Source: Humane Society of the United States / ABC News At the top of hour, we connect with Cyrus Showkati from Canadians for Effective Animal Cruelty Legislation, a coalition that is raising awareness about the weaknesses of Bill S-203. A bogus piece of legislation, argues the coalition, Bill S-203 is set to pass in Parliament in April. Not only does the proposed bill not go far enough to address animal cruelty, but CEACL also claims that it could actually distract attention from the real problem and from creating meaningful change. (Shockingly, Canada's animal cruelty legislation has not been updated since 1892!) For our feature interview, Gary Patronek explains animal hoarding, a term he coined in 1997. Patronek, who founded the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (HARC), has worked with colleagues for over ten years to understand this disturbing psychological and social phenomenon. Tune in to hear about what compels people to hoard, the different types of hoarders, and what can be done to help both the animals and humans involved. Still strikingly under-researched by the academic and medical communities, animal hoarding largely remains misunderstood by the public, as those who hoard are often demonized, or understood as simply loving animals too much. As Patronek discusses, the HARC research suggests a nuanced account of this difficult problem.

"Grace happens when we act with others on behalf of our world." - Joanna Macy

Please join us for a much anticipated conversation with Dr. Joanna Macy. Widely recognized as a scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology, Macy is less well-known as a proponent of animal issues and veganism. On this program, we'll explore some of the philosophical ideas and practical insights offered through this beloved mentor's engaged teachings, including their relevance to animals.

A vocal critic of industrial growth society, Macy will describe her understanding of the Great Turning, "the essential adventure of our time: the shift from the Industrial Growth Society to a life-sustaining civilization." For those who despair in the face of so many environmental and social crises, she encourages, "don't be afraid of the anguish you feel, or the anger or fear, for these responses arise from the depth of your caring and the truth of your interconnectedness with all beings. To suffer with is the literal meaning of compassion". Through decades of activism within the ecology, justice, and peace movements, Macy's interdisciplinary "work that reconnects" remains deeply grounded, and infused with profound gratitude.

Joanna Macy is the author of numerous books, such as Despair and Personal Power in the Nuclear Age (1983); Dharma and Development (1985); Thinking Like a Mountain (with John Seed, Pat Fleming, and Arne Naess; 1988); Mutual Causality in Buddhism and General Systems Theory (1991); World as Lover, World as Self (1991); Rilke's Book of Hours (1996, 2005); In Praise of Mortality (2004) (with Anita Barrows); Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World (with Molly Young Brown, New Society Publishers, 1998), and a memoir Widening Circles (2000).

Isa Chandra Moskowitz (left) and Terry Hope Romero (right). Author photo from the Veganomicon, taken by Evan McGraw.

1924 - Penniless Sci-Fi author H.P. Lovecraft writes his first story that includes the Necronomicon (book of the dead), a book of spells and incantations designed for protecting yourself from malevolent intergalactic space creatures. His stories don't become famous until after he dies, but many future generations of geeky teens are enthralled by Lovecraft's paranoid and supernatural musings.

2008 - Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero bring forth the Veganomicon, a book of culinary spells and delicious incantations designed for protecting yourself from vegan cooking boredom. Luckily for us, they are still alive and will be joining us this week to talk about their latest vegan bible. If Vegan with a Vengeance was just enough to whet your appetite, and if Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World filled your belly with cake-y goodness, you won't want to miss this interview with New York's vegan queens. Tune in to hear about cooking, community, and Terry's biblical carob moment.

News links:

• 1,270 birds destroyed after raid on B.C. cockfighting ring
• From wheat to meat: cattle producers anxious over jumping grain prices
• Compassionate Campaigners: How animal voters are shaping the 2008 presidential election

Russell (left) and Fawcett (right)

In this lively panel discussion, colleagues and friends Dr. Leesa Fawcett and Dr. Constance (Connie) Russell reflect on environmental education, critical pedagogy, and the rise of "human-animal studies." Russell (whose research interests include animal-related ecotourism) and Fawcett (whose research interests include animal consciousness and cultures) offer their personal and professional experiences to highlight questions related to advocacy, classroom dynamics, feminism and ideological shifts in the Academy. Never satisfied with simple answers, these interdisciplinary scholars bring a sense of humility to their work to offer complex and ethically-informed analyses of human-animal relationships. Notably, too, as mentors to the current host of Animal Voices, both Russell and Fawcett have greatly influenced the direction of the radio program.

Connie Russell is co-editor of the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University.

Leesa Fawcett is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at York University. In 2001, she received the University-Wide Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence from the York University Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning and the York Parents Association.

News links:

• South Africa removes elephant cull ban

Original air date: October 11, 2005

Lauren: "Years ago, an irate university student accused me, a new vegetarian, of "being worse than meat-eaters because [I] steal the cows' food!" Even at the time his logic seemed a little faulty. Thankfully, with the help of folks like Danielle Nierenberg, a research associate with the World Watch Institute, we're all a lot more educated about world food systems."

We discuss Nierenberg's recent report Happier Meals: Rethinking the Global Meat Industry, which addresses the devastating effects of factory farming on the industrialized and "developing" world. If you've ever been curious about how widespread factory farming has become or what animal issues have to do with globalization, this will be the show for you. From the health, ecological, and humane issues associated with factory farming, we've got it covered.

Then, we'll hear from Adam Weissman from Freegan.info. Adam will discuss the philosophy of freeganism and living as a freegan. What does consumption, capitalism, and First World affluence have to do with animals? According to Adam, quite a bit.

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