Events
Humane Hoax Chicken Webinar
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Our Humane Hoax Chicken Webinar on Saturday, May 4, 2024 was a fantastic day of advocacy. May 4th is International Respect for Chickens Day and we dedicated our event to the woman who created this day of action, the late Karen Davis, the founder and president of United Poultry Concerns. Her work, dedication, and legacy advocating for chickens lives on through events like this one. We believe that chickens are the most exploited of the farmed land animals, and certainly in the greatest numbers. We want to focus our attention on them with this unique event and this year was especially poignant with the loss of one of the greatest advocates for chickens to ever to walk the earth, Karen Davis.
We had great presenters this year with some fascinating topics. Click on the videos below!
2024 Speakers
Avian Influenza's Threat to Chickens & Public Health - How We Can Take Action with Crystal Heath
More than 80 million backyard and commercially raised farmed birds have been killed to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Disturbingly, an increasing number of birds are being killed by sealing up buildings and pumping in heat in a method known as ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+). The American Veterinary Medical Association has condoned this cruel method, allowing animal agribusiness to receive tens of millions in taxpayer-funded bailouts. Learn about how animal protection advocates can help bridge the divide and help veterinarians make real change happen. Crystal will also share the story of one sanctuary that survived HPAI, and how they did it.
Dr. Crystal Heath is an AVMA-member veterinarian, a graduate of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and co-founder of Our Honor, an organization that supports veterinarians and animal professionals in advocating for the best interests of others, no matter their species. She is also on the founding committee of Veterinarians Against Ventilation Shutdown, and on the board of LEAP - Leaders for Ethics, Animals and the Planet.
Crystal Heath, DVM, Our Honor
Tracey Glover, Sweet Peeps Sanctuary Tracey Winter Glover, JD, is an animal caretaker, activist, author, and filmmaker. She received a BA in history and political philosophy, followed by a law degree (JD) in which she focused primarily on constitutional and international refugee law. In 2014, Tracey co-founded a non-profit intersectional pro-vegan animal rights group, Awakening Respect and Compassion for all Sentient Beings (“ARC”), of which she remains the Executive Director. In January 2019, she started Sweet Peeps Microsanctuary, which is now home to over 50 unique and personable individuals. She is the author of the book “Lotus of the Heart: Living Yoga for Personal Wellness and Global Survival,” published by Lantern Publishing & Media. She also released a short award-winning documentary entitled “Until All Are Free” and her first children’s book, inspired by the chickens at Sweet Peeps, “Chickens Are Animals Too! Fannie Goes to Washington,” is scheduled to be published June 30th, 2024.
Alastor Van Kleeck (They/Them) has a Ph.D. in English and lives with their partner, Roz, near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They spend most of their time working at the Triangle Chicken Advocates Sanctuary, which Alastor and Roz founded in 2014, and which inspired them to start The Microsanctuary Movement together later that year. Alastor’s writing is available at strivingwithsystems.com.
Temara Brown, The Browns’ Microsanctuary Temara has been a friend of chickens since her family adopted some as "pets" in childhood. Eventually, she started learning about everything chickens endure and worked towards rescue, rehabilitation, and advocacy. The Browns' Microsanctuary is home to anywhere between 30-55 chickens, including those with special needs. Brown's experience as a political and environmental advocate help guide her activism.
Chicken Microsanctuary Panel
The Cage-Free Conundrum, with Hope Bohanec
In this presentation, Hope will explore the recent trajectory of the animal advocacy movement toward encouraging industries to transition to cage-free systems and other animal welfare campaigns. Cage-free eggs are now 40% of the US egg market and both the industry and animal advocates are promoting this as a major victory…but is this something to celebrate? Hope will propose that our movement’s focus is out of balance and that we are relying too heavily on impractical strategies and fragile legislation that may not lead us to farmed animal freedom.
Hope Bohanec has been active in animal protection and environmental activism for over 30 years. She is the Executive Director of Compassionate Living and the host of the Hope for the Animals Podcast. Hope co-founded the Humane Hoax Project, the Ahimsa Living Project . Hope has also published two books on the subject of humanewashing and greenwashing: The Ultimate Betrayal: Is There Happy Meat? and The Humane Hoax: Essays Exposing the Myth of Happy Meat, Humane Dairy, and Ethical Eggs. Over the last three decades, she has worked for the national non-profits United Poultry Concerns and In Defense of Animals as well as contributed chapters to two anthologies.
Hope Bohanec, Compassionate Living
We lost an icon of animal activism last year. Karen Davis, PhD, founder and president of United Poultry Concerns, UPC. In this segment, we will show some short videos from people who knew her, were inspired by her, and want to share what she meant to them. This will be our love letter to Karen, whose work will not be forgotten.
Karen passed away peacefully on the morning of November 4, 2023 at home surrounded by her beloved birds. She has been a leading figure in the Animal Rights movement, passionately, tirelessly and unapologetically advocating for the birds. She was an inspiration to many of us. Her vision and legacy will continue through the UPC sanctuary at Machipongo, VA, and their vegan advocacy work.
Video Tribute in Honor of Karen Davis, PhD
