The Truth Files with Jane Velez-Mitchell

What if I told you there's a way to be healthier, save money, save animals, save the planet and be happier? If you like how that sounds, give us a listen. The UnchainedTV "Truth Files with Jane Velez-Mitchell" podcast offers you a new way of living. Our host, TV journalist and New York Times bestselling author Jane Velez-Mitchell, helps you turn on the lightbulb and jump to the next phase of human evolution. There's a peaceful, joyous, sustainable, healthy, fun way of living right under our noses. The secret is simple: don't look for it out there, practice it in your daily choices. You might say, the solution to so many of the world's problems is right on your plate. Visit: https://watch.unchainedtv.com/browse for more info.

The Truth Files with Jane Velez-Mitchell is a arts podcast hosted by Jane Velez-Mitchell, with 367 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Jane Velez-Mitchell hosts The Truth Files with Jane Velez-Mitchell, a arts show with 367 episodes published.

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  Episode #425

  BROUGHT BACK FROM EXTINCTION WHY REMOVE THEM NOW?

  Sep 5, 202631 minS8

  Happening LIVE Saturday, August 29th, at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern on the Action Hour Podcast. Watch on UnchainedTV:https://watch.unchainedtv.com/action-hour Mexican gray wolves were brought back from near extinction. But now, some ranching, hunting and land-use interests argue that their numbers must be controlled. Are these endangered wolves truly recovering—or are efforts underway to remove them before their recovery is secure? Joining me are Claire Musser, Executive Director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, and Marie Buquicchio, a wild-wolf advocate and high school teacher. Tune in, learn what is happening and discover how you can take action. Action Hour Podcast is hosted by Lindsey Baker. #MexicanGrayWolf #WolfRecovery #WildWolves #ReintroductionProgram #EndangeredSpecies #ActionHourPodcast #UnchainedTV What You'll Discover Jane Velez-Mitchell speaks with defendants Carla Cabral and Sally Zito following the dramatic court appearance. The case raises larger questions about open rescue, animal cruelty allegations and the legal risks faced by animal activists. UnchainedTV reports that controversy also surrounds an alleged prior relationship between the prosecuting District Attorney and the owners of the farm property—an issue the defendants characterize as a conflict of interest. The District Attorney's office was ordered to disclose information concerning that alleged relationship. "Going to trial is important so that we can present this evidence to the general public." – Carla Cabral Join the Adventure Hear directly from the activists at the center of this extraordinary animal rights trial and discover why its outcome could matter to the broader Right to Rescue movement. Listen now, share this episode and follow UnchainedTV for continuing coverage. Jane Velez-Mitchell is an award-winning journalist, TV producer and NY Times bestselling author who founded UnchainedTV, the world's premier plant-based streaming network. UnchainedTV offers 2,000 free documentaries, cooking shows, lifestyle and news programs. Download UnchainedTV free on mobile or TV streaming devices like Amazon Fire, Roku, and Apple TV. Watch online: https://watch.unchainedtv.com/browse DONATION INFO & UNCHAINEDTV LINKS Thank you for watching! UnchainedTV is a 501c3 nonprofit. Our vision is a world where plant-based, cruelty-free, sustainable living is the norm—across food, fashion, science, and entertainment. You can help us spread this crucial message here: Donate: https://unchainedtv.com/donate/ Links: WATCH for FREE: https://unchained.tv ✅ LEARN MORE / https://unchainedtv.com Facebook / janevelezmitchell SubStack / https://unchainedtv.substack.com Instagram / unchained_tv Twitter / jvm Reddit / https://www.reddit.com/user/Unchained_TV/ Rumble / https://rumble.com/user/UnchainedTV TRANSCRIPT: (0:00) Welcome to Action Hour. I'm your host, Lindsay Baker. (0:04) Mexican gray wolves were brought back from near extinction, (0:08) but now some ranching, hunting, and land use (0:11) interests argue that their numbers must be controlled. (0:16) So are these endangered wolves truly recovering (0:19) or are other interests trying to remove them before their recovery is secure? (0:26) Today I have joining me Claire Mooser, Executive Director of Grand Canyon Wolf (0:31) Recovery Project, and Marie Buquickio, who is a high school teacher and wolf advocate. (0:39) Some people don't know how important wolves are. (0:43) And they might say, well, they're just getting rid of them because they're a nuisance or (0:48) they're, you know, they're causing problems. (0:51) But really it's kind of astounding when you find out what wolves actually contribute. (1:04) One of the most exciting scientific findings of the past half century (1:10) has been the discovery of widespread trophic cascades. (1:15) A trophic cascade is an ecological process which starts at the top of the food chain (1:21) and tumbles all the way down to the bottom. (1:24) And the classic example is what happened in the Yellowstone National Park in the United States (1:29) when wolves were reintroduced in 1995. (1:34) Now, we all know that wolves kill various species of animals, (1:38) but perhaps we're slightly less aware that they give life to many others. (1:46) If anyone wants to watch it, it's on my podcast, Action Hour podcast on Unchained TV, (1:53) and it's with Dr. Reese Halter, and we go into great detail. (1:56) But I'm going to ask both of you, I'll start with Claire. (2:00) Can you talk a little bit about why wolves are so important in the ecological scheme of things? (2:07) Yeah, so our Mexican gray wolves, they're actually listed on a 10J listing right now. (2:11) And so they're actually down as being non-essential and experimental. (2:17) So what the agencies say is that, well, they're an experimental population, (2:21) so if they all die, then it doesn't matter, take it or leave it, we'll just start over. (2:26) And they've also listed them as non-essential, (2:28) which means that do they actually have any impact on the ecosystem? (2:33) Well, we don't really know. (2:35) But what you've shown in the film, How Wolves Change Rivers, (2:38) is that wolves do have a really important part to play. (2:42) And a lot of the work that we do is talking to students about the ecological role of wolves, (2:47) because they keep everybody moving. (2:49) So they stop the grazers overgrazing on the riparian areas, (2:53) because when they do that, they're vulnerable. (2:55) So when the wolves are around, they will move on, (2:58) and it gives the opportunity for the plants to regrow and for the beavers to return. (3:02) So the thing with our Mexican gray wolves, though, is we have such a small population (3:06) that it's really difficult to get the data to show what's going on on the ground, (3:11) because there's so many different factors. (3:13) And Yellowstone is great because it's like this ecological hub, (3:17) it's like this, you know, this living lab, if you like, (3:20) where all of these scientists can come together. (3:23) And so it is a lot more difficult for us to get that kind of evidence in Arizona. (3:27) But just because we don't know exactly what's going on (3:30) doesn't mean to say that it isn't happening. (3:33) And we know from Yellowstone that wolves are important. (3:35) It's really easy, especially with the agencies and the narrative that they put out (3:40) to tell the story that they want everybody to know. (3:44) So in breeding, our Mexican gray wolves is closely related to each other as a brother and sister. (3:49) And we know that we're not collecting the data on what that actually means. (3:54) So I've spoken to people that work in the SAFE program, (3:58) and it looks like instances of nasal cancer are higher in Mexican gray wolves. (4:03) We also see other instances where, I can't remember the actual scientific term for it, (4:08) but it's where their pads fuse together. (4:11) And so we've seen wolves that have these conditions out there on the landscape. (4:16) So because we're not collecting that data, (4:18) we can't turn around and then turn around and say, well, this isn't an issue. (4:23) If you're as closely related as brother and sister, (4:26) and you're an experimental population, (4:27) if something does sweep through the wild population, (4:30) then yes, then they're just going to go, okay, we can turn around and we can start over. (4:34) And also what they're also showing with this is (4:38) they want Mexican gray wolves to stay in this designated area, (4:43) which is south of the I-40. (4:45) And what we're not doing, (4:47) and that's part of the system that we're working in, (4:49) is we're not giving the opportunity to learn from the wolves themselves. (4:52) So we know that wolves want to disperse. (4:54) We know that if we have wolves coming down from Colorado, (4:58) that that will actually be genetic recovery. (5:02) Whereas because of the language and how the agencies are set up, (5:07) they are putting out the narrative that that is going to be called genetic swamping. (5:11) But what we're saying is there was a natural buffer. (5:13) And with wolf recovery, the thing that I struggle with the most is (5:17) we keep talking about recovery as this magic moment in time (5:21) that we want to get back to in 17 or 1800 and whatever. (5:25) But what we're not doing is we're not thinking about (5:28) what the future of wolf recovery looks like. (5:30) There was a wolf quite famous, I guess, in his own right. (5:34) He had his own website and everything, Taylor. (5:37) And he kept crossing the I-40 and they kept bringing him back. (5:42) I believe it was three times they kept bringing him back saying, (5:45) no, you have to stay on this side of the I-40, (5:48) even though he was trying to naturally do what they do. (5:52) And after the third time, they let him go and he ended up getting hit by a car. (5:58) So, you know, we lost his not only his DNA, (6:03) but we lost the opportunity to learn from him (6:05) what he could have done if they just would have left him alone the first time. (6:09) And then we had a female wolf, Asha, same thing. (6:13) You know, she wanted to do what she wanted to do naturally. (6:17) And they kept grabbing her and grabbing her and grabbing her. (6:20) And then they finally kind of locked her up with this mate. (6:23) And they kept her until she breeded and they were supposed to release her. (6:28) And they didn't release her until it was a ton of public outcry. (6:31) And Claire could speak more to the details in that. (6:34) But this is what we're doing to our wolves. (6:36) We are forcing them to do all kinds of things that are not coming naturally to them (6:40) instead of letting them do what naturally comes to them and learning from them. (6:45) They're saying that they are not taking into consideration the way they naturally behave. (6:53) So we're seeing this conflict. (6:56) Let's go back to the numbers for a minute here. (6:59) Because they're so low, it makes you think how even as a layman, (7:04) how could this be, you know, a recovery when for 10 consecutive years, (7:10) there's been population growth and they say it's growing too fast. (7:13) 400% or something like that. (7:16) But there's 317 wolves total in both states. (7:20) Is that correct? (7:22) Correct. (7:23) Yeah, yeah. (7:24) Yeah, the original numbers. (7:26) So the first number that came out was 319. (7:28) And then they adjusted it to 317 across Arizona and New Mexico. (7:33) But the original science and there's a link to that on our website. (7:36) When they started thinking about wolf recovery, (7:38) they were talking about 700 plus wolves across Arizona, New Mexico, (7:43) and then another population in Mexico as well. (7:46) So, but that science, again, it was remastered into something that the agencies, (7:52) story that the agencies wanted to tell. (7:54) One of the issues, again, it's difficult because our Mexican grey wolves are (8:00) significantly smaller than the grey wolves up north. (8:03) And again, because we're in a warmer climate, (8:05) they are adaptable to a warmer climate. (8:08) They're smaller. (8:09) But that means that they get mistaken, (8:12) either accidentally or probably accidentally on purpose for coyotes. (8:18) And so all you have to do is go, (8:21) oh, my bad, I thought I shot a coyote. (8:24) It turns out that it was actually a wolf. (8:26) But well, my bad, I didn't. (8:28) And unless you go out with an intent to kill an endangered species, (8:32) you aren't going to get prosecuted for it. (8:34) If you went out and said to all your mates in the bar that I shot a Mexican grey wolf, (8:39) and that's what I want to do this weekend, (8:40) that's the only way you're going to get prosecuted. (8:43) So learn how you can support our mission and the wolves by going to gcwolfrecovery.org. (8:50) And on there, we put out action alerts on our press page. (8:54) You can volunteer from anywhere in the world. (8:57) We have programs that you can get involved in remotely. (9:00) If you're in the Flagstaff area or Arizona, (9:02) you can come and help us out there on the ground. (9:04) Because what we do know about wolf recovery is this isn't a wolf issue. (9:09) This is a social issue. (9:10) This is people not understanding what it means to have wolves on the landscape. (9:15) And we need to change the mindset. (9:17) It doesn't matter how good the data is. (9:18) It doesn't matter how good the science is. (9:20) If no one cares about it, nothing's going to change. (9:22) And we've also seen that with these issues, (9:26) we have been doing a lot of the same things since the 90s. (9:29) And we're still in this predicament. (9:31) So what can we do differently and help us with our mission? (9:36) And together, we can create a better world for humans and for wolves. (9:40) Thank you. (9:41) Well said. (9:43) Let's get a little bit back into what they said about breeding these wolves domestically. (9:50) So just so people understand the process, they're putting these wolves either, (9:55) some of them, there were seven left, right? (9:58) And then they got them from zoos and other places. (10:01) And started like controlled dens. (10:04) Is that how that works? (10:05) Can you address that, Claire? (10:07) Yes, the recovery program, it started when they put wolves, (10:12) Mexican gray wolves on the Endangered Species Act. (10:14) And then in 98, we got the first wolves out of their paws on the ground. (10:19) So before that, in the 80s, they were working on the recovery in the captive population. (10:25) So all of our Mexican gray wolves are descendants from just seven individuals. (10:29) One of them, Nina, she was a wild wolf. (10:31) A female wolf that was caught in Mexico. (10:33) And she was actually brought back to the US. (10:37) And she was pregnant at the time. (10:39) But because of the stress of capture, she actually lost those puppies. (10:43) Eventually, she did end up having puppies of her own. (10:46) But we mustn't forget that, you know, Nina as a wolf didn't sign up for this. (10:50) And she ended up having puppies with her own pups. (10:54) Because that was the only way that we would get enough wolves into the population. (10:57) So would we do that again with the science and the technology we have now? (11:03) Who knows? (11:04) But we can't dismiss the things that these wolves have gone through (11:08) for the greater good, which is their species. (11:12) So you can find out a lot more about Nina and the founding wolves (11:15) as part of our Lobo Family Tree Project. (11:18) And what we're doing is we're piecing together the rich lives of all of the wolves. (11:22) So in our family tree right now, we have just shy of 2,500 wolves (11:28) that we've managed to link together. (11:29) And we've got the last wolves to put in the tree now. (11:33) So we will have over 3,000 wolves of Mexican gray wolves (11:37) that we've ever had since the start of the recovery program. (11:40) And our goal, again, is to show that they have rich, emotional, connected lives. (11:46) They have family packs. (11:48) They are out there on the landscape or part of the captive program. (11:52) And what does that look like? (11:53) Because right now, all of this information, I think, (11:56) is deliberately spread around in lots of different places. (11:59) So our goal is to put everything together so that we can get a true picture (12:03) of what recovery means from the perspective of the individual wolves themselves. (12:09) Over a so-called overpopulation that they're hinting towards, (12:12) or maybe more than hinting towards, how valid is that? (12:17) And what is the evidence that they're giving? (12:20) Can you address that? (12:21) Well, it's not valid. It's not. (12:25) There are 930,000 documented... (12:30) In fact, I wrote it down. (12:31) There's 930,000 documented cattle here in Arizona, (12:37) and 143 documented wolves, they said. (12:45) And this is USDA site. (12:50) And nine recorded confirmed cattle death. (12:56) In New Mexico, there are 1.28 million cattle (13:02) with 97 confirmed predation from wolves. (13:07) According to Arizona Fish and Game and U.S. FS Forest Service, (13:17) that is a statistically undetectable amount. (13:21) So the numbers are so low, less than 1%, (13:25) that they don't even matter. (13:28) It doesn't even matter. (13:29) So the ranchers that are carrying on that the wolves are decimating their herds, (13:35) it's, you know, crying wolf, the expression crying wolf. (13:39) That's exactly what they're doing. (13:40) We are being completely reactive when it comes to conflict. (13:44) So what we should be thinking about is conflict prevention. (13:48) So what can we do to support ranchers (13:50) so that they don't have any of these issues to begin with? (13:54) Because all it takes is for you to lose one cow, (13:58) and then the pain of this and the story, (14:02) it just starts to grow and it starts to snowball. (14:04) If you're living in a community where everybody around you (14:07) tells you that you need to hate wolves, (14:09) even if you're sitting on the fence, what are you going to do? (14:12) You're probably going to hate wolves. (14:13) So we work really closely with an organization called Project Griff, (14:18) G-R-I-P-H.org. (14:20) You can find their website. (14:22) And they actually work with a rancher that is living alongside wolves. (14:25) And what happens there is everything that they do is about prevention. (14:30) There is no reports of losing wolves or losing cows actually on this ranch (14:37) because they're working closely in this multispecies community, (14:41) which includes the ranchers, the horses, the cows, the bears. (14:45) I want to piggyback on something that Claire said before we get to this point. (14:49) Senator Schiff from California, who is a Democrat, (14:53) and Danes from Montana, who's Republican, (14:56) are introducing a bill, 5234, (15:01) called Human Wildlife Conflict Reduction Act of 2026. (15:05) And I bring that up because it's bipartisan. (15:07) I want to show that these things are bipartisan. (15:10) And it wants to dedicate $20 million annually through 2031 (15:16) for the USDA to utilize proactive, non-lethal deterrents, (15:21) like range riders, like that Project Griff that Claire was just mentioning, (15:25) guard dogs, electric fencing. (15:28) And there is another bipartisan act that's called Safeguarding the ESA, (15:33) which is H.R. 9901, which again, bipartisan, (15:37) Representative Fitzpatrick, who's Republican from Pennsylvania, (15:40) and Quigley, who's Democratic from Illinois. (15:43) And they're looking to reinstate the traditional definition of harm, (15:48) which without that term, it will destroy habitats where these animals live. (15:55) So you can't save species while you're destroying their home. (16:00) So bring that up to show that these are bipartisan issues. (16:03) This is not political. (16:05) I'm just a school teacher. (16:06) I'm just a school teacher. (16:07) But anybody can email me at any time. (16:10) I will gladly talk to anybody or reach out and coordinate with anybody. (16:17) They can go to endangered.org. (16:20) That's just an easy word, endangered.org. (16:23) That's why I always throw it out there. (16:25) Same thing with TeamWolf.org. (16:28) Again, it's easy to remember. (16:30) Claire's site is amazing as well. (16:33) And that's the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project. (16:37) Awesome. (16:37) Okay, let's ask Claire. (16:39) Claire, I want to ask you now about the nonlethal solutions. (16:46) Is that a good thing? (16:48) Is that a slippery slope? (16:49) Tell us what you've learned about that, if you would. (16:55) Yes. (16:56) So honestly, everything that I've learned about conflict prevention (17:00) comes through the work that I've been doing w

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  Episode #423

  Vegan Camp Out: The Plant-Based Event You Can't Miss

  Sep 4, 202654 minS8

  Vegan Camp Out brings thousands of plant-based people together for an extraordinary celebration of vegan food, activism, music and community. In this episode, UnchainedTV's Jane Velez-Mitchell reports from England as approximately 10,000 plant-based attendees converge for one enormous vegan gathering. From incredible food to education, entertainment and advocacy, Vegan Camp Out shows what happens when the vegan community comes together on a massive scale. "Could this be the biggest gathering of vegans in one spot EVER?" – UnchainedTV What You'll Discover Go inside the festival and experience a celebration featuring major voices in the vegan movement, including Moby, Earthling Ed, actor Peter Egan, George Monbiot, Jamie Logan, Diane Morgan and Dr. Michael Klaper. The event features music, education, mind-and-body programming and a massive main stage. "This is SO HUGE." – UnchainedTV Join the Adventure Discover why Vegan Camp Out has become such a powerful gathering for plant-based culture and animal advocacy. Listen now, share this episode with your friends and join UnchainedTV in helping build a more compassionate world. Jane Velez-Mitchell is an award-winning journalist, TV producer and NY Times bestselling author who founded UnchainedTV, the world's premier plant-based streaming network. UnchainedTV offers 2,000 free documentaries, cooking shows, lifestyle and news programs. Download UnchainedTV free on mobile or TV streaming devices like Amazon Fire, Roku, and Apple TV. Watch online: https://watch.unchainedtv.com/browse DONATION INFO & UNCHAINEDTV LINKS Thank you for watching! UnchainedTV is a 501c3 nonprofit. Our vision is a world where plant-based, cruelty-free, sustainable living is the norm—across food, fashion, science, and entertainment. You can help us spread this crucial message here: Donate: https://unchainedtv.com/donate/ Links: WATCH for FREE: https://unchained.tv ✅ LEARN MORE / https://unchainedtv.com Facebook / janevelezmitchell SubStack / https://unchainedtv.substack.com Instagram / unchained_tv Twitter / jvm Reddit / https://www.reddit.com/user/Unchained_TV/ Rumble / https://rumble.com/user/UnchainedTV TRANSCRIPT: (0:00) We are here at Vegan Campout. There are a plethora of options. (0:05) And we got gelato, we got iced coffee, we got churros. I mean, really, anything you can think of, we got it. (0:11) Yeah, this place is fucking huge. Like, it's crazy, to be honest. (0:14) I've been to a bunch of festivals before, but this place is massive. (0:17) Oh, this is 11 out of 10. I mean, really, to get together, to be able to meet people that are dedicated to the cause, (0:23) people that want to make a difference in the world, and hang out and have fun for once, sign me up. (0:29) It's Vegan Mecca. It's a yearly event where all the vegans from all around the world can come to one place, (0:35) be together, separated from the outside world, just for a little bit. (0:39) When I'm at home and I'm creating content, a lot of the time I'm by myself. (0:43) So I think it's really important to go and socialize with other people who have the exact same mentality as you for animal rights. (0:49) You can see how the future might be. Like, what would festivals look like in the future when everyone's vegan? (0:54) They'd look like this. (0:58) Welcome to Vegan Campout in England. (1:02) And I gotta tell you, we are at a social media influencers gathering. (1:08) I am here with the 40-year-old vegan, Lee The Free. (1:11) Hey, guys. Welcome. Welcome here. This is Vegan Campout 2026. (1:16) You can't believe all the influencers that we have right here today. (1:20) Amazing, amazing activists, kicking it for the animals, showing people how to do it. (1:25) And we're trying to encourage you to get active for the animals. (1:28) Get out there, get live, and encourage other people to get live as well. (1:34) We've got so many vegan social media influencers here. (1:37) So, listen, why don't we do this? (1:39) We're going to step out of the way for a second. (1:41) We're going to show everybody. (1:43) Look at this. These are all influencers. (1:47) And these are the people who are literally telling the world about veganism. (1:54) And they are gathered here at Vegan Campout. (1:57) So, I'm going to impose on you. (2:00) I'm going to ask you to grab an influencer. (2:03) And you know them even better than I do. (2:05) And see if you can grab one to come over here. (2:08) I will. I will. (2:09) You're a doll, by the way. (2:10) You're a doll, too. (2:10) You're a doll. And we're having so much fun here at Vegan Campout. (2:13) I can't even begin to tell you. (2:15) The food. (2:16) Oh, my God. (2:16) The people. You can put your shoulders down. (2:18) And this is the future, guys. (2:20) This is exactly what the future looks like. (2:22) Everybody is kind. (2:24) Everybody just wants the same thing, right? (2:26) We want animals to be out of this production system. (2:30) Seeing all the comments come in. (2:32) Hey, Tina. How are you doing? (2:34) Yeah, it's been great. (2:35) It's been wonderful. (2:36) If you haven't attended a Campout, I highly recommend you get on the list next year. (2:40) What an incredible event. (2:41) It's 10,000 people. (2:43) It is so huge. (2:45) It's impossible to even wrap your mind around it. (2:49) So, you know, will you grab somebody? (2:52) Grab somebody who's a loud, obnoxious, loud person. (2:56) Because you can't hear anybody. (2:58) We've had a lot of fun people on. (3:00) But we've had some soft-spoken people. (3:02) And nobody can hear them because they're soft-spoken. (3:06) But I've got to tell you. (3:07) Okay, last night. (3:08) You have to understand. (3:09) I'm going to show you. (3:10) The tents here are incredible. (3:13) Look at this tent here. (3:14) This is one of the big tents. (3:17) And then over there is the other big tent. (3:20) There are so. (3:21) It's huge, huge, huge, huge, huge. (3:24) And the music is extraordinary. (3:27) So, what I'm going to do right now. (3:29) I know John. (3:29) Oh, John. (3:30) John. (3:31) Oh, John Oberg. (3:32) John. (3:33) John, come on over for one second. (3:34) Come say hi. (3:35) Hi, how are you? (3:37) It's so good to meet you. (3:38) We're live. (3:39) And it's exciting to have John Oberg here. (3:42) One of my favorite vegan influencers who does so much. (3:46) And what you do is show people the truth. (3:51) And every morning when I see you. (3:54) Whatever your video is. (3:56) I go, okay, I'm back in full charge. (4:00) Oh, I wanted to go do something fun. (4:02) No, I'm going to go back and continue to work. (4:05) Because you are showing me the truth. (4:07) And that inspires me. (4:09) So, will you lean in here and tell folks. (4:12) Of course, tell them your handle. (4:14) Obviously, John Oberg. (4:15) And what you do. (4:16) Johnny. (4:17) Johnny Oberg. (4:18) Lean in. (4:18) Lean in. (4:20) Well, first of all, I just want to say. (4:21) To get that kind of compliment from the legend herself. (4:26) JDM. (4:26) That means so much. (4:29) And, yeah. (4:30) So, my name is John Oberg on social media. (4:33) I now go by Johnny. (4:35) But, you know, my handle was chosen like 15 years ago. (4:39) So, I'm stuck with it. (4:40) And, yeah. (4:41) I basically just try to teach people how animals are being mistreated. (4:45) But also, to get people to see another side of animals that they otherwise wouldn't see. (4:49) And to understand why they matter. (4:52) And why we should take them into consideration with our choices. (4:57) And I just heard one. (4:59) And I'd like to hear from you as well. (5:00) I just heard one of the social media influencers, Danny O'Shea, saying. (5:04) He feels the carnivore movement has sort of like hit its crescendo. (5:09) And is petering out. (5:10) And people are now going back to plant-based. (5:13) Which I certainly hope he's right. (5:15) Does that sound right to you? (5:17) Yeah. (5:18) I mean, I feel like people can only fall for that BS so much. (5:23) You know, I feel like there's a cap to that. (5:27) It just goes against science and common sense. (5:32) And what it really goes against is people's compassion for animals. (5:37) And luckily with veganism, it's how we can express compassion for animals. (5:42) Yeah. (5:43) And let me ask you. (5:44) Tell me about yourself. (5:46) And I want to apologize. (5:47) You're probably a huge social media influencer that I don't know yet. (5:52) She's huge. (5:52) And I really, first of all, apologize. (5:56) But thank you for everything you do. (5:57) So will you tell our audience who you are? (5:59) And thank you for scooching up and just leaning in. (6:02) So my name is Farah. (6:03) And I also make videos just exposing the truth about what's happening to animals. (6:08) And yeah, my username is Farah Amber. (6:12) And yeah, it's just my biggest passion. (6:13) Making videos and making sure that they're packaged in a way that people watch online. (6:18) Because I think social media is so powerful for advocacy. (6:21) Like we're both really passionate social media advocates. (6:24) And everyone should be posting on social media for the animals. (6:27) If you're watching this, that means you're on social media. (6:29) Which means you should be posting on social media. (6:31) Because the animals have almost nobody speaking up for them. (6:35) And they need you. (6:36) And you. (6:37) And you. (6:38) And you. (6:38) And you. (6:38) And all of you. (6:39) And you should definitely follow her. (6:42) Because she is a social media expert. (6:44) And provides lots of great tips. (6:46) And just watch what she does. (6:48) And imitate it. (6:49) And if you do it 10% as well, you're going to be helping a lot of animals. (6:51) Oh my gosh. (6:52) Okay. (6:53) Thank you. (6:53) And tell us your handle again. (6:55) Please lean in. (6:56) At Farah Amber. (6:57) At Farah Amber. (6:59) Okay. (6:59) And I hope you come to Vegan Creator Con. (7:02) I would love to. (7:03) Yeah. (7:03) I love Vegan Creator Con. (7:04) Yeah. (7:05) Because I learned. (7:07) You know, I've been in mainstream media my whole life. (7:09) So I think in terms of TV. (7:11) But I've had a lot to learn. (7:13) And still learning every day about social media. (7:15) And I've learned a lot from you. (7:17) From some of the other people here. (7:18) But I learned a lot also at Vegan Creator Con. (7:21) If you could come and speak to us. (7:23) That would be incredible. (7:25) Is it Jessica? (7:26) Jessica. (7:26) Yes. (7:27) Jessica. (7:27) I know. (7:28) Shout out Jessica. (7:29) Okay. (7:29) Well, I hope to see you there. (7:31) Thank you so much. (7:32) Thank you, John. (7:33) Thank you. (7:33) You're amazing. (7:34) Group hug. (7:34) Let's do a group hug. (7:35) Yeah, yeah. (7:35) Group hug for the animals. (7:37) Thank you everybody for watching. (7:39) And for everything you're doing for animals. (7:40) We appreciate you. (7:41) Yes. (7:42) Yes. (7:42) And it's important to be vegan. (7:44) And then it's also important to be an activist for animals. (7:47) That's kind of like vegan on steroids. (7:49) But it's so, so important. (7:51) And that's what a lot of people are getting here. (7:54) People come. (7:54) Come on in. (7:57) Hello. (7:58) Hello. (7:59) May I ask you to lean in? (8:01) You can handle it. (8:02) You've got a good face there. (8:04) Thank you for telling us your handle. (8:07) And tell us about your activism. (8:09) So, I'm That Chip Guy. (8:10) I go on the street. (8:11) I hold a sign. (8:12) And I have conversations with people. (8:14) I do it live. (8:15) So, I have live streams where I'm on the streets of Amsterdam. (8:20) And I get a lot of weird conversations with people on the street. (8:24) Wow. (8:24) And I see you. (8:25) You have like... (8:27) It's... (8:28) You're very patient. (8:29) I don't think you get very confrontational. (8:31) I'm patient. (8:31) Okay. (8:31) I'm patient. (8:32) I get those sorts of things. (8:34) Some people call me patient. (8:35) Some people call me, you know, not patient enough. (8:37) But, yeah. (8:38) Okay. (8:38) No, I think... (8:39) You know what? (8:39) People... (8:40) You do you. (8:41) Yeah. (8:41) That's what I say. (8:42) And tell us your handle again so we know. (8:45) We've got one of our volunteers in LA, Kim Delgado. (8:49) She's putting up the handles of everybody. (8:52) So, tell us. (8:52) Your handle is? (8:53) My handle is ThatChipGuy on YouTube. (8:56) ThatChipGuy. (8:56) And TheRealChipGuy on Instagram. (8:59) TheRealChipGuy. (8:59) Yeah. (8:59) So, let me ask you. (9:01) Where did the chip come from? (9:02) That's my name. (9:03) My name is Chiprian, but it starts with chip. (9:05) Yeah, yeah, yeah. (9:05) So, that's funny. (9:06) In today's world, I was thinking you were some kind of software executive who is vegan. (9:11) The what guy? (9:12) TheChipGuy. (9:13) ThatChipGuy. (9:13) C-H-I-P. (9:15) Chip. (9:15) Exactly. (9:16) TheChipGuy. (9:17) Yeah. (9:17) So, what is your biggest platform? (9:19) Is it Instagram? (9:20) Is it YouTube? (9:21) I mean, my biggest platform is Instagram. (9:23) Yeah. (9:23) But I'm most active on YouTube and the TikTok. (9:26) On Instagram, I just post like personal stuff from time to time, but I also post all the (9:31) shorts there. (9:32) But my focus is on YouTube and TikTok because that's where I get the most reach out of. (9:37) I find the most non-vegans. (9:39) So, that's where I have the most potential to turn people vegan. (9:42) That is fantastic. (9:44) I love what you do, and I know one of the other activists here, Jamie Logan, does a lot (9:49) of that stuff, confrontational with people. (9:51) Yeah. (9:51) You know, peaceful confrontation. (9:53) Yeah. (9:53) Getting people to look at their behavior and realize it's not in their self-interest. (9:59) And so, we are here. (10:00) I want to thank you, ChipGuy. (10:02) And if you're ever in LA, please contact Unchained TV. (10:06) Okay. (10:06) Have you downloaded our streaming network? (10:09) I have not, no. (10:10) Okay. (10:10) I'm going to give you our card. (10:12) And, you know, I've been trying to pass out cards here. (10:15) One of the interesting things is there's no Wi-Fi. (10:19) We're here because we have a satellite dish that we're using. (10:22) Yeah. (10:22) And I just want to hope that you download Unchained TV and that you continue to check (10:29) out our videos. (10:30) Oh, I think I know it. (10:31) Yes, yes. (10:31) I know it. (10:32) Yes. (10:32) Thank you so much. (10:33) ChipGuy, I love you. (10:35) Thank you so much. (10:36) And we've got another fabulous influencer in the house. (10:39) Come on in here. (10:40) Come on in here. (10:40) Come on. (10:41) Thank you so much. (10:43) First of all, I love your look. (10:45) Can you lean in? (10:46) You can handle it. (10:47) So, tell us your story. (10:50) Tell us your handle. (10:52) So, basically, my brother is quite a well-known vegan activist. (11:00) He's sort of been in the game since he was about 17 years old. (11:03) Who's that? (11:04) Chris Hines. (11:05) A lot of you guys may already know of him. (11:07) Chris Hines. (11:07) Yeah. (11:07) He's amazing. (11:08) Yeah, you may already know of him. (11:11) And a little bit about the story is I always heard a lot about veganism and, you know, (11:18) the movement, you know, the reasonings behind it. (11:22) And it never really sunk into me. (11:25) And my brother decided that maybe it would be a good idea to find a catalyst. (11:31) And the catalyst was taking me into a pig farm and exposing me face-to-face with the pigs (11:42) and what they were going through at the time and the horrors that we experienced within (11:46) that farm. (11:48) I mean, it's hard to even explain. (11:50) It was the most disgusting thing I think I've ever seen. (11:53) And after that point, for me, it was a very quick, easy decision, really. (11:58) I mean, it was almost like I became vegan overnight. (12:02) That's good. (12:03) That's great that you became vegan overnight. (12:06) Lean in a little bit if you can. (12:07) Yeah, I think, if anything, what I want to say to anybody that's sort of non-vegan, I (12:12) think the reason why I just, you know, want to sort of say something really is that try (12:16) to look for the catalyst. (12:17) I mean, even if you are a vegan and you're speaking to somebody and you want them to, (12:23) you know, hear your points, try and look for the catalyst for that person. (12:27) See what their catalyst might be. (12:28) And if you can find it, maybe that's the time you're going to grasp them. (12:32) You're going to grip them and they might start listening, you know, and take those blinkers (12:36) off, you know. (12:37) But it's one of the best experiences I think I've ever had. (12:44) It opened my mind and opened my eyes to a world that was hidden from me, you know, to a world (12:50) I was essentially lied to about. (12:53) Yes. (12:53) And I want to thank you. (12:54) You're so articulate. (12:56) No problem. (12:56) Thank you very much. (12:56) I appreciate you coming over. (12:58) Thank you very much. (12:59) Thank you. (13:01) You're so amazing. (13:02) Come on down. (13:03) Sorry. (13:04) Hi. (13:05) How are you? (13:05) So glad to have you here live from England for Vegan Campout. (13:11) It's super noisy because it's one big party. (13:14) We've got an incredible person from Omni, which is a leading vegan company coming on (13:21) in a second. (13:21) But I want to talk to you about your activism, your handle and what your message is. (13:27) What's your handle? (13:28) My handle is Gem Lettuce. (13:30) I am on Instagram. (13:32) I'm on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok. (13:35) So yeah, J-E-M and then lettuce. (13:38) And yeah, I post about veganism, regular videos, doing outreach. (13:43) I also go live on TikTok as well. (13:45) So yeah, it's awesome. (13:47) If anyone wants to give me a follow, I post regularly there. (13:51) That's excellent. (13:52) And so where do you see the movement? (13:56) Oh, well, I see the movement. (13:59) Once we get a certain amount of vegans, I think it will snowball. (14:02) We still need to get there. (14:04) But I think it's going to happen. (14:06) We don't know when, but when it does, I think it will just snowball and it will kick off. (14:10) And it might be a lot closer than we think. (14:13) Right. (14:13) And that's not based on the amount of vegans. (14:15) It's based on the amount of people who are open to it and the amount of people who, (14:20) even though aren't vegan, they have a mindset that, you know, they already know what it is. (14:26) They're already agreeing with it. (14:29) So I think more people are so close to going vegan. (14:32) I love your optimism. (14:34) And that's what we get here at Vegan Campout is optimism. (14:38) Thank you so much, my dear. (14:39) Now I'm going to just do a big twirl, a twirl so everybody can see. (14:44) Billy, would you mind coming around the other way? (14:46) Absolutely, yeah. (14:47) Yes. (14:47) Okay. (14:48) Look at that. (14:49) This is incredible. (14:51) Oh my gosh. (14:52) And we've got Billy here from Omni. (14:54) Hi. (14:55) How are you doing? (14:56) Lean in. (14:56) Very well. (14:57) Come down a little bit. (14:58) The shade's okay. (14:59) Is that all right? (15:00) I think you look very cool and chic. (15:02) We're just trying to have people hear it because honestly, it's so, I mean, there's 10,000, (15:07) 10,000 vegans here. (15:09) Tell us all about Omni. (15:10) Okay. (15:11) Yeah. (15:11) So Omni Pet Food, we're one of the exhibitors here and we're one of the leading vegan pet (15:16) food companies in the UK. (15:17) Now a lot of people listen to that and they go, vegan pet food, that's unusual. (15:20) That's the first I've heard of that. (15:22) But there's a really good case to make for moving our dogs from meat-based to plant-based (15:26) foods

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #424

  Goat Rescue Trial Takes a Dramatic Turn

  Sep 4, 202626 minS8

  Goat rescue trial developments take a dramatic turn as four Direct Action Everywhere animal rights activists get a major break in a controversial California case. The activists faced felony charges after rescuing two sick baby goats, Phoebe and Celia, from Vera Goat Dairy in Northern California. Now, those felony charges have been reduced to misdemeanors, eliminating the possibility that the four defendants could face more than six years behind bars. "The charges have just been reduced from felonies to misdemeanors." – UnchainedTV What You'll Discover Jane Velez-Mitchell speaks with defendants Carla Cabral and Sally Zito following the dramatic court appearance. The case raises larger questions about open rescue, animal cruelty allegations and the legal risks faced by animal activists. UnchainedTV reports that controversy also surrounds an alleged prior relationship between the prosecuting District Attorney and the owners of the farm property—an issue the defendants characterize as a conflict of interest. The District Attorney's office was ordered to disclose information concerning that alleged relationship. "Going to trial is important so that we can present this evidence to the general public." – Carla Cabral Join the Adventure Hear directly from the activists at the center of this extraordinary animal rights trial and discover why its outcome could matter to the broader Right to Rescue movement. Listen now, share this episode and follow UnchainedTV for continuing coverage. Jane Velez-Mitchell is an award-winning journalist, TV producer and NY Times bestselling author who founded UnchainedTV, the world's premier plant-based streaming network. UnchainedTV offers 2,000 free documentaries, cooking shows, lifestyle and news programs. Download UnchainedTV free on mobile or TV streaming devices like Amazon Fire, Roku, and Apple TV. Watch online: https://watch.unchainedtv.com/browse DONATION INFO & UNCHAINEDTV LINKS Thank you for watching! UnchainedTV is a 501c3 nonprofit. Our vision is a world where plant-based, cruelty-free, sustainable living is the norm—across food, fashion, science, and entertainment. You can help us spread this crucial message here: Donate: https://unchainedtv.com/donate/ Links: WATCH for FREE: https://unchained.tv ✅ LEARN MORE / https://unchainedtv.com Facebook / janevelezmitchell SubStack / https://unchainedtv.substack.com Instagram / unchained_tv Twitter / jvm Reddit / https://www.reddit.com/user/Unchained_TV/ Rumble / https://rumble.com/user/UnchainedTV TRANSCRIPT: (0:00) A slew of arrests in Northern California (0:03) as the animal rights organization Direct Action Everywhere (0:07) held a huge animal liberation convergence. (0:10) A smaller team of activists capped it all off (0:13) with a dramatic open rescue of two baby goats (0:16) from a factory farm south of San Francisco. (0:19) Goats they described as sick. (0:21) Eye discharge, nasal discharge. (0:23) The goats, whom they named Phoebe and Celia, (0:26) were rushed away to get medical care. (0:28) Then, the activists returned to the farm. (0:44) One activist tried unsuccessfully to show sheriff's officers (0:49) what he called evidence of an emergency, (0:52) necessitating rescue. (0:53) We can turn around in a second. (0:56) Coined the Goated Five, the five activists (0:59) were hailed as heroes by supporters gathered around them (1:02) as they were led away by authorities. (1:14) That was back in May of 2025. (1:18) Four of those activists ended up being charged (1:21) with felonies that could have landed them behind bars (1:26) for six years. (1:28) And the breaking news we can tell you about today (1:31) is that those charges have reportedly been reduced (1:36) to misdemeanors, and Direct Action Everywhere (1:40) is calling that a huge victory. (1:42) We've got two of the defendants here alive, (1:45) Carla Cabral and Sally Zito. (1:47) And Sally is with her dog. (1:49) No, that's not a goat. (1:50) But that is her dog that we're holding, so he doesn't bark. (1:55) Tell us what happened. (1:57) You guys are smiling, so I assume the reports (2:00) that your charges have been reduced are accurate? (2:04) They are accurate. (2:06) The charges were reduced to misdemeanors. (2:09) And I think that we have mixed feelings (2:12) among the defendants about how this is progressing (2:18) because it's not quite over yet. (2:21) But we were happy that this judge, (2:24) who has been extremely fair, this has been, in my experience, (2:29) one of the most neutral and unbiased judges (2:32) that I have been around. (2:35) They have not been either swayed wholly by our side of things, (2:44) nor have they been able to be influenced (2:47) by the prosecution, in my opinion. (2:50) So I think that the fact that they came to this conclusion (2:54) after seeing the overwhelming amount of evidence (2:59) that we had of animal cruelty and the unfair nature (3:03) with which we were charged with felonies, (3:06) even though he originally said that he was probably going (3:09) to side on keeping them felonies, (3:12) he did ultimately reconsider (3:15) and change us to having only misdemeanors. (3:20) Yes, and that was a bit surprising that he did reconsider (3:25) because he seemed very firm on keeping these as felonies (3:29) as recently as this morning. (3:32) And so we were bracing ourselves for that decision. (3:35) And then apparently upon reading some more of the evidence (3:40) and he said some very persuasive arguments from the legal team, (3:44) he said that he had changed his stance. (3:47) So it was quite a surprise. (3:50) And so what I find fascinating is that you're not celebrating, (3:53) like normally someone would say, (3:55) oh my God, I'm not going to go to prison for six years. (3:59) The maximum with misdemeanors, I don't know what it is, (4:02) but it's certainly not a lot of time behind bars. (4:05) But you are more concerned with getting your story (4:09) out to the public and having your day in court. (4:11) Is that correct? (4:13) Well, honestly, it's about having Phoebe and Celia's stories told, (4:18) letting them have their day in court. (4:20) We are simply the proxy, you know, (4:23) working as whistleblowers, (4:25) being firsthand able to witness what these animals are going through. (4:30) And after I had identified Phoebe and Celia as really being in need (4:36) of emergency medical care, (4:39) it really comes down to telling their stories. (4:42) And you can see how many goats are on this facility. (4:46) You know, we heard reports of anywhere from 5,000 upward to 9,000 goats (4:53) on this dairy, none of whom are getting to run through grass (4:58) or eat leaves off of trees. (5:00) You can see that they're just in these dirt lots right there. (5:03) You're looking at babies, right? (5:05) That's Phoebe right there who had feces on her. (5:09) Celia also had feces on her, crusted over eyes, (5:14) crusted noses indicative of severe respiratory infections. (5:19) Their abdomens were distended, (5:22) which can mean that they might be carrying a load of parasites. (5:26) And, in fact, when I had retrieved some dead baby goats (5:30) from the large, massive dead pile on the facility (5:35) and had them tested at UC Davis, (5:38) we found that those babies had died from severe emaciation, (5:43) that they were lacking in nutrition, (5:45) that they did have parasites, respiratory infections. (5:49) And so when I saw Phoebe and Celia, (5:52) all I could imagine was that they were going to be in that dead pile next, (5:56) and we could not let that happen. (5:58) It just wasn't going to happen. (6:00) So while we have this incredible news (6:03) that the charges have been dropped to misdemeanors, (6:06) there are other controversies. (6:08) I would like to play a clip from Direct Action Everywhere, (6:13) starring you and some of the other defendants, (6:16) where you talk about what you call (6:18) a conflict of interest by the prosecutor. (6:22) Let's hear it, and then we'll discuss on the other side. (6:25) Guess who donated thousands of dollars (6:27) to the prosecutor charging us for rescuing goats? (6:31) The goat farm. (6:32) But wait, it gets worse. (6:35) Before becoming county prosecutor, (6:37) Sarah Hacker was the private attorney for this very farm. (6:41) Meaning, Hacker's office is now prosecuting a case (6:44) on behalf of a former client. (6:47) Isn't that a conflict of interest? (6:49) Well, at least the sheriff's office got its wish. (6:51) And I need an exact amount for those goats. (6:55) Are you recording? (6:58) Okay, I guess you caught that curse (7:01) by the law enforcement officer there. (7:04) So how did you discover this? (7:08) And what was the reaction? (7:11) Was it brought up in court? (7:12) Because you're saying it's a major conflict of interest. (7:15) In fact, it sounds like a major conflict of interest. (7:20) Yes, I think what I understand is that (7:23) these are usually brought to the court (7:25) by the person who possibly has the conflict of interest. (7:29) So how we may have expected to have found out (7:32) would be that the DA would have revealed it to us (7:35) and the judge at some point to say, (7:37) look, just want you to be aware of this. (7:39) But I believe we found out through (7:40) a Freedom of Information Act request. (7:42) Right, a public records request. (7:46) We had a lot of documents to go through. (7:48) And we were very surprised to see that (7:52) the DA had in fact formally represented (7:55) the landowners of this dairy (7:58) and did not disclose that to us. (8:01) And in fact, one of the other things that happened today (8:03) was that we had a motion to compel (8:06) because we had asked the DA to provide information to us (8:12) about her involvement, and she refused to do so, (8:16) or at least that's my understanding. (8:18) So we put forward a motion to compel (8:21) and the judge granted that. (8:23) So we were expecting also and still are expecting (8:27) to get more information to clarify (8:29) why we weren't told about this (8:32) and what exactly is going on between her and the dairy, (8:37) even today, because we know that not just (8:40) did she represent them for workers' rights violations, (8:45) but also having given thousands of dollars (8:48) to her campaign election from that dairy, (8:52) it just doesn't look good. (8:54) Yeah, pretty wild. (8:56) So do you expect your attorneys to continue to bring this up? (8:59) I mean, it seems like it's a big issue. (9:04) Yeah, I do hope that this continues forward (9:07) because while everything is not complete, (9:11) and like we said, the judge, after reviewing everything, (9:15) decided to reduce our felonies to misdemeanors, (9:19) but he also then went a step further (9:21) and decided to have a judicial diversion for us (9:27) where we were being offered 40 hours of community service (9:32) and six months where we don't get into any legal trouble. (9:38) And if that goes forward, then everything is dropped. (9:42) We wouldn't be charged further for this. (9:46) And we hope that by continuing forward with that motion (9:53) to compel information from the DA, (9:56) that it will prevent future instances for other people (10:00) who might also have a conflict of interest. (10:03) And we would hope that if we can get this out there, (10:08) that the DA won't hide this from anyone else (10:11) for any other reason. (10:13) This is very interesting stuff. (10:16) I want to put up a couple of comments (10:21) from this district attorney, and we invite her on anytime. (10:26) We would love to dialogue with you. (10:28) This is the district attorney who you're talking about, (10:32) and I'm holding a letter from last August (10:34) where she essentially said, (10:37) nothing to see here. (10:39) All of Direct Action Everywhere's allegations (10:43) have no foundation. (10:45) And I want to dive into the smoky gun, as it were, (10:51) is the dead pile. (10:53) So Direct Action Everywhere photographed this pile of goats (10:59) saying this was at the dairy in question. (11:02) And one of the reasons you went in, (11:04) because there's at least looks like two dozen goats there. (11:09) And your contention is that, well, this is a dead pile. (11:14) It's a mass grave. (11:16) It's horrifying. (11:18) And their reaction to this is that if you look at it, (11:25) there's approximately 5,000 to 5,500 goats. (11:28) This is according to the DA. (11:31) And that approximately one goat dies per day on average. (11:36) And during kidding season, January through April, (11:39) approximately three to four die every day. (11:43) And that's based on the National Animal Health Monitoring System. (11:47) The overall goat mortality rate for adults is 7.2% annually (11:53) for adults and 13.8% for kids. (11:58) So that they're saying the dairy, and we invite the dairy on any time (12:02) to discuss this, their mortality rate is within industry standards. (12:09) And they also said that this dairy disposes of deceased animals (12:14) via composting, placing carcasses beneath manure piles (12:19) located on the north side of the property away from the herd. (12:23) This practice aligns with evolving state guidance. (12:28) So what is your reaction to that? (12:31) Because it sounds like what they're describing is this, (12:36) but these goats, A, are not covered by manure. (12:40) And secondly, is your contention that that is legal? (12:47) So it was not, there is some debate about whether that was legal (12:56) or not legal at the time. (12:58) We contend that it was not legal because the Water Quality Board (13:04) cited them for it. (13:05) Why would they have a citation if it was perfectly legal to do? (13:09) And then later the law was changed. (13:13) But even so, that's not the only open dead pile (13:18) that we have evidence of. (13:20) We went back multiple times and got drone footage (13:24) of several different dead piles that were just out in the open. (13:29) And we even have footage of the dogs that are on the property (13:35) ingesting the dead flesh off of these carcasses. (13:40) And that is not okay. (13:43) They are supposed to dispose of these animals in a way (13:47) that discourages scavenging. (13:50) And usually one might think that it would be a vulture (13:53) that would come in and perhaps scavenge on these animals, (13:57) but instead it was the dogs on the property (14:01) tearing their flesh apart. (14:02) I mean, it was absolutely abysmal. (14:05) And when you're there, there's just no way to describe (14:08) the smell and the visual of all of these thousands of goats (14:16) and other animals. (14:17) I saw myself bones of a cow that was mixed in as well (14:22) because it's not just that dead pile. (14:25) There are huge rows of large piles of dirt. (14:29) And you can see all scattered through that are bones. (14:32) And there are varying degrees of decaying animals. (14:36) I mean, it's a hellscape for sure. (14:39) And even if it's legal at the moment, that doesn't make it okay. (14:44) And we invite that farm on. (14:46) We also reached out the dairy farm supplies, (14:50) Meyenberg, which is the largest distributor of goat milk. (14:55) And they did not respond to us, (14:57) but they did issue a statement to the Fresno Bee. (15:00) We have followed up with onsite visits (15:02) and have found no evidence to support the claims being made. (15:05) And the farm was recertified in October of 2025. (15:15) And that is recertified by an organization (15:19) that monitors for humane standards purportedly. (15:22) So what is your response to that? (15:27) I mean, they are certified humane. (15:30) And I feel horrible because the average consumer does not know (15:35) that in order to get recertified, they pay for that. (15:39) It is a paid service where they come out. (15:43) And sure, I mean, if there is an announced visit (15:47) and they choose to look in certain places (15:50) and they don't look in other places. (15:52) I mean, we reported the dead pile. (15:55) The animal control officers went out and said, (15:59) we don't see any dead animals. (16:01) And we went back the very next day that we received that report (16:05) and there was still a dead pile right out in the open. (16:09) So to get recertified, I don't believe myself (16:14) that that is actually folding these places (16:18) to some grand higher standards than one might think. (16:23) Absolutely. (16:24) And especially the fact that we do have this in writing (16:27) that they went out, they saw no dead animals, (16:30) and then the drone went up and saw dead animals. (16:33) So it just makes you think, where is the disconnect? (16:37) The dead animals have been there for, it looks like, decades. (16:41) The level of bones sticking out of the dirt, (16:45) this is not like just a few years. (16:49) Let me ask this because they're saying essentially (16:53) that it's composting. (16:54) This is the DA saying that this dairy disposes of deceased animals (17:00) via composting, placing carcasses beneath manure piles (17:04) located on the north side of the property, (17:07) and that this practice aligns with evolving state guidelines. (17:11) And they even mention a new law that hadn't been passed yet. (17:18) It went into effect in 2026, (17:22) but your investigations happened in 2025. (17:26) So maybe you could discuss that a little bit, (17:28) because it seems to me that you're talking about a dead pile. (17:32) They're also talking about carcasses, (17:36) and the difference is they're saying that the carcasses (17:40) are covered in manure, and that makes it okay. (17:45) Yeah, I mean, we can talk all day long (17:48) about what it means to actually compost. (17:51) They did pass AB 411 that changed the law (17:57) so that they would be able to dispose of carcasses on the property. (18:02) Whether they're doing it exactly up to standards or not, I can't say. (18:09) The evidence that I saw with my own eyes back when we took it said, (18:15) no, that was not legal. (18:17) Whether things are being done different now, (18:19) unfortunately I can't go back right now and take a look. (18:24) But what really we need to take a look at (18:27) is not whether the composting is being done properly or not, (18:32) but why are all of these animals dying? (18:36) This is a function of having these massive warehouses (18:42) full of thousands of animals. (18:44) Anytime you have these concentrated animal feeding operations, (18:49) you are going to have disease that runs through here, (18:53) and I'm sorry, I just cannot accept what they call acceptable losses. (19:00) To think that animals are just dying every day, (19:04) and that that is acceptable. (19:06) I mean, 13 point some percent of animals (19:10) being considered an acceptable amount, (19:13) and oh, just because they have, according to what they're telling us, (19:17) fewer than that. (19:18) To say that that is all right, in my eyes, is an abomination (19:23) when we're talking about being good stewards of these animals. (19:28) They cannot be properly cared for when they are kept in these massive numbers. (19:34) It's not okay. (19:36) I think the point you're making is that the very fact (19:41) that this is within industry standards (19:46) is a reflection of the entire industry. (19:51) And that this doesn't necessarily, (19:54) this is not necessarily out of the norm. (19:59) In fact, the DA is saying, well, this is absolutely normal (20:03) and this is happening across all of these dairies. (20:09) Yeah, I will say that we have to push against things (20:15) like acceptable standards like this. (20:17) And when we faced Sergeant Faustnett, (20:20) the one who said make it a fucking felony, (20:23) he was very flippant in court saying, (20:27) well, you know, animals are going to die. (20:30) Animals die, people die, go to a morgue, (20:34) you'll fin

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  Episode #422

  Could Animal Testing Finally End?

  Sep 4, 202613 minS8

  Animal testing is facing a historic challenge as activists demand an end to experiments on dogs and other animals while new scientific alternatives gain momentum. In this episode of Action Hour , protesters in Thousand Oaks call on Amgen to cut ties with Marshall BioResources, described in the program as a major supplier of animals for research. At the same time, federal agencies are advancing New Approach Methodologies that could reduce or replace some traditional animal tests. "We know the science is against this, we know the victims are against this, and the public is against this." – Pete, The True Cost Project What You'll Discover Hear directly from activists with Direct Action Everywhere and The True Cost Project about the campaign targeting Marshall BioResources, the use of beagles in laboratory research, and the personal risks some activists say they have taken to rescue animals. The episode also presents Marshall BioResources' response, including its statement about USDA inspections and animal-welfare standards. "I'll do it with a smile on my face because every bit of it is worth it for the life of an animal." – Pete, The True Cost Project Join the Adventure Listen to the debate, hear the activists' stories, and decide for yourself: could animal testing finally end? Share this episode and help bring more attention to the rapidly changing conversation around animal testing and alternatives. Jane Velez-Mitchell is an award-winning journalist, TV producer and NY Times bestselling author who founded UnchainedTV, the world's premier plant-based streaming network. UnchainedTV offers 2,000 free documentaries, cooking shows, lifestyle and news programs. Download UnchainedTV free on mobile or TV streaming devices like Amazon Fire, Roku, and Apple TV. Watch online: https://watch.unchainedtv.com/browse DONATION INFO & UNCHAINEDTV LINKS Thank you for watching! UnchainedTV is a 501c3 nonprofit. Our vision is a world where plant-based, cruelty-free, sustainable living is the norm—across food, fashion, science, and entertainment. You can help us spread this crucial message here: Donate: https://unchainedtv.com/donate/ Links: WATCH for FREE: https://unchained.tv ✅ LEARN MORE / https://unchainedtv.com Facebook / janevelezmitchell SubStack / https://unchainedtv.substack.com Instagram / unchained_tv Twitter / jvm Reddit / https://www.reddit.com/user/Unchained_TV/ Rumble / https://rumble.com/user/UnchainedTV TRANSCRIPT: (0:00) Welcome to Action Hour. Can this be the end for animal testing? (0:04) Wing Chun animal activists documented eagles inside a breeding facility's supplying laboratory. (0:11) That led to an investigation and then to a daring open rescue where activists carried (0:17) 22 eagles to safety, only for some of them to be taken back later. (0:22) When they returned to rescue more dogs, they were met with tear gas, pepper spray, (0:27) and rubber bullets. The events now shine a national spotlight on the treatment of (0:32) dogs bred for laboratory research. Soon after, Rigland Farms closed and remaining (0:37) eagles were released for adoption through rescue organizations. (0:42) Today, the movement has shifted its focus to Marshall Bioresources in North Rose, (0:48) New York, one of the nation's largest suppliers of animals for research. (0:53) Demonstrations are now taking place across the country. (0:57) This week, we caught up with protesters gathering in Thousand Oaks outside a company that (1:02) reportedly bought eagles from Marshall Bioresource labs last year. (1:13) If at any point you feel two taps on your shoulder, you're still not in trouble, (1:17) but we'd like you to please leave the protest entirely. (1:22) Basically, one tap, take a lap, two taps, hit the road, (1:25) jam. You have this policy for everyone's safety, and if it happens, you're more than entitled to (1:30) have a one-on-one conversation with me in person or maybe on signal afterwards. (1:35) I don't anticipate that happening today, but we just put that in place. (1:49) Tell us your name. Why are you here today? (1:51) My name's Tiffany Brunelli, and I'm an organizer with Direct Action everywhere in Los Angeles, (1:57) and we organize. This has been a weekend of actions throughout the country, (2:01) and today's the last day. We needed to come today because they're only here during the week, (2:06) and we saw their inspection, Amgen's inspection report from 2025, and they tested on 22, (2:14) 23 beagles, I believe, from Marshall and about 122 rabbits. Not sure where those are from. (2:22) We don't have the reports yet for 2026, so we're asking them to cut ties with Marshall (2:28) and to stop buying dogs from Marshall. How confident are they that they are going to (2:41) be able to take on this behemoth? You've heard the scuttlebutt around. Is everyone super confident? (2:49) Yeah, Wayne says one year and Marshall will be done. Here is a statement from Marshall (2:56) Bioresources. Breeding animals for use in medical research in the United States is highly regulated (3:03) and subject to ongoing oversight. Our facilities are regularly inspected by the U.S. Department (3:09) of Agriculture to ensure compliance with federal animal welfare standards. Our most recent unannounced (3:16) USDA inspection was conducted on May 26, resulting in a clean report with no citations or observations. (3:24) We also maintain voluntary accreditation through AAA LAC International, an independent (3:30) non-profit organization that promotes high standards, often stricter than federal law. (3:36) In addition to our programs, have earned ISO 9001 certification for quality management and (3:43) operational standards. (4:01) Hi there. Hi. I saw your speech out there and you're leading the crowd. By chance you have (4:15) a lot of energy and passion about this issue. Tell us why you're here today. Well i'm Pete (4:19) I'm with the True Cost Project and we are running a concurrent campaign against Marshall (4:25) Bioresources with Direct Action Everywhere, Beagle Freedom Project, and many other organizations (4:29) around the world, in fact. (4:31) Both against MBR, Marshall Bioresources in upstate New York, and MBR Acres in the UK. (4:37) We know the science is against this, we know the victims are against this, and the public (4:42) is against this. (4:43) I understand that you were charged recently. (4:46) Can you tell us about that? (4:47) Sure, I was charged with conspiracy and burglary. (4:50) I'm facing 12 and a half years in prison for rescuing one beagle that was ultimately one (4:55) of the Ridgeland Eight and taken back by police that day in March and brought back to Ridgeland. (5:01) So I actually don't know if he made it out. (5:04) Oh, that's such a sad story. (5:05) Yeah, and I named him Tracker after my childhood beagle, Tracker. (5:08) He does have a name, nonetheless. (5:11) So what are you, how do you feel about getting charged and what transpired? (5:15) Like, what emotions are you having? (5:17) You know, I feel like if we actually do time, I'll do it with a smile on my face because (5:23) every bit of it is worth it for the life of an animal. (5:27) Those animals didn't choose to be in the prison cells that they were in. (5:32) I chose to go in there and rescue that animal. (5:35) And if in our unjust, injustice system, I wind up behind bars too, then so be it. (5:41) The noise that we created and the change that we made in the world is everlasting. (6:05) Cut dues for animal abuse! (6:13) There's never an excuse for animal abuse! (6:16) Wasting cash dollars are no excuse for animal abuse! (6:21) Worthless experiments are no excuse for animal abuse! (6:26) So-called scientists... (6:27) So you're with DXC, tell us your name and your position there. (6:31) Yeah, my name's Dash Nye. (6:33) I work with the protest group of the Los Angeles chapter of DXC. (6:37) And today I'm also the Los Angeles press coordinator. (6:40) Wow, so you've organized this whole protest here that's going on. (6:43) That was pretty good, organizing that and getting it going so quickly. (6:47) Thank you, it wasn't just me. (6:48) I have a bunch of co-organizers and I always tell people, (6:54) even if you're familiar with Direct Action Everywhere, (6:55) I feel pretty lucky to be part of the Los Angeles group. (6:58) We have a lot of people to share the roles (7:01) and a lot of enthusiasm and passion as you can see today. (7:04) Yeah, so you've got a lot of support here in LA is what you're saying. (7:07) That's correct, yeah. (7:08) So what is the reason you guys came out here today to this facility? (7:13) They're one of the largest biopharmaceutical companies in the world. (7:16) They are a buyer of Marshall Bioresources, specifically dogs. (7:22) We have a USDA report that showed this facility, (7:25) this 1,000-ounce facility, tested on 23 dogs last year. (7:29) So we're here today to ask them to do the right thing (7:32) and cut ties with Marshall Bioresources. (7:35) The country is, frankly, shifting away from needless animal experimentation. (7:40) And Amgen made $36.8 billion last year. (7:43) They have all the money and resources to kind of lead the charge (7:48) in this historic shift away from unnecessary tests (7:50) that, frankly, don't work the majority of the time. (7:52) There's this misconception that it does make advances for human health. (7:57) A lot of that is due to lobbying activities (7:59) and sort of messaging you see from universities and laboratories. (8:04) But most people have heard that the NIH, (8:07) the National Institutes of Health, (8:09) has said something like 95% of tests that were proven successful on animals (8:14) completely fail human trials because it's not applicable. (8:17) And of the small fraction of drugs that are approved, (8:21) half of them need to be relabeled because new side effects emerge (8:25) that did not come out during the tests on animals. (8:29) Yeah, I think the whole thing is wrong. (8:31) I think Marshall should get shut down, just like Ridgeland did. (8:35) And I think they will. (8:36) And I think people are waking up. (8:38) Yeah, and I think all vivisection will end very soon in America. (8:43) Yes, I understand there's like 20,000 dogs (8:46) as opposed to, I think, how many beagles were at Ridgeland Farms? (8:50) Something like 2,000. (8:52) And there's more like 10 times that amount. (8:54) So you're a longtime animal advocate, Cori Mack. (8:57) Why are you here today? (9:00) Well, because I'm glad to see anti-vivisection is in the focus again. (9:05) For years we were doing UCLA protests, (9:09) and then our vivisectors that were working on the monkeys left town, (9:15) and I started working on a different campaign. (9:18) But vivisection is one of the most heinous forms of animal abuse there is. (9:25) It purports to do good for people and science, (9:31) and it does the exact opposite. (9:33) It sends science into the dark ages, (9:36) and of course it mutilates and murders animals. (9:40) Thank you. (9:41) So do you think it's possible to end animal testing in the near future? (9:46) I do believe it is. (9:47) Yeah, what about the momentum that's building? (9:49) I think the momentum, this is the precipice. (9:52) This is the best chance we have ever had in the history. (9:56) You know, it's no longer required by the FDA. (9:59) The current administration, say what you will about it, (10:01) but RFK is making a hard push against primate, dog, vivisection, and other animals. (10:07) He's already ended it on a federal level in many ways. (10:11) He's brought the attention to the public about this issue, (10:16) and most people, they don't realize that they're actually paying for it, right? (10:20) Yeah. (10:21) All this stuff is tax subsidized. (10:23) It's either federal contracts or state subsidies that fund a lot of this stuff. (10:29) You should go to savethedogs.io and get involved. (10:32) Join us in the streets. Join us lobbying. (10:35) Right now it's in the Senate to make sure, before it goes to the president's office, (10:39) to make sure that vivisection is done and is no longer required by the FDA. (10:43) So, yeah. (10:43) Wasted tax dollars are no excuse. (10:47) Worthless experiments are no excuse. (10:52) So-called science is no excuse. (10:56) It's not science. (10:57) It's not research. (11:00) It's not normal. (11:03) It's not acceptable. (11:06) It's not medicine. (11:09) It's not science. (11:12) It's not research. (11:14) It's not normal. (11:16) It's not acceptable. (11:18) It's science! (11:20) Save the (11:23) beagles! (11:31) Public money! (11:33) Private cropping! (11:34) Public money! (11:35) Private cropping! (11:36) Public money! (11:38) Private cropping! (11:39) Public money! (11:40) Private cropping! (11:41) Public money! (11:42) Private cropping! (11:44) No taxation! (11:46) For animal experimentation! (11:47) No taxation! (11:49) For animal experimentation! (11:51) No taxation! (11:53) For animal experimentation! (11:55) No taxation! (11:56) For animal experimentation! (11:58) Because it's your job! (12:05) They're organizing a large march in Washington D.C. (12:09) Or in New York. (12:10) I think it's like 14 days. (12:12) So there's a lot of testing, a lot of attention right now (12:15) on animal testing and especially (12:17) beagles and dogs. (12:19) This has been going on (12:20) for over an hour here (12:23) and for the most part the crowd (12:25) is not letting up. (12:26) I see people (12:29) facing the company (12:38) Is there anything else (12:39) you want to tell us for today? (12:41) Well there's a lot of (12:44) enthusiasm behind this campaign. (12:46) It's Monday today. (12:47) We're at the tail end of a nationwide (12:49) weekend of action against Marshall (12:51) Bio Resources. So if people (12:53) want to learn more about the updates, (12:55) if people want to find a protest near them, (12:57) I invite them to check out (12:59) SaveTheDogs.io. We would love for you to get (13:01) involved. We need to speak up for these (13:03) dogs and frankly all animals (13:05) that have to suffer through these bogus tests.

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  Episode #421

  What Happens If Whales Disappear From Our Oceans?

  Aug 10, 202635 minS7

  Protect our oceans before one of their most important species disappears. What happens if whales disappear from our oceans—and why should every person on the planet care? In this powerful conversation, Captain Paul Watson joins Jane Velez-Mitchell to expose the ongoing fight against whaling in Iceland and explain why protecting whales is essential to the health of our oceans and our future. "If phytoplankton disappears from the ocean, we die." – Captain Paul Watson What You'll Discover Captain Paul Watson takes us inside the dramatic confrontation in Iceland involving the Bandero , the Icelandic Coast Guard and the fight to stop whales from being killed. He explains how decades of anti-whaling activism have helped transform attitudes toward commercial whaling and reveals why whales play such an extraordinary role in maintaining ocean ecosystems. Watson also discusses climate change, marine wildlife, factory farming, fishing gear and plastic pollution—and why he believes going vegan can help protect our oceans. "The whales are the farmers of the ocean." – Captain Paul Watson Join the Adventure Discover why the fight to save whales is ultimately a fight to protect our oceans and ourselves. Hear Captain Paul Watson's extraordinary stories of direct action, learn about his philosophy of "aggressive non-violence," and find out how ordinary people can speak up for whales and marine wildlife. Jane Velez-Mitchell is an award-winning journalist, TV producer and NY Times bestselling author who founded UnchainedTV, the world's premier plant-based streaming network. UnchainedTV offers 2,000 free documentaries, cooking shows, lifestyle and news programs. Download UnchainedTV free on mobile or TV streaming devices like Amazon Fire, Roku, and Apple TV. Watch online: https://watch.unchainedtv.com/browse DONATION INFO & UNCHAINEDTV LINKS Thank you for watching! UnchainedTV is a 501c3 nonprofit. Our vision is a world where plant-based, cruelty-free, sustainable living is the norm—across food, fashion, science, and entertainment. You can help us spread this crucial message here: Donate: https://unchainedtv.com/donate/ Links: WATCH for FREE: https://unchained.tv ✅ LEARN MORE / https://unchainedtv.com Facebook / janevelezmitchell SubStack / https://unchainedtv.substack.com Instagram / unchained_tv Twitter / jvm Reddit / https://www.reddit.com/user/Unchained_TV/ Rumble / https://rumble.com/user/UnchainedTV TRANSCRIPT: captain paul watson speaks! (720p) (0:18) At least at the door of the bridge. (0:19) You know, you know, you know. (0:20) John, John, John, let's go. (0:21) John, now, at the door of the bridge. (0:24) Okay. (0:24) You'll be alright in a bit. (0:42) Put the phones down! (0:45) Put the phones down! (0:47) Hands up! (0:49) Put the phones down! (0:51) Hands up! (0:54) Thank you! (0:56) Captain! (0:58) Uh... (1:00) Uh... (1:28) few days ago, tell us what exactly went on. Put that extraordinary footage into context for us. (1:36) Well, we decided we were going to, you know, have to focus attention on Iceland's continued (1:41) illegal whaling operations. So I sent the Bandera to Icelandic waters and the object was to confront (1:48) one of the whaling vessels that came out. The problem right from the beginning was is that (1:52) Iceland put their entire coast guard on alert to stop us. And so they were providing our positions (1:59) to the whaling ships all the time. That made it unable, we could not close in on them to confront (2:04) them. So finally I decided, okay, let's go right into the 12 mile limit and go straight towards (2:10) the whale processing plant and we'll head off the whaling ships that way. And that worked. (2:13) As we went in, we saw the Havlar 9, one of the whaling vessels. As soon as it saw us, it turned (2:19) and returned to port fleeing and calling the Coast Guard for support. And the Coast Guard were (2:26) well prepared for this. They had one ship, two aircraft, one helicopter, a so-called special (2:31) forces boarding unit. In fact, it couldn't have gone better if I had have scripted it myself, (2:37) because as the director of the Coast Guard, he said this was a real James Bond operation. So they (2:43) had a lot of fun with it. But, you know, all of this was provided by the Coast Guard and helped (2:49) us to focus attention on Christian Lawson's whaling operation. Nobody got hurt. We didn't (2:55) actually break any laws. So everybody overreacted and we got our message across. And Iceland is (3:03) right now debating whether they're going to join the European Union. And if they do, (3:07) they won't be allowed to kill whales. So we wanted to put a lot of attention (3:10) on this whaling operation in Europe, especially. So you have 21 crew members. They were (3:18) captured essentially by the special forces unit that boarded their ship in such dramatic fashion (3:26) and they were kept on the ship for several days. And then what happened and what is their status (3:34) right now, Captain Watson? Well, Iceland made a lot of mistakes. They detained the crew. (3:39) There were no charges. They brought them into Reykjavik and confined them to the ship for four (3:44) days. They seized cameras, phones, laptops without warrants. They then took people to interrogation (3:53) without allowing us to have lawyers present. All of this certainly helped us our case quite a bit. (4:00) And then after four days, the decision was made to release everybody and allow them to have access (4:07) to Reykjavik or walk about town if they wanted to. And then a few days later, the order says deport (4:13) everybody. So then they deported everybody except for our chief engineer and one of our officers (4:18) to watch the ship. So there are no charges, but they were deported. We were trying to figure (4:23) out exactly on what justification was that deportation if there was actually no criminal (4:28) charges. And we haven't been able to get an answer on that. So the bottom line, though, for the 21, (4:35) that except for one individual, they've all been deported out of Iceland. So they're no longer (4:41) in Iceland, just to clarify. They're no longer in Iceland. Our chief engineer and one of our officers (4:48) elected to stay. And we convinced the Icelandic government that they needed to be there to take (4:53) care of the ship. Otherwise, you know, the ship was at the mercy of the Icelandic authorities. (4:59) I want to show this QR code to those watching because so many people are outraged by this. (5:05) You can take your phone, put it on the QR code. I did it last night and sent letters to something (5:13) like 17 officials in Iceland. For those watching, why is that outreach to Iceland officials so (5:23) important? The interesting thing in Iceland is about half the population is opposed to whaling, (5:28) half are for it. And there's a big division politically. So there's one political party (5:32) that's opposed to whaling, another political party which is supporting it. And so we're right (5:37) in the middle of that. And certainly we're contributing to that controversy. In addition (5:42) to our ship's crew, we also have a crew that's been on the ground for over a month and a half (5:46) and are still there. And that's our land crew from the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in the UK. (5:52) And what they've been doing and they've been doing it for the last few years is they document every (5:57) single whale that is brought into the whaling station to cite them for violations. And we've (6:02) collected numerous violations, including one whale that was struck four times with a harpoon taking (6:07) over an hour to die. That's a violation of Icelandic law. We also have pollution evidence (6:14) from that plant. We presented that to the Icelandic government. But there was no enforcement, (6:18) no charges. So the problem is, is that Kristian Lofsson is the wealthiest man and one of the (6:23) wealthiest men in Iceland, has enormous influence with the government and on the island. And he's (6:30) the one behind the killing of whales. He's 80 years old. He doesn't kill whales for money. (6:34) There's no money made by this whaling operation. It costs Lofsson between one and two million (6:40) dollars a year just to do it. There's no market for it to sell this whale meat. It's just put (6:44) into warehouses and kept. And the reason he does it, he likes to do it. It's a hobby, pretty much. (6:50) It's a very expensive hobby, but it's what he wants to do. And he's not going to have anybody (6:55) tell him what they can and cannot do. So this is really Kristian Lofsson exercising his authority, (7:01) his influence in Iceland. And a lot of Icelanders are very upset with this. (7:08) Well, I have to say, we invite him on Unchained TV anytime. We would love to dialogue with him. (7:14) We'd love to set up a debate between him and Captain Paul Watson. I have to say, (7:19) it doesn't make any sense to me. There's no justification for killing these whales. (7:26) People aren't eating whale meat. Correct me if I'm wrong. We no longer need or could even use whale (7:35) products for fuel or the alternative to gas. So you're saying that it's simply a hobby by one (7:45) rich individual, all this carnage? And the only market they had was Japan, (7:50) but Japan refuses to buy the whale meat from Iceland now because they say they don't need it. (7:55) There is a couple of restaurants in Reykjavik that sell whale meat, but one whale could provide all (8:00) of that. And strangely enough, the only customers that really go to this restaurant to buy whale (8:05) meat or to have a whale dinner are Americans and Europeans. The Icelanders don't actually do it. (8:11) So it's really part of the tourist trade, but that's one whale. That's all it takes. (8:15) They've also come up with this bizarre idea to make whale testicle beer. (8:19) They market this beer that's made out of, that includes the testicles of the fin whales. (8:24) It makes no sense to me why they do this. This guy's a rather strange individual. (8:29) He didn't do himself any favors when they brought in one big male whale. And on camera, (8:35) our crew caught them, this one employee grabbing this penis of this whale, which is bigger than (8:41) himself and like sort of playing with it. Well, the rest of the crew sang the Icelandic national (8:47) anthem and laughed and that's all on camera. So a lot of Icelanders are pretty upset about that too. (8:54) Wow. It's so sad and so sick. And it just breaks my heart that humanity treats other sentient (9:01) beings this way, especially when we're in the midst of the sixth mass extinction and we should (9:06) be preserving every wild animal. And this battle is happening to whales. It's also happening right (9:13) here in my own backyard. We have a whole community trying to save the last coastal wetlands here in (9:19) Los Angeles from bulldozing. Why do you think, despite all the dire warnings, despite the (9:26) evidence that climate change is upon us with fires raging in the United States, Canada and Europe, (9:32) that people are not connecting the dots, even at their own peril, that when the wildlife goes (9:40) on land and on sea, we go? People just are in denial on this. I've written two books on climate (9:47) change, first in 2015 and one two years ago. And in those books, I actually predicted the fires (9:52) in Los Angeles and Spain and France and said it's going to get worse. And it is going to get worse. (9:58) But people don't want to hear it. And politicians won't solve the problem because it's too (10:02) controversial. They're only interested in the next election. They're not really interested in what's (10:07) going to happen 10, 15, 20 years from now. I thought it was rather strange the other day when (10:12) Donald Trump was on there. He says, I don't understand that these are the hottest last (10:17) four years I've ever heard of. Where are all these fires coming from? He's asking the question (10:23) and he refuses to listen to the answer. Now, you are known, renowned, famous for your bravery, (10:33) which was documented on the hit TV series Whale Wars. And your crew, it's contagious because your (10:40) is very, very courageous as well. You in 2024 were arrested in Greenland and they wanted to (10:50) extradite you to Japan. Tell us what happened there because we have some images of protests (11:00) that were happening globally around the world. And by the way, people are watching from Belgium, (11:04) Costa Rica, France, all over the world as we converse and talk today. But tell us what happened (11:12) that sparked these protests and how it ended up. Well, we were on our way to Japan through (11:17) the Northwest Passage, but we had to stop and refuel in Nook in Greenland. And we had just (11:23) come in and about a half hour after arriving, this special force team of Danish police officers (11:29) came on board looking very serious. And one of them came right up to me, grabbed me by the shirt, (11:35) pulled me off the chair and didn't. I said, am I under arrest? He says, come with me and whatever. (11:41) Interestingly enough, those police officers were flown the night before in from Copenhagen just to (11:45) do this. And this was all on a Japanese Interpol warrant to have me arrested and extradited. (11:51) And so that actually was a great opportunity. I went to the prison for the next five months and (11:57) used that as a way of focusing attention on Japan's continued illegal whaling operation. (12:03) And we went every month. I had to appear in court and they didn't know what to do with me. And (12:07) finally, after five months, I was released. But that was thanks to the fact that a million people (12:12) signed a petition. There were protests all over the world. Most of the cities in Paris, actually, (12:18) or in France, hung banners asking for my freedom. And I got support from President Macron, (12:24) Prime Minister of France, the President of Brazil and also from Pope Francis. And this (12:30) really spooked the Danes. And the decision by the court was to extradite me. But the next day, (12:35) the attorney general for Denmark made the political decision to release me. And then (12:41) within six months, Interpol dismissed the red notice on the grounds that it was politically (12:47) motivated. So Japan lost that. But they're still trying to get me. So last November, (12:51) when I attended the climate change conference in Brazil, I arrived. And two days later, (12:57) or I mean, yeah, just two days later, I got a call from the Brazilian federal police saying (13:02) that Japan had asked for my arrest and extradition. And I said, well, what are you going to do about (13:07) it? And the officer said, well, they said they submitted their request in English. And we told (13:12) them, you know, it has to be submitted in Portuguese. So I had to resubmit it. And in the (13:18) of Brazil to remain in Brazil with the assurance that I would not be extradited. (13:25) So we're getting so many comments. Patty Shanker, who's a big fan of yours, says, (13:31) what can people like us do to help now? I may be able to help with that because (13:36) Captain Watson's foundation has a whole very sophisticated system where if you just scan (13:44) that QR code right there, it opens you up to sending a series of letters to something like (13:49) 17 officials in Iceland, including the very top government officials. So I'm speaking long enough (13:57) to give you the opportunity to whip out your cell phone. And you can take a snapshot of it. Or you (14:03) can just put your phone on and scan it and start writing those letters right now. Everybody (14:10) watching, take a moment to either take a photograph of this to do it later or do it right now. I did (14:17) it last night. It took me 30 seconds. And I sent emails to 17 top officials in Iceland. And this is (14:25) so important because the government's resources are not being used to stop climate change, to stop (14:35) habitat destruction, to stop wildlife extinction, to stop the persecution of these whales that are (14:44) so threatened. The resources of the government are being used to persecute Captain Paul Watson's crew (14:52) on the Bandero. So it is such extraordinary footage. I want to take an opportunity to (14:59) watch it again, because it is something out of a movie. (16:15) Truly bizarre. Some of the comments we're getting, Patty, arresting the wrong people. (16:22) Dionne, this is literally insane. The footage cannot be real, but unfortunately it is. (16:28) Ruta, Captain Paul Watson is a hero. We've got somebody else saying there's only one reason for (16:34) killing any life form, stupidity, brainwashing, which results in sadism. Humans are frugivores. (16:40) Our natural food is fruit, the Ahimsa diet. Everyone send those emails. We will put up (16:47) the QR code again. But just giving a sense of, Maria says, I sent all of those emails last week. (16:58) What else can we do? What else can be done beyond sending those emails via the QR code, Captain (17:05) Watson? You know, I would have had my crew resist boarding, but it worked better out this way, (17:11) because they really had nothing that they could charge us with. But they're still holding the (17:16) Bandero, but without any reason for holding the Bandero. I said, I'm not going to pay any fines. (17:22) I'm not going to pay for berthage costs, port costs or anything. And they said, well, if you (17:25) don't pay, you don't get your ship back. And I said, well, then we'll go to court and see how (17:28) long that lasts. But the ship is now in downtown Reykjavik with a big banner on the side saying, (17:34) stop whaling. And the actual Reykjavik camera that goes out to the general public is focused (17:39) right on the ship. So it's great, great advertising. But yeah, keep putting pressure (17:45) on the government in Iceland and making it clear to also members of the European Parliament that (17:51) if Iceland wants to join the European Union, they have to stop whaling. And it automatically, (17:58) they will have to stop anyway. So the negotiations are going on right now between Iceland and the (18:03) European Union about joining. And of course, the whalers want to not join, but I think the general (18:09) consensus in Iceland is to join. The Icelanders have found that there is much more money to be (18:14) made from the whale watching industry, which is very, very big in Iceland. And it's probably (18:19) the only whale watching place in the world where as people are going out to watch whales, (18:23) they see ships coming back with dead whales strapped to the side. And that's really offending a lot of (18:29) people. But the thing that we can never forget here is that Iceland, specifically Christian (18:35) Lawson, is killing endangered fin whales in violation of the International Whaling Commission's (18:40) global moratorium on whaling. What he's doing is illegal. And the United States and other countries (18:47) have an obligation under the International Whaling Commission rules to impose sanctions (18:52) on any country that doesn't abide by IWC regulations, but they refuse to do it because (18:57) of trade considerations. Trade considerations always take precedence over the enforcement of (19:03) international conservation law. When people ask, why do I do what I do? Why don't my crew do this? (19:08) The answer is very simple, because the governments of the world are not doing their job. They're not (19:12) upholding their responsibility. Last year at the United Nations Conference on the Ocean, (19:17) everybody was patting themselves on the back, all the world leaders, because they ratified the thing (19:22) called the High Seas Treaty on the Protection of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions, (19:26) a great achievement, except it's a piece of paper. It means noth

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