The bottom of the trunks are being painted in bright colors. The move came about after the city’s Parks and Outdoors department consulted the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The latter provided advice for a non-lethal solution to the problem of beavers destroying riverfront trees to make dams. 

Despite being a natural activity for the species, beavers’ chewing can leave tree trunks significantly weakened. Specifically, in Chattanooga, trees have the potential to fall into a nearby children’s playground or across a pedestrian footpath.

Traditionally, animals are killed in the US to prevent such risks. Moreover, in Tennessee, state law prevents beavers from being trapped and humanely released. They must be euthanized once caught. 

Deterring the beavers

Chattanooga’s Parks and Outdoors department claims to have tried a number of preventative tactics before turning to painted tree trunks. These included protective fences – which the beavers climbed – and dousing trunks in hot sauce, which washed off in the rain.

So far, the most successful approach has been the use of non-toxic latex paint mixed with water and sand. The sand acts as an irritant to the beavers’ sensitive teeth, causing them to go looking for wood elsewhere. It is noted that painted trees have displayed light bite marks but nothing more, leading to assumptions that the painting technique is working.

This year is the first that officials have noted repeated beaver activity. According to Brian Smith, the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors communications and marketing director, it is unclear where the beavers are taking their wood hauls. However, when they source wood that does not pose a threat to human health, they are largely left alone. And, considered a vital part of the region’s biodiversity.

Putting an end to human-wildlife conflict

HSUS states that beavers are not the only animals killed to “manage” human-wildlife conflicts in the US. It highlights that many species labeled as nuisances are also “culled,” instead of encouraged to carry out their natural activities away from human populations.

Raccoons, skunks, chipmunks, and even bears are specifically named by HSUS as species threatened by such extreme measures. The nonprofit subsequently calls for a change in tack, as killing animals “only addresses the symptom of the problem, not the cause.” As such, the issue is likely to recur.

The Wild Neighbors program sees HSUS working with local agencies across the US. These include animal shelters, law enforcement, wildlife agencies, and more. In total more than 630 are signed up to the initiative that produces and promotes educational resources about how humans and non-human animals can coexist, without choosing lethal action. 

HSUS reports that since 2020, it has trained more than 7,000 animal care and control experts to use non-lethal resolution techniques when dealing with wildlife.

The post How Painted Trees Are Saving The Lives Of Beavers In America appeared first on Plant Based News.

Throughout the world, there are more than 270 million cows producing milk for human consumption. A growing number of these live in factory farms. In order to produce milk, cows must first have a baby. They are artificially inseminated every year from the age of two. Each time, they have their newborn calf taken from them, often within 24 hours, so that their milk can be “harvested” for human consumption.

Mother cows often cry and out bellow for days after their calf is gone. Conditions like mastitis and lameness are common in dairy cows. When they stop producing milk, farmers take them to the slaughterhouse.

The ethical costs of the industry can take a toll on farmers, and many have decided to ditch dairy for good and turn vegan. Two of these farmers are Jay and Katja Wilde from Derbyshire in the UK. Jay said he felt like he was “betraying” his cows by sending them to slaughter, and decided to give his animals to a sanctuary.

Find out more about his farm, as well as four others, in the video below.

Check out Plant Based News’ YouTube channel for more videos like this.

The post WATCH: 5 Times Dairy Farmers Went Vegan appeared first on Plant Based News.

Since that day, Heiligtag has helped 125 farms in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany move away from animals. She calls this process a “transfarmation.” Animals will either be moved to sanctuaries, or remain and allowed to live out their natural lives in peace. The new farms will always be entirely vegan. 

Farmers mostly get in contact after experiencing the guilt that sometimes comes with their line of work. “They suffer because of what they have to do to animals,” she says. “It can be that they have been suffering for years and years and years and didn’t see a way out, but it can also happen that they look into one animal’s eyes and suddenly realize there’s someone behind these eyes.”

The transfarmation

A transfarmation usually begins with a phone call. Heiligtag will find out as much information as possible about the farm and its potential to be changed. She’ll then visit the farm and check out the surroundings, find out their situation, and look into whether they’ll need financial support. “We talk about what they would want to do if they were completely free without boundaries,” she says. “Do they have any ideas of what they could do? And some do. Some really have dreams.”

The farms will adopt plant-based farming methods, often adapting to grow oats, chickpeas, lentils, fruit, and legumes. Farms like these help the Swiss population to eat more local plant foods, as these tend to be imported into the country. Some farms will also open sanctuaries and invite schools to visit and learn about the transfarmation process, while others will host B&Bs on their premises. 

‘A new normal’

Heiligtag is a long-term vegan and animal rights activist, and spent years doing undercover work in slaughterhouses before helping farms transfarm. “I really wanted to fight the system and stop it until I realized it probably will break me because it was so horrible, what I saw every day,” she says. Transfarmations are, for Heiligtag, a new form of activism that sees her change, rather than go against, the agricultural system. “I had this dream to work for a new normal. Not only against what’s happening, but also to show that it’s possible to be different, that we can do something for a peaceful world.”

Heiligtag will help any animal farm with potential to be transfarmed, and has worked with those housing pigs, dairy cows, chickens, and more. She will only, however, work with farmers prepared to move away from livestock completely. “I get asked a lot if I would help reduce the animals a little bit, or change them from cows to sheep, and I clearly say no,” she says. “For me change is really about getting out of animal agriculture completely. So the end and the future is always vegan agriculture.”

The myth of ‘good’ animal farms

Switzerland, where Heiligtag works, has among the best “animal welfare” laws in the world. She also often works with small and family-run farms, those the general public often deem as “good” (as opposed to “bad” factory farms). This means that, by anyone’s logic, the animal farms she transfarms would be among the best and most ethical in the world.

Why, then, are their owners carrying so much guilt?

“It’s not possible to produce animal products without exploiting animals,” she says. “Even those that look beautiful, even those that you think are typical Heidi Swiss farms, they still have to produce milk. You have to separate the calf from the mom. It’s a long ongoing suffering. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hundred cows or a thousand cows. It’s always horrible and it’s always really, really painful for the animals.”

Challenges of transfarmations

While she has successfully helped a huge number of farmers, not every farm that wants to has potential to be transfarmed. “The difficult thing for me is when I know I can’t rescue all of these animals that I see,” she says. “If I’m not sure if this farm is really ready for change, and I see all these animals looking at me. As soon as I see an animal I feel like I want to help, and leaving them behind is very hard.”

The global vegan movement is growing, bringing with it calls around the world for farmers to adapt and adopt animal-free methods. While many farmers are open and receptive to change, some have responded to changing attitudes with a fresh – and sometimes dangerous – determination to maintain the status quo. “There have been moments where there has been a lot of aggression,” says Heiligtag. “For example by a dad who is against the changing of his son’s farm. It can get quite emotional or even violent. I have to set my boundaries, and work out if I should go there or not. Once a farmer explicitly killed an animal in front of my eyes to show me that he’s the winner. So I see stuff that kind of haunts me sometimes, but that’s just part of it.” 

Heiligtag says, however, that such aggressive behavior is rare. “In general, I try to be kind, to understand everyone. I don’t want to harm anybody, I just want to stop animal suffering, and that’s what I try to say. I’m not going to places to say ‘you need to change,’ but if someone calls me, I’m going there.”

Challenges for farmers

The biggest boundary for those hoping to transfarm, says Heiligtag, is the social environment they live in, as well as potential judgment from other farmers. “Being brave enough to stand there and say ‘yes I’m changing,’ despite what everyone will say.”

The beginning of the transfarmation tends to be the hardest part, when farmers are, as Heiligtag puts it, no longer “in the club” with their colleagues. “But once they see that it’s actually working this changes,” she says. “Now the whole farm looks much more beautiful, and people come and say ‘wow, what you’re doing here is brilliant.’”

The post A ‘Transfarmation’: Meet The Woman Helping Animal Farms Turn Vegan appeared first on Plant Based News.

The black Angus calf was being driven from Pennsylvania to Saba Live Poultry in Canarsie, Brooklyn, a butcher’s that keeps live animals for slaughter on the premises. 

After he jumped off the truck, workers from a nearby pizza restaurant filmed the cow being chased around the street in an attempt to catch up with him. The cow was eventually caught and taken to the slaughterhouse.

The rescue

This wasn’t the end of the story, however. After hearing about what happened, the owner of New Jersey’s Skylands Animal Sanctuary, Mike Stura, decided to attempt to rescue the cow. 

He reportedly had a three-hour phone call with both the owner of the farm and manager of Saba Live Poultry, which was later described as “tense.”

Stura is well known for animal rescues, and has secured the release of many more prior to this. While he doesn’t reveal his exact methods, he has stated he never offers to pay for their release. He said offering payment would be “counterproductive” to his goal of ridding the world of slaughterhouses. 

Rescued animals given sanctuary

While it’s very unusual for “livestock” to have a happy ending, this isn’t the first time an escaped animal has been rescued in similar circumstances. 

Back in 2016, Stura also secured the rescue of a cow named Freddie, who had escaped from a slaughterhouse in Queens, New York. Freddie had been delivered from upstate, and had managed to run away while being transferred from a trailer at a live meat market. 

In 2021, a pregnant pig named Matilda escaped from a factory farm in Nottinghamshire and gave birth to 10 babies in the woods. Thousands of people signed the petition calling for Matilda to be rescued, and she now lives with her children at Surge Sanctuary. 

The post Cow Filmed Running Through Brooklyn After Escaping Slaughter Taken To Sanctuary appeared first on Plant Based News.

The piglet, who was found bruised and covered in mud, was rescued by PETA. Cromwell reached out to the animal organization to see if they could be introduced. He is also helping transfer Babe to Indraloka Animal Sanctuary in Pennsylvania. 

The moniker is in reference to the pig character in the 1995 film, which Cromwell starred in. Babe tells the story of an orphaned piglet who wants to do the work of a sheepdog after being brought to a farm. Cromwell has credited the film as turning him vegan. 

In a clip shared to social media, Cromwell is seen speaking to the young male piglet, who is wrapped in a blanket, over Zoom. 

“I hear you’re rather an extraordinary pig,” Cromwell tells him. “You jumped off a truck so you wouldn’t be someone’s Easter dinner? What a great thing to do. Nobody should have any animal for dinner, invite the animals to dinner, that’s what I say.”

James Cromwell uses his voice for animals

Cromwell is well-known in the animal rights community for his action and advocacy. He was previously arrested while protesting against SeaWorld, and he also glued himself to a counter at Starbucks to protest its surcharge for non-dairy milk. 

After going vegetarian in 1974, his experience filming with a pig for Babe led him to cut all animal products out of his life. 

“Having had the privilege of witnessing and experiencing pigs’ intelligence and inquisitive personalities while filming the movie Babe changed my life and my way of eating, and so I jumped at the chance to save this real-life Babe,” Cromwell said in a statement. 

“Every pig deserves to live in peace and joy at a sanctuary, choosing when to frolic, where to forage, and how to spend their time, yet few do.”

The post James Cromwell Praises ‘Extraordinary’ Piglet, Named Babe, Who Escaped Slaughter appeared first on Plant Based News.

Animal rights organization PETA’s humane education division, TeachKind was set up to help promote kindness and anti-speciesism to children. It does so through free advice, resources, and presentations that can be used in schools. 

Built in the Kassanda district, by charity LUV4ALL, the Atlas primary school was recognized for its upholding of vegan values. Particular reference was paid to the provision of an all-vegan menu and clear examples of anti-speciesism being taught.

As well as a certificate, the school received a number of books centered around themes of kindness and empathy towards animals. However, the most vital gift was a $1,000 donation.

“This is an absolute God-Send and we will be able to do so much good with it,” a spokesperson for Atlas Community School said. 

“The much-needed funds will go towards the school’s running costs and the teaching materials will help not only Atlas pupils, but also those who attend the other schools we visit as part of our vegan outreach program.”

Atlas School nets vegan activist grant

Alongside being recognized by PETA, the Atlas School was awarded a mini-grant by a fellow the animal protection organization. In Defense of Animals (IDA) gave the facility $250 for its continued efforts to support animal rights. This, and for nurturing children to create a compassionate future world.

The grant was allocated as part of IDA’s Activist Appreciation Month 2023, which is held annually, throughout February. It is reported that the grant will be used to help cover running costs, as most donations are.

The need for veganism in Uganda

According to the vegan Atlas School, ill health due to complications after eating meat is commonplace in Uganda. It states that tapeworms and other zoonotic infections, including brucellosis (caught by eating unpasteurized dairy) are part of everyday life. As such, it has set out to educate younger generations about how to eat healthily.

“Year after year, we have to face new emerging infectious diseases, because of the disease-generating practice of breeding, confining, and butchering animal slaves,” the school’s website says.

“If we can’t get people—not just our own community, but the whole world—to understand that animal agriculture must be abolished, then these crises will never end. And they will get worse.”

The post Uganda’s ‘First Vegan School’ Scoops International Compassion Award appeared first on Plant Based News.

The city council has reportedly allocated €1.1 million for the project, which will see a dedicated cemetery built in the Collserola Natural park. It is predicted to support up to 7,000 annual burial services, at least in the first few years of operation.

Those grieving the loss of a companion animal will be able to hold a service for around €200. Historically, pet cremations have been exclusively catered for by the private sector.

Personal burial services for Barcelona’s animals

Eloi Badia, Barcelona’s councilor for climate emergency and ecological transition, says that the public pet cemetery build was spurred on by “constant public demand.” This, and a desire to have the option of a more personalized service. 

Badia states that between 20 and 30 percent of owners would be interested in pursuing a “greater connection” to their lost animals, through tailored burial events. These would be less perfunctory than a private cremation and offer a final resting place that can be visited.

The city council states that the process of burying a non-human animal will be sympathetically managed, with support at every stage. Barcelonian mourners will be able to decide if they want the ashes of their companion to be delivered to them at home, or sent directly to the pet cemetery ahead of a meaningful service.

A nation of animal lovers

It is estimated that around 50 percent of all family homes in Barcelona include a companion animal. In particular, the city is known to currently play host to more than 180,000 dogs. However, it’s not just Spain’s second-largest city that seeks to offer its animals dignity and respect.

In 2021, a landmark legal ruling decided that pets and wild animals can no longer be considered “objects” in Spain. The decision came after vigorous campaigning from animal rights groups. It means that individual non-human animals must have their feelings and wellbeing constantly accounted for.

The post Barcelona To Open Spain’s First Public Pet Cemetery, With Personalized Burials appeared first on Plant Based News.

The campaign, which launched in 2014, sees people from across the world sign up to go vegan for one month. North Korea (where the internet is banned) and Vatican City are said to be the only places on Earth with no sign-ups this year.

Veganuary has been praised for opening up more people to plant-based eating, and many are thought to stay vegan after the month has ended. 

“The impact our food choices have on the planet is getting harder to ignore, and it’s very inspiring to see so many people around the world starting the new year by taking action,” Veganuary’s Head of Communications Toni Vernelli said in a statement. “Attitudes towards veganism are changing, and Veganuary’s just-give-it-a-go-for-a-month-and-see-what-you-think approach has undoubtedly played an instrumental role in this shift, offering a non-judgmental way for businesses and individuals alike to explore a transition towards plant-based.” 

In an Instagram announcing the record-breaking year, Veganuary also pointed out that these were likely the “tip of the iceberg,” as many people do the challenge without signing up. 

In a YouGov poll conducted last month, four percent of UK respondents said that they were doing Veganuary.

Why do people do Veganuary?

People opt to take part in Veganuary for a number of reasons. The campaign previously said that the majority of people cite animal welfare as a motivating factor. Others sign up over environmental or health concerns. 

While most people in the world eat meat, there is nevertheless a growing understanding of the ethical costs of our food. 

The majority of farmed animals are kept in factory farms, where they are subjected to unnatural conditions, mutilations, and confined spaces. 

Animal agriculture is also a key contributor to the climate crisis. It’s responsible for at least 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and is a driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss. 

The post Veganuary Breaks All Records With Biggest Year Yet appeared first on Plant Based News.

We’ve pulled together 10 of our favorite festive gags that we hope will make you smirk, or at least pull a good-natured eye-roll. At the very least, you should be able to give older members of the family a run for their money in the cringey joke department…

So, if you want to prove that vegans really do have a sense of humor and can be the life of the party, make a note of some of these jokes and have them ready for your festive shindigs.

10 vegan holiday jokes

1. What do vegans sing in December?

Christmas Kales.

2. What does plant-based Santa eat for breakfast?

Mistle-toast.

3. Why do sheep like vegan holiday sweaters?

Because they’re not baaaaa-d for them.

4. What’s red and green and guides Santa’s sleigh?

Rudolph the red-nosed pickle.

5. What do vegan bodybuilders eat at Christmas?

Muscle sprouts.

6. What are turkeys most thankful for during the holidays?

Vegans.

7. What is the most vegan Christmas song?

Have yourself a merry lentil Christmas.

8. Can I tell you a vegan Christmas joke?

I promise it won’t be cheesy.

9. Why did the nut roast cross the road?

To prove that it wasn’t a chicken (or a turkey!).

10. Why is Santa vegan?

Because it’s good for his elf.

Got any better vegan jokes for the holidays? Tweet us @PlantbasedNews.

The post 10 Vegan Holiday Jokes To Make You Laugh Into Your Tofurkey appeared first on Plant Based News.

An insider close to Saint Nick revealed the news. The source — who has chosen to remain anonymous so will be referred to as Mr. Roo Dolf — spoke to Plant Based News about Santa’s change of heart.

“Santa has been working towards a kinder community for decades. His yearly tradition of rewarding those who do nice things has led to a 200,000 percent increase in good deeds – probably,” Mr. Dolf said.

“Us reindeer – that is, if I was a reindeer – have been plant-based since birth,” he continued. “So we spoke to Santa about his diet. And we asked if eating and using animal products was truly the best way to make the world a kinder place.”

Santa’s very vegan Christmas

Santa was quick to jump on board, the insider confirmed.

In a letter distributed to his staff at the North Pole, Santa Claus announced his new vegan lifestyle. The letter, seen by Plant Based News, revealed he will enjoy plant-based turkey for Christmas. And, that he has updated his iconic red and white suit to use faux fur.

Similarly, elves’ work uniforms will feature vegan wool alternatives rather than the animal-derived fabric.

In addition, Santa’s toy-making facilities will only serve plant-based meals from here on in.

“And at the request of our beloved reindeer, we have decided to move past animal transportation for good,” Santa wrote in the letter. “This Christmas, mechanical reindeer that look and fly just like our original team will take over.

“Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph will enter retirement, and enjoy their lives peacefully at a sanctuary here in the North Pole.”

“Of course, any treats left out for the reindeer on Christmas Eve will be taken to them at the sanctuary once my gift deliveries are complete,” Santa added.

Mr. Dolf asked Plant Based News to specify that reindeer enjoy eating leafy greens, oats, and apples.

The post Santa Goes Vegan, Retires Reindeer To ‘Make The World A Kinder Place’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

Humor is subjective of course, so whether these jokes make you cry with laughter, let out a small chuckle, or roll your eyes so hard your pupils disappear, we hope you’ll enjoy them for what they are: sometimes charming, sometimes cringey, but never cheesy (get it?).

So without further ado, here are 10 of our top vegan jokes. (PS – we update this article regularly, so bookmark this page and check back again later!)

10 best vegan jokes

1. What do you call an argument between two vegans?
A Quornfrontation.
(Submitted by @ShortnBluntTho via Twitter)

2. I hate vegan jokes, they’re soy cheesy.
(Submitted by @BLICKYMINAJ via Twitter)

3. What did the vegan wear to the pool?
A zucchini.
(Submitted by anonymous)

4. I went vegan for love. Now I hate everybody.
(Submitted by @1Bvtr via Twitter)

5. If you can’t afford to travel, go vegan. You’ll get stranded on 25 different desert islands.
(Submitted by Neil, London)

6. Why did the tofu cross the road?
To prove it wasn’t chicken.
(Submitted by Tomas, Toronto)

7. If you think being vegan is expensive, think of all the money you’ll save when your friends stop inviting you out to dinner.
(Submitted by Isayas, Addis Ababa)

8. What do you call an argument between two vegans?
Not “beef,” just two people with bad tempehs.
(Submitted by @AModernRemedy via Twitter)

9. What’s the best way to keep milk fresh?
Leave it in the cow.
(Submitted by Levi, Sydney)

10. How many meat-eaters does it take to change a light bulb?
None. They prefer to stay in the dark.
(Submitted by Darrell at PBN)

Best fruit, vegetable, and vegan puns

Hungry for more vegan humor? Get creative with these 33 fruit, vegetable, vegan, and vegetarian puns.

1. Give peas a chance
2. It was a wake-up kale
3. This DJ really knows how to drop the beet
4. The new car is great, there’s plenty of legume
5. I don’t have mushroom at all
6. Lettuce eat
7. I love you so matcha
8. Turnip the music
9. It’s a little off-beet
10. You’ve always bean like this
11. I yam who I yam
12. Soya bean up to much lately?
13. Let’s not beet around the bush
14. You’ve guac this
15. Berry nice
16. We make a great pear
17. From my head tomatoes
18. Let’s kale it quits
19. Never soy never
20. Needless to soy
21. That was a close kale
22. Let’s avocuddle
23. Don’t settle for medi-okra
24. It’s a pretty big dill
25. Don’t kale my vibe
26. Please leave melon
27. They don’t carrot all
28. You always have to have the final soy
29. Everyone romaine calm
30. Bean there, done that
31. Watch out, this boat has a leek!
32. We’re running out of thyme
33. It’s still in mint condition

—

What are your favorite vegan jokes? We keep this article updated, so let us know in the comment section below for a chance to be featured! We also share vegan memes on Instagram.

The post 10 Hilarious Vegan Jokes To Make You Laugh Until You Cry (Maybe) appeared first on Plant Based News.

The Scottish actor took to Instagram to announce the collaboration: “The Holesome Cumming.” 

The bagel is available now and features vegan haggis, dairy-free smoked Applewood cheese, pickles, and chili mayo. It has been curated as a representation of Cumming’s vibrant persona.

“I have performed for world leaders, I have honorary doctorates, I have been on a stamp, people have even tattooed my likeness onto their bodies,” the actor said. “But all that pales into insignificance now. Being embodied in bagel form really takes the biscuit.”

Alan Cumming’s veganism

Cumming went vegetarian in 2010 and turned fully vegan in 2012 as a New Year’s resolution. He claims that ethical motivations gave him the final push.

“I think killing to make or eat things is horrific,” he told Vegetarian Times in 2011.

Since ditching all animal products from his diet, he has consistently spoken up about the importance of veganism.

Last year Cumming pleaded that only plant-based food be served at the Glasgow COP26 climate summit. Citing the serving of animal-based food as “irresponsible,” he likened the move to serving alcohol at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

Explaining his comparison, he said: “If the goal of COP26 is to protect the planet—as well as promote compassionate, responsible behavior—animal-derived foods have no place on the menu.”

He is also known for asking set caterers to accommodate his needs while encouraging fellow vegan actors to create demand by not bringing their own food from home.

Using his celebrity platform, Cumming showcases his activism regularly. From protesting proposals for Scotland’s first caviar farm to being the face of a PETA anti-dairy campaign, he has long been vocal in his beliefs. 

Most recently, he helped rescue a missing chimpanzee, who was also his former co-star (he was in the film before he turned vegan).

Scotland becomes more vegan-friendly

In 2019, an estimated two percent of all Scots labeled themselves as vegan. This translated to approximately 108,000 people. To cater to the increasing demand, Scottish cities have witnessed an increase in plant-based restaurants springing up.

As a result, three cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness) were included in the 2021 top 10 best UK locations for vegans, as curated by discount website Student Beans. Edinburgh took the overall top spot, thanks to playing home to hundreds of vegan-friendly eateries. 

At Bross Bagels, the Holesome Cumming vegan bagel is available to buy in all four locations in Edinburgh. 

Described by the bakery as “ALMOST as delicious as if you were biting the taut left buttock of the man himself,” it sits alongside at least two other vegan bagels that are permanent menu fixtures.

The post It’s Happened: Alan Cumming Has Been Immortalized As A Vegan Bagel appeared first on Plant Based News.

“I brought her home unbeknownst to Derek,” Jenkins tells Plant Based News. “At first it was the novelty, I’d seen pictures of so-called mini-pigs before and thought this might be a cool pet to have.”

While most would have tried to rehome their pet when they realized they weren’t going to get the petite animal they signed up for, Jenkins and Walter stuck by Esther. And their love and nurturing spirits have helped lead her to capture the hearts of, literally, hundreds of thousands of people around the world. “Little did I know that this tiny girl would change the course of our lives forever,” continued Jenkins. “The adventure of a lifetime had begun and I didn’t even know it.”

Esther’s dedicated Instagram account—where Jenkins and Walter post pictures of Esther snoozing, exploring, and hanging out with her siblings (a turkey called Cornelius and a dog called Phil)—has nearly 600,000 followers. But Esther is so much more than an influencer (although she does have enviable style). She’s inspired many, including Walter and Jenkins, to think about farm animals in a new way.

Around the world, 1.5 billion pigs are killed for meat every year. But Esther proves to the world that these animals are not only sentient, but also curious, affectionate, and smart. They are worth more than a bacon sandwich.

We spoke to Jenkins about his journey with Esther, the books she inspired, and the movie that’s in the works. We also spoke about the animal sanctuary he, together with Walter, has now dedicated his life to, all thanks to that little three-pound piglet he held a decade ago.

Plant Based News: Esther is an incredibly successful pig, there’s no doubt about it. Did you realize how much she would connect with people when you first adopted her?

Steve Jenkins: It is surreal and absolutely mind-boggling. We started Esther’s page just as a way for friends and family to stay in touch and observe Esther’s antics, but one of those friends shared Esther’s page on an animal-related website and the next thing we knew Esther’s page had 10,000 likes and it never stopped! That’s been, for me anyway, incredibly overwhelming, to think of the reach that she has and the level that she’s impacting people. It’s in such a deeper and more meaningful way than either of us ever anticipated. 

PBN: How do you cope with the level of fame you and Esther have now? 

Jenkins: You know, we’re so busy all the time with the sanctuary and with Esther and everything that’s going on, that we rarely have a chance to step back and say, “okay, what have we done?” When I have those minutes to reflect on things, I scare myself. So much has happened and so much is happening. I never in a million years thought that I would be controlling social media pages that reach ten million people a week. It still blows my mind that she’s seen and known by that many people and that they care for her the way we do. People are fiercely protective of her online and they’re fiercely protective of Derek and I.

PBN: You’ve written books about your time with Esther, including a children’s book called The True Adventures of Esther The Wonder Pig. In the book, a pig lives with two gay dads. Why was it important for you to tell your story to children?

Jenkins: It was a chance to put a story out there for kids about our family – which is, in general, a picture of how it’s okay to be different. Compassion and kindness are such important things for kids to learn and we have a really unique way to teach them. We needed to tell this beautiful story about loving another creature that grows up to be something we weren’t expecting and to follow that commitment through. Since the release, we’ve received heartfelt messages. One from a mother said: “I wanted to thank you for teaching my four-year-old son that it’s okay to have two dads.” It is incredibly rewarding.

PBN: Can you tell us anything more about whether your story will be made into a film?

Jenkins: A lot of the details are still hush hush. But it is still in the works. Covid changed the timeline.

PBN: It’s been a 10-year journey for you both, and so much has happened in that time. But what’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from Esther along the way?

Jenkins: These amazing intelligent beings should not be subjected to the horrors that humankind imposes on them. Before Esther came along, we had the same wall up that I think a lot of people have, which is that there are two different groups of animals. There are warm, fuzzy, cuddly animals we love and dolphins. And then there are farm animals. When we met Esther, it was her intelligence and seeing her beside the dogs that made us think “they’re not really that different at all.”  Esther put a face to the [meat] industry. We share Esther because we want people to build a relationship with her. We hope that opens the door and makes them start questioning everything else, we call it the “Esther Effect.”

PBN: That “Esther Effect” has led to many new ventures for you. The biggest is perhaps the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary. Why did this come about?

Jenkins: We had always planned to have a retirement property where we could rescue animals. But we envisioned it as more of a hobby farm than a public enterprise. But because of the Esther Effect, things took an unpredictable turn for the better. When we went looking at other sanctuaries, so many were full, flailing, and under great duress. So, we wanted to become part of the solution. Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary was born. We now have over 70 residents and 30 of them are commercial pigs.

PBN: Because of your platform, you get a high number of requests to shelter animals. How do you cope with these and help as many animals as possible?

Jenkins: The need is so great. If we don’t have the room or resources to admit an animal, we work with the owner to try and rectify the problem that is causing them to want to re-home. If it is a situation out of their control, then we use our Esther’s Army Facebook page to assist in finding a loving forever home. Its vast network of supporters and contacts has saved and rehomed hundreds of animals. We also use that platform to shine the light on other sanctuaries and their amazing animal stories. 

PBN: What’s on the cards for the future of the sanctuary?

Jenkins: We want to focus on a few things, including food and energy sustainability. We also want to provide more information to other sanctuaries, particularly about health and safety. We are also going to expand our education and advocacy – but stay true to our approach of keeping the principle of kindness front and center. And to grow our sanctuary, rescuing more animals, but also to use that platform to assist and educate people on how to keep their animals whenever a challenge arises.

PBN: And what about outside of the sanctuary? What does the future hold for you and Esther?

Jenkins: I would be lying if I said a future without Esther scares me. She’s become such an intricate part of our lives, she is in all respects, just like a daughter to us. But I take comfort in knowing that she will live forever albeit in people’s hearts. We plan on continuing to advocate for farmed animals and educating that we can all make a difference in this world simply by choosing to put peace on our plates. Going “Esther approved” doesn’t need to be about sacrifice at all, it’s just about doing what you’ve always done a little bit differently.

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The post The ‘Esther Effect’: How An Insta-Famous Pig Captured The Hearts Of Millions appeared first on Plant Based News.

On Wednesday (May 25), DeMarco completed an eye-watering 21,008 pushups in 12 hours, surpassing the previous record of 20,085.

During the same event, he also smashed through the previous eight-hour record, performing 15,261 pushups, compared to the former record-holder’s 14,444.

The athletic feat comes off the back of DeMarco’s 20-year bodybuilding career and background in gymnastics. The 57-year-old, based in Massachusetts, has since retired from bodybuilding but still enjoys “continually challenging” himself.

“My motivation for this most recent challenge was my dog Buddha,” DeMarco wrote online. DeMarco rescued Buddha around two years ago.

“Although not much is known about Buddha’s past, I know it was not good,” he said, adding Buddha came with some “triggers.”

“He was most likely used as a guard dog as people coming through doors enrage him … With a lot of hard work and a loving home, Buddha became the sweet, lovable dog that was always deep inside of him.”

After a “very tough year,” Buddha lost the use of his back legs and developed a malignant tumor on his spleen, DeMarco disclosed. “I don’t know how much longer Buddha will be with me, but I have dedicated my latest challenge to him,” he said.

Donates money to charity

DeMarco set up a fundraiser for the Guinness World Record attempt-turn-triumph. All proceeds will go to Cape Ann Animal Aid, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter located in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

On the fundraising website, he elaborated: “Ever since I can remember, I have had a passion for fitness and animals. Over the course of my life, I have fostered and rescued many animals that were in need.”

“My love of animals is also the reason that I maintain a 100 percent plant-based diet.”

Those interested can donate to DeMarco’s fundraiser for Cape Ann Animal Aid here.

The post Vegan Breaks 2 Guinness World Records For Most Pushups, Donates Funds To Animal Shelter appeared first on Plant Based News.

In 2017, following expensive animal abuse-focused court cases and amid falling attendance, the circus shut down its big top for good. But now it’s back. And it seems to have learned its lesson, because its new traveling show is totally animal-free.

According to Ringling Bros, the new show will launch next year in September, before embarking on a 50-city tour in North America.

The circus ran for nearly 150 years before it shut down in 2017. But, with a new and improved approach, the updated version hopes to match that legacy.

“We are innovating all aspects of the live show and modernizing the franchise,” said Kenneth Feld, the CEO of Feld Entertainment, the company that owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. “[We want] to create an engaging property that is built for today’s families and will last another 150 years.”

According to Feld Entertainment, the new circus will focus purely on human acts, and its entertainers will “push the limits of human potential and create jaw-dropping moments.” It is currently searching for new talent, with rehearsals beginning at the end of June 2022.

An animal-free circus industry

Feld Entertainment’s decision to focus on human acts over animals isn’t just an ethical one, it’s also a smart business move. Including wild animals in its acts again would limit the states it could visit with its new traveling show, as several (including California, Illinois, and New Jersey) have outright bans or restrictions on circus animal acts.

Entire countries have also banned the use of wild animals in the circus. Most recently, the French parliament voted in favor of legislation that would protect wild animals from becoming circus acts.

The French ecology minister said of the move: “To act in support of animal well-being is the mark of a conscious society and of its responsibility towards a fragile natural world. It is a sign of mature civilization.” 

The post The Infamous Ringling Bros. Circus Is Back Again – This Time, Without Animals appeared first on Plant Based News.

Ryder, who once owned a vegan juice bar in Coggeshall, has TikTok to thank for his rise to fame. Ryder began posting musical covers on the social media platform in March 2020, during the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown.

His covers won the approval of a string of high-profile names including Elton John and Alicia Keys. And by the end of 2020, he was the most-followed UK artist on TikTok. (At the time of writing, Ryder has near to 13 million followers.)

During the pandemic is also when he penned his hit song Space Man, which he performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 – the 66th edition of the competition, which took place on May 14.

There, Ryder topped the jury vote, reeling in 283 points, and secured another 183 points from the public.

‘Unity, peace, love’

The 32-year-old musician named the experience an “incredible, incredible, rewarding journey.”

Speaking to presenters Scott Mills and Rylan Clark after the scores were released, Ryder said: “We signed up to come and sing. We enjoy music, and I know that every single artist involved this year absolutely smashed it.

“Everyone was a credit to themselves and a credit to what Eurovision is all about: unity, peace, love, togetherness, inclusivity and expression. Thank you for having us.”

The post Vegan Singer Snags 2nd Place At Eurovision, Earning Best UK Result In 24 Years appeared first on Plant Based News.