Episode 403: Aryenish Birdie & Hayden Hunter

Welcome to the 403rd episode of Our Hen House! 
Mariann talks to Hayden Hunter, Director of Investigations at Last Chance For Animals, about the organization’s recent undercover investigation of animal cruelty at International Toxicology Research Laboratories. Hayden Hunter is director of Investigations for Last Chance for Animals (LCA), an international non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating animal exploitation through education, investigations, legislation, and public awareness campaigns. In this role, she manages the organization’s investigators throughout the United States and Canada and supports the organization’s efforts to expose the reality of the lives of animals in industries catering to humans so that the public can better understand their experiences and needs, and ensure that there are laws that allow animals to be protected and live as they should. Hunter brings 32 years of experience working with livestock, horses, exotic animals and marine mammals in the entertainment, competitive sports, farming, and veterinary medicine industries.
Jasmin interviews Aryenish Birdie about Encompass, an organization she founded to help foster inclusion in the animal protection movement. Executive Director Aryenish Birdie, M.A. founded Encompass in August 2017 after witnessing first hand the urgent need for a more inclusive animal protection movement. She recently served as the Research Outreach and Legislative Policy Manager at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, having spent over seven years at the organization. While there she promoted human-relevant alternatives to the use of animals in toxicity tests for chemicals, cosmetics, pesticides, and other products through outreach to Members of Congress and their staff, Fortune 500 companies, federal agencies, and other stakeholders. As a lobbyist, she was part of a four-woman team instrumental in reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act to ensure that animal protection language was integrated into the law, securing the first-ever federal legislative victory for animals in labs. Birdie completed her Master’s degree, Magna Cum Laude, in Public Management from Johns Hopkins University.
Mariann covers News and Rising Anxieties, too!
As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer.

This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World is a hunger relief and animal protection organization chipping away at two of the world’s most immense, unnecessary and unconscionable forms of suffering… the suffering of people hungry from lack of food, and the suffering of animals used and abused for food. Mending our unjust food system is a critical part of solving the world’s most destructive and persistent problems. Fortunately, the plant-based foods that promote health and well-being are the same foods that conserve resources to better feed the world, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the environment. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.
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The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.