Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
My guest today is a PR disaster for the pig farming industry. Dr Alice Brough is also a powerful, wise and compelling force for good.
After four years working as a commercial pig vet, Alice realised she would not be effective changing the world for pigs from within. She turned her back on all her training and industry specific education to become a full time activist.
To shine a light on the atrocities that happen every single day, not just in large factory farms. In every facility.
In this conversation we discuss how in Alice’s personal experience, starting working on commercial pig farms at fifteen, now, fifteen years on “nothing has changed” for commercial pigs. In fact the industry seems even more resistant to change.
We also cover the high cost to farmers stuck in our current broken, unsustainable and exploitative food system.
Alice featured prominently in the documentary The End of Medicine, also in the documentary Hogwood A Modern Horror Story and is part of the Scrap Factory Farming legal challenge which is currently going through the European Court of Human Rights and also has human health as one of its fundamentals.
Friends, this is an at times heart-wrenching conversation with an activist I have so much respect for.
It might be a tough listen however Alice has an important message to share. She went into her veterinary career not vegan, pro-animal farming, pro-British animal farming… and she has emerged, as one of the strongest most persuasive and informed vegan animal rights activists I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing.
In fact, Alice shares much of how she personally copes with the significant trauma she has experienced.
I feel certain her insights can help those of us who also struggle with the line to walk between passionately wanting an end to ALL animal exploitation NOW and the reality that we must still manage our anger and sadness if we are to be effective communicators and activists.
In the interview we cover:
- Alice became a vet because she loved animals.
- The brutal reality working as a pet vet trying to improve welfare standards.
- When Alice realised she could not change the industry from within.
- The veterinary world is arguably complicit in turning a blind eye.
- It’s not just large factory farms.
-
Rise in antibiotic resistance in humans and overuse / misuse in factory farming.
- The high cost to farmers stuck in our current broken, unsustainable and exploitative food system.
- The call for the RSPCA to support a fair transition to a plant-based food system for animals and the planet.
- The work Alice has done to look inward, work on herself and continue as an effective activist.
- The Scrap Factory Farming legal challenge which is currently going through the European Court of Human Rights.
And so much more…
I know this conversation will sit with you for a while. I’m not one for trigger warnings however I do want to say dear plant friends please seek out the support you need if you are struggling to cope with all the atrocious things happening to animals, to humans and to the planet.
Please take Alice’s advice and immerse yourself in some of the good things, find the compassionate like minded humans, hug a tree, hug a (willing!) animal and try your best to hunt down the positives, they do exist.
Finally, if you are looking for an activist to support, I really do hugely recommend considering Alice via veganpigvet on Patreon:
Connect with Alice across the socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube
I recommend this talk Pig vet reveals true cost of meat industry mentality | Dr Alice Brough | Vegan Campout 2021:
That’s it for this week in Healthification. If you’re yet to rate, review and subscribe please do! I also feel like this might be a perfect episode to share with a vegan curious loved one or vegan ally.
Big thanks to YOU for sharing this week with me.
The Healthification podcast is proudly bought to you by my FREE ‘Easy Vegan’ plan. It took me 25 years to transition from a meat eater to a happy, healthy Vegan! You can do it in just 3 days with my simplified ‘easy vegan’ plan! Get the fit, strong, and healthy plant based body you deserve… while avoiding ALL the mistakes I made along the way!
To learn more check out: strongbodygreenplanet.com
Till next time, remember Creating a body and life you love is Freedom. (If this ex-refined-carb queen, non genetically gifted, naturally uncoordinated vegan chick can do it – so can YOU!!!)
If you liked “Former Factory Farm Livestock Vet Dr Alice Brough and the Urgent Need to Scrap Factory Farming.” you’ll also like Hogwood: A Modern Horror Story with Viva!’s Juliet Gellatley.
If you liked “Former Factory Farm Livestock Vet Dr Alice Brough and the Urgent Need to Scrap Factory Farming.” you’ll also like Meat The Victims with Animal Activist Leah Doellinger.
If you liked “Former Factory Farm Livestock Vet Dr Alice Brough and the Urgent Need to Scrap Factory Farming.” you’ll also like Photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur Brings Visibility To Hidden Animals Worldwide.