg Businesses

Photo by Brigitte Cronje

Listen in as we connect with Kevin Tillman, founder of the Vegan Hip Hop Movement website and promoter of all things people, animal, and earth-friendly. In this interview, Kevin takes us back to the roots of hip hop, and offers us insight into its message of empowerment that arose within the South Bronx and continues to inspire communities internationally. Indivisible from that resistant history, the world of vegan hip hop raises its voice for humans and nonhumans alike.

Engaging issues related to consumerism, colonialism, racism, animal exploitation, among others, the vegan hip hop movement cultivates a holistic anti-oppression approach that pushes veganism and animal rights to go further, while also urging hip hop to broaden its scope. Tune in to hear some fine tracks from vegan hip hop artists, and tap into a movement that shakes it all up.

Thanks to Labtekwon, Farm Fresh, and Hush Money for giving us the green light to include their music in the podcast. We're still hoping to hear back from Loer Velocity, Ruffmic and Freedom Writer. Thanks also to Kevin for selecting the music, and helping us to meet our Canadian content requirements!

News links:

• News from the Prisoners
• EU moves to ban seal products derived from 'cruel hunting'
• Bob Barker To Lobby For City Spay/Neuter Law

Tags: Arts & Music

Theodore Roosevelt with a dead elephant. Photo by Edward Van Altena, 1909.

In this conversation, Dr. Mathew Brower, Curator at the University of Toronto and Lecturer in Museum Studies, gives us a fascinating historical account of wildlife photography in the United States and Britain. With an emphasis on "camera hunting" and an eye toward masculinity, Brower notes the shifts in hunting and photography practices, and the larger accompanying political and cultural contexts that informed their development. From Roosevelt and the end of "manliness" to industrialization and the physical decline of "game" populations, the story of wildlife photography twists and turns through a number of interesting characters who were set on proving their prowess and skill, while animals at times disrupted the photographers' pursuits. Entangled with colonial history, tune in to learn how wildlife photography signifies much more than pretty pictures.

News links:

• Humpback whale on comeback trail, say conservationists
• One Animal protectionist Released from Remand

Tags: Arts & Music | History | Hunting

Original air date: November 28, 2006

How have animals shaped history? How is animals' work undervalued (or simply not acknowledged as such), and how might a class analysis be useful? What would a "history from below" mean in regards to animals?

On this show, Jason Hribal delves into these and other questions, as we explore his scholarship, including "Animals Are Part of the Working class: A Challenge to Labor History" (Labor History, 2003), and more recently "Jesse: A Working Dog" (Counterpunch.org), and "Animals, Agency, and Class: Writing the History of Animals from Below" (forthcoming, Human Ecology Review). Hribal's analysis interrupts conventional historical accounts, and challenges us to recognize that "[a]nimals do not 'naturally' become private property, no more than humans 'naturally' come to sell their labor. Rather there is an active history here—one of expropriation, exploitation, and resistance" (Hribal, 2003, p. 212).

News links:

• Death linked to cheese recall in Quebec
• 6,000 minks released by animal rights activists
• Teary goodbye to pets ahead of hurricane
• Jailed campaigner to run for Greens

Tags: History | Labour Issues

Gary Francione begins his new book, Animals as Persons: Essays on the Abolition of Animal Exploitation, with the following sentence-long paragraph: "My animal rights scholarship is controversial." Known for his staunch critiques of animal welfare, Animals as Persons draws together a number of essays relevant to the Western animal movement today. In this interview, Francione delves into the book's major themes, including why personhood is so important, and why sentience alone should qualify one as a member of the moral community. Explaining the economic forces that underpin many animal welfare initiatives, he also discusses the way in which various organizations play into the pocketbooks of animal industries. Additionally, Francione talks about his own journey to veganism, and the development of his animal rights theory. The interview ends with a discussion of environmentalism and its sometimes frictional relationship with animal rights.

News links:

• Manga artists join forces to promote animal rights
• Quebec reports 1st listeriosis death, recalls 11 cheeses
• Banged-up campaigners released
• A Look At Alabama's 8-Year Old Beefed Up Animal Cruelty Law

Tags: Philosophy

Photo from Start Seeing Black Dogs

This show explores Black Dog Syndrome (BDS), defined as the "the low adoption and high euthanasia rate of black dogs in shelters." Two prominent BDS activists, Tamara Delaney (founder of Contrary to Ordinary: The Black Pearls of the Dog World) and Heather Rosenwald (founder of Start Seeing Black Dogs) share their insights about the disturbing phenomenon. Speaking together for the first time, Rosenwald and Delaney discuss factors contributing to BDS, effective strategies for change, and the animals who motivate them.

Creative and market-savvy efforts, such as black dog walks and sharp photography techniques, continue to improve the situation for black shelter dogs. Yet, as these two advocates stress, there is still much work to be done.

News links:

• Chino slaughterhouse regularly bought, abused sick cattle, ex-worker says
• Asian elephant cured in rehab of heroin addiction
• Wanna own a tiger? Website offers help, incurs wrath

Tags: Companion Animals

© iStockphoto.com / Jeff Chevrier

It was 1:00 am, and we just turned a corner of a quiet Toronto street. Lost in conversation, we walked on, oblivious to our surroundings. Then, suddenly, the scene became clear: A squawking bird overhead, another barely limping toward the curb, and a sleek cat waiting in the wing. A car sped past, nearly hitting the injured the American Robin. Struck by our own ignorance, we wondered how to ethically respond: What should we do?

Nathalie Karvonen, Executive Director and co-founder of the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC), has spent over fifteen years helping wildlife in need. A truly inspirational registered charity, the TWC has provided medical care and rehabilitation services to tens of thousands of animals, while also educating the public about how to live more harmoniously with our wild neighbours. In this interview, we learn about the major dangers facing urban wildlife, how to help a sick or injured animal, why wildlife vets are a rare breed, and the TWC's specialized programs, including the Wildlife Rescue and Oil Spill Response.

News links:

• Early fish had rudimentary fingers, scientists find
• Maple Leaf reopens plant at heart of listeria outbreak
• Eating greens 'makes you greener'
• Officials investigating release of 6,000 mink from west Kaysville farm

Tags: Animal Rescues

Photo from cherihuber.com

Original air date: January 6, 2004

It is my pleasure to announce this week's guest on Animal Voices, Cheri Huber. Cheri has been studying and teaching Zen Buddhism for 30 years. She is well-known for her many books, including There Is Nothing Wrong with You, The Fear Book, The Depression Book, and When You're Falling, Dive: The Power of Acceptance. Her article, One Less Act of Violence that was published as part of the book, That Which You are Seeking is Causing you to Seek, deals specifically with compassion toward animals.

I am very honored to speak with Cheri. Cheri's writing continues to motivate and inspire me. She remains one of my most beloved teachers. It's amazing how many books I've bought of hers to pass on to friends! If you're interested in learning more about Buddhism, and its relevance to animals, this will be a show you don't want to miss. Cheri's perspective lends insight into ways to practise compassion to animals as well as ourselves as we struggle for animal and human liberation.

For more information, see Cheri Huber's website www.cherihuber.com.

News links:

• Food recalls grow in Chinese tainted milk crisis
• Farm holds pig wrestle, despite warnings
• Sask. slaughterhouse goes into receivership

Tags: Philosophy | Staff Picks

Join us live on location for the premier Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off. Hosted by the Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA), this celebratory event brought together sweet lovers of all persuasions. With thirty submissions, baked selections included a variety of homemade goods, such as cookies, pies, cupcakes, and squares, among other delectables. Listen in as we chat with the tasters, organizers, and judges, including Jae Steele author of Get it Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking and Living, Stephen Gardner proprietor of Fressen and Urban Herbivore, and Eden Hertzog owner of New Moon Kitchen. You'll hear about some of the crowd favourites, and the official competition results. So settle in for some aural black forest cake, miniature cheesecakes, and butter tarts, as we drop in at a lively community event.

News links:

• Vegetarian food bank is booming
• No more nip and tuck for show dogs: N.B. vets
• The farmer in the DELL® uses a computer to milk the herd

Tags: Cooking

It can be slim pickings for vegetarians at conventional food banks, as staples such as tuna fish regularly stock shelves. For long-time or even lifetime vegetarians, consumption of non-vegetarian foods can be psychologically, emotionally, and sometimes physically traumatizing: Meat eating can conflict with people's religious beliefs, force individuals to compromise their ethics, and even make some people sick.

Malan Joseph dreamed of starting a vegetarian food bank for over a decade. Inspired by his Hindu and vegetarian wife, Joseph took her sentiments about the plight of low-income vegetarians to heart. In this interview we speak with Joseph, founder of the Ontario Vegetarian Food bank, the first of its kind in Canada. In May he triumphantly opened the doors to the non-profit facility, a service funded on his own dime without any government support. Joseph's passion and business-savvy shine through during our conversation as he describes the creation of the bank, a few of his generous (and mysterious!) suppliers, and ways to help fight hunger.

News links:

• Finally, a food bank for vegetarians...
• Vegetarian food bank is booming
• 1 in 4 mammals threatened with extinction: report
• More meatless meals at Southwest Michigan colleges, thanks to vegetarian students and staff
• Banksy Sets up Pet Shop with Self-Dipping Chicken Nuggets and Swimming Fish Sticks

Original air date: February 15, 2005

Please join us for a conversation with Virgil Butler, an ex-Tyson slaughterhouse worker from rural Arkansas. We'll learn about his work as a chicken processor and killer, and find out why he eventually quit and became an outspoken animal advocate, founding the group Activists Against Factory Farming (see below). Arguing that worker and animal welfare are closely linked within the slaughterhouse, Virgil will offer his analysis of the current meat industry and share his thoughts on how the situation can be improved. Specifically, he'll describe the CAK (Controlled Atmosphere Killing) technique that he believes will "reduc[e] the amount of cruelty the chickens have to endure as well as having the potential to help improve working conditions for the workers." Don't miss this opportunity to hear an insider's view of the industry.

Activists Against Factory Farming
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/activistsagainstfactoryfarming/
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/AgainstFactoryFarming

News links:

• Horses euthanized after Calgary freeway crash
• Hefty reward offered in mink-release cases
• In Hard Times for Humans, Hardships for Pets, Too
• Compassion Overcomes Cruelty: Students React to Animal Cruelty Case, Raise Funds for Yellow's Care

Tags: Farmed Animals | Labour Issues | Staff Picks

Tune in as we catch up with the renowned cookbook author and vegan icon, Sarah Kramer, currently on tour with Vegan à Go-Go: A Cookbook and Survival Manual for Vegans on the Road. Though Kramer's emphasis remains on the recipes, readers are also treated to creative and seasoned traveling tips for the savvy tripper. Featuring new recipes and lauded favourites, Vegan à Go-Go emphasizes easy-to-find ingredients, simple preparation, and crowd pleasers.

For fans of Kramer's previous cookbooks, including How It All Vegan, Garden of Vegan (both co-authored with Tanya Barnard), and La Dolce Vegan, her newest collection also offers further welcomed insight into the author's past: The opening essay discusses her childhood, and the frightening events that catalyzed her life, the very events that prompted a reconsideration of traveling and eventually helped spark the Sarah Kramer cookbook phenomenon.

Tags: Cooking

Photo © z.cuervo

A huge thank you to everyone who donated during the Fall "Friends of 89.5" fundraising drive. The past six months have been busy ones for Animal Voices! We have created twenty-one new shows, increased our listenership, and tackled a wide variety of unique animal issues: From bear bile farming, shelter work, activist history, the vegan hip hop movement, incredible rescues, inter-species whale music, to abolitionism, a cooking call-in, bullfighting, vet school rabble-rousing, postcolonial theory and hunting, wildlife rehabilitation, and much more. Produced by a small group of volunteers (three!), Animal Voices strives to bring you high-quality, thoughtful, and diverse perspectives from around the globe.

Ultimately, though, our work doesn't keep the show on the air: You do. CIUT 89.5 FM requires that we generate ten new memberships during the station's bi-annual fundraising drive. That might not sound like a lot, but each fundraising drive we struggle to meet our quota, along with the other spoken word shows. The success of the drives is crucial for the continuation of the program: CIUT considers the response during the fundraising drives to be indicative of the overall support of the program. (In other words, your financial support helps us dodge the axe!)

In closing, we wanted underscore the fact that here are so few public forums for people to exchange ideas about animals in a critical way; community radio is one of the only places that animal issues become part of the public landscape. If you missed the opportunity to donate, please hang on to that cash until the next fundraising drive in the Spring. It would be great if we could count on you to help us meet our quota next time. Thanks for your ongoing support!

Tags: Clip Shows

Photo from compassionatecooks.com

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, founder of Compassionate Cooks, is "one to know" in the vegetarian and animal movements, and with good reason. Through her friendly and intensely informational "Food for Thought" podcasts, cooking videos, and written publications (such as the award-winning The Joy of Vegan Baking), Patrick-Goudreau debunks stereotypes about vegetarianism and animal rights, all without being preachy or overbearing.

Given her personal style and dedication to rigorous research, Patrick-Goudreau offers seasoned activists extra tools for their non-leather toolbelts, while gently welcoming newcomers to the issues. Patrick-Goudreau also radiates health and happiness, which adds extra appeal to her cooking tips, recipes, and nutritional advice: The proof is in the vegan pudding, as they say! Importantly, too, she knows how to tell a good story, be it through how to make satisfying winter soup or the retelling of an overlooked Oscar Wilde tale.

News links:

• Galapagos bachelor tortoise struggles to be a dad
• Fish farms among new chances for arid nations
• New bill could lead to abuse: critics

Tags: Cooking | Nut