Activist, author, & Slaughter-Free America blogger Jon Hochschartner looks for answers ANIMALS 24-7 preface: Founded in 1982, but emerging only recently as a leading political influence on the U.S. national scene, the Democratic Socialists of America campaign in primary elections and caucus in elected office as Democrats. Yet, drawing distinct lines between themselves and traditional […]
The guru Dr. Jeff, sacred cows, the laws of God & the laws of humans
Four books for summer reading with summer half over Reviewed by Merritt Clifton ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Beyond The Boundaries: The Life & Times of Dr. Jeff The Rocky Mountain Vet by Melinda Grohol 186 pages, paperback. 2026. https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Boundaries-Times-Rocky-Mountain/dp/B0FHN8T5BG “My name is Jeff Young,” opened Jeffrey Young, DVM, on July 24, 2017, in what became the most popular […]
“Thou Shalt Not Kill Animals” initiative petition drive fails in Oregon
Was “Thou Shalt Not Kill Animals” initiative petition effort worth $300,000? Did it help at all? SALEM, Oregon––The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office on July 24, 2026 announced that Initiative Petition 28, described by Oregon Capital Chronicle editor Julia Shumway as “an effort led by Portland-based vegan advocates to dramatically expand the state’s animal cruelty […]
Syed Abulbar Rizvi, 92, linked Islamic & western animal advocacy
Syed Rizvi, a founding member of PETA, also founded Engineers & Scientists for Animal Rights Syed Abulbar Rizvi, 92, founder of Engineers & Scientists for Animal Rights, a longtime leading link between the animal advocacy communities of Pakistan and those of the west, and a leading voice for animals within Islam, died in his sleep […]
What animal advocates owe to the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Leading influence on rise of animal rights movement Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., 1929-1968, in whose honor we celebrate Martin Luther King Day, never had any visible direct involvement with animals or animal issues––but he was profoundly influenced by several African-American evangelists who were animal advocates. (See Four black leaders who built the […]
Kaporos, October 7, Israel, Gaza, antisemitism & the animal rights movement
Days that live in infamy NEW YORK, N.Y.––Kaporos, the chicken-swinging ritual practiced annually by the men of about 130,000 Hassidic Jewish households worldwide, mostly members of the evangelical Chabad sect, will occur during the early morning hours from September 20, 2025 to October 1, 2025, the day immediately preceding Yom Kippur. A week after that […]
U. of Wisconsin & NIH muzzling hit by courts––& leads to org for lab techs
“Advocates for science without human or animal suffering” OAKLAND, California––“I’m overjoyed to share that we officially won the appeal in my free speech lawsuit against my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison!” animal advocate Madeline Krasno, 34, posted to multiple social media on August 5, 2025. Celebrating what appears to be a landmark win four […]
Ingrid Newkirk to Tracy Reiman: Is PETA changing the guard, or just the titles?
Founder Newkirk becomes PETA “principal,” succeeded by 35-year staffer Reiman NORFOLK, Virginia––People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals [PETA] founder Ingrid Newkirk, 76, on August 1, 2025 announced her retirement as president, after 45 years, naming as her successor longtime PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman, 57. Reiman, a PETA employee since 1991, will now […]
Diet for A New America author John Robbins dies at 77 from legacy of polio
John Robbins led through writing, speaking & personal example Vegan health and fitness advocate John Robbins, 77, died on June 11, 2025 in Soquel, California from complications of post-polio syndrome. Medically described as “a neurological condition that affects some individuals years after recovering from poliomyelitis (polio),” post-polio syndrome is characterized by the onset of new […]
Injunction vs. San Diego HS “return-to-field” cat practices made permanent
No more dumping kittens or cats with clear signs of ownership, orders judge SAN DIEGO, California––San Diego Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal on June 9, 2025 ended the long-running “cat control trial of the century” with a final ruling that the San Diego Humane Society has sufficiently amended how it handles cats found at […]