The Hen Report: “When Is This Gonna Change?” | Animal Rights Wins, Farm Bill & Carriage Horses

This is a week packed with animal rights wins and sobering setbacks. Jasmin & Mariann open with a review of The Sheep Detectives, a fun animated film with some meaningful (if imperfect) animal messaging, then dive into a string of legislative victories: Portland’s foie gras sales ban, New York State’s octopus farming ban headed to the governor, and promising momentum around the Save Our Bacon Act, which would protect state-level farmed animal welfare laws from federal override. They also report on a damning follow-up undercover investigation at Cooke Aquaculture in Maine—exposing broken promises by the company’s CEO—alongside disturbing revelations about the University of Wisconsin’s purchase of Ridglan beagles for research, and yet another carriage horse collapse in New York City, prompting renewed calls for Rider’s Law.

• Legislative wins for animals: Portland bans foie gras sales, New York State passes an octopus farming ban, and the Save Our Bacon Act—protecting Prop 12-style state laws banning gestation crates—shows strong momentum in the Farm Bill fight.
• Corporate accountability in animal agriculture: A follow-up undercover investigation at Cooke Aquaculture reveals ongoing fish cruelty despite a public apology, underscoring why animal agriculture companies cannot be trusted to self-regulate.
• University of Wisconsin & the Ridglan beagles: Records reveal UW-Madison purchased beagles from the recently exposed Ridglan Farms for invasive research, and the university is now under fire for investigating the student animal advocacy club that publicized the rescue.
• NYC carriage horses & Rider’s Law: Another horse collapses and dies on New York City streets, reigniting calls to pass Rider’s Law, legislation that would retire carriage horses and transition the industry away from animal use.
• Know your rights as an animal activist: A highlight from the Grassroots Animal Rights Summit—a YouTube talk by lawyers Chris Carraway and Darius Fulmer—offers practical guidance on protest rights and legal protections for activists.

RESOURCES

• • • • • Portland City Council Narrowly Passes Foie Gras Ban
        • Octopus Farming Ban Passes New York Assembly
        • Michael Storer’s Wikipedia
        • Warning for Senate Republicans: MAHA voters oppose Save Our Bacon Act
        • Meat companies keep promising to do better. They almost never do.
        • School Investigates Student Organization Connected to Ridglan Farms Beagle Rescue
        • Records show Ridglan beagles at UW-Madison were injected with blue dye, then euthanized and dissected
        • UW-Madison details anesthesia study involving dogs sourced from Ridglan Farms
        • Another Carriage Horse Collapses and Dies in New York City
        • House Committee Includes Horse Slaughter Ban in Transportation Bill
        • Know Your Rights w/ Chris Carraway and Darius Fullmer /// Grassroots Animal Rights Summit 2026
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Join hostesses Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan on this unique and fun award-winning podcast that focuses on changing the world for animals.

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