About Our Hen House

Our Hen House serves as a clearinghouse for all kinds of ideas and opportunities to create change for animals.

In order to address the cruelty of animal food production, as well as other forms of animal exploitation, a mass movement is needed that reaches into the homes and working lives of vast numbers of individuals. Currently, the work of animal advocacy organizations deals primarily with educating people about the conditions within which animals exist, encouraging followers to make individual dietary and other lifestyle changes, and providing opportunities for involvement, primarily for top-down organizational campaigns based in legislative proposals and policy initiatives. Our Hen House builds on the work being done by those advocacy groups to truly catalyze a mass movement in which individuals do not merely follow the leadership of animal advocacy organizations, but also take personal responsibility for leading the way to a new world in which the exploitation of animals is recognized as no longer necessary for human progress and must come to an end. It does this by being an indefatigably positive, accessible, and entertaining resource for those who are becoming aware of the conditions within which animals currently exist and want to be part of this new world. In order to accomplish this, Our Hen House identifies and disseminates information about opportunities for individuals to create change, including academic resources to facilitate both research and classroom work; legal resources, particularly relating to lawsuits based in tort; informational resources, including ways to take full advantage of online as well as traditional ways to disseminate information; artistic resources; and for-profit resources, focusing in particular on enabling the vast shift that must occur in food production, preparation and dissemination necessary to replace the current animal-centric diet with a plant-based diet.

With our primary goal being to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, we showcase opportunities for individuals who already care about animals to start changing the world.

Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. We are grateful for your contributions.

Photo by Lauren Krohn

What you can expect …

With a daily blog, weekly podcast, and video page, we identify opportunities, report on successful activists and enterprises, and brainstorm ideas ranging from the brilliant (if we do say so ourselves) to the farfetched. The blog covers opportunities for change in these major (and sometimes overlapping) categories:

Art of the Animal features different artists of all kinds who are speaking up for animals through their art. It’s for those who think creatively and appreciate the power that art has to create change. Part of the aim of Art of the Animal is to use walking examples (and painting, dancing, acting, singing examples …) of talented advocates to inspire others to be creative with their message.

Class Act reports on ideas for advancing animal interests in higher education. It’s for students and faculty seeking to bring animal studies and animal activism to their campus.

Legal Eagles is, first and foremost, the place for lawsuits — it’s long past time someone was held liable! — but it will also identify promising ideas for activism regarding everything legal, from legislation to legal scholarship to law school events and beyond.

Money Squawks is for anyone who realizes that as animal exploiters go down the tubes, somebody is going to be making money… and hey, why not me? Along with brainstorming ideas for for-profit opportunities that can make positive change for animals, this section highlights business ventures and products that are already changing the way the world works. Whether you want to do well by doing good part-time, as a career, or by building a vegan empire, start reading!

Reading the Animal is a section focusing on reviews of new (and old!) books for the avid activist. Expect resources on necessary reads, opinions on what you absolutelyhave to read, and interviews with activist authors.

Oink, Moo, Woof is all about ways to get the word out — from the truth about the world of suffering we are all working to eradicate, all the way to the truth about the glorious pleasures of vegan living. Whatever it is you want to say, we try to identify good opportunities, and also report on activists who are inspiring us with their achievements. Since this is a huge topic, we have split it up:

Grazing in the Grassroots looks at  ideas and opportunities for creative activism that anyone can pursue in their community. Occasionally we highlight grassroots campaigns from animal protection organizations that we think are especially exciting.

Media Mavens identifies opportunities and tools for both expanding and reaching beyond your community — with pen, camera, voice, computer…

Speaking of media mavens, on our podcast, we get to interview some of the grooviest, most insightful and inspiring activists and change-makers around. And, in addition to some idle chit-chat, and a bit of gossip, we review new hot products, companies, and media. Tune in to get the vegan skinny on new movies, cupcakes, shoes….

Also be sure to visit our video page where we will post workshops, interviews, and how-tos.

Thank you for joining us in Our Hen House, a place to find our way to change the world for animals.

Board of Directors:

Mariann Sullivan — President

Jasmin Singer — Secretary

Suzanne Gorman — Treasurer

Advisory Board:

Carol Leifer

Dan Piraro

Ari Solomon

Read their bios.

Quick Links:

Contact us.

Meet our flock.

Donate. (Thank you!)

Check out our recent press.

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Read Jasmin and Mariann’s story.

Check out our testimonials.

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

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Purchase animal law books published by the ABA and Our Hen House will get 20% of the proceeds.

Our Hen House is a proud recipient of a grant from the Animal Welfare Trust.

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