Animals, humans, and the planet are in deep trouble. All across the globe, people are waking up to the undeniable connections between every living being―and noticing how out of balance our world has become. Yet, awareness is not enough. The Compassion Consortium aims to provide spiritual comfort, fellowship, and reflection, for those practising or exploring a plant-based lifestyle. We talk to Rev Sarah Bowen, Executive Director of its Training Programs about the support for those who reject violence and believe in extending an ethic of care to all sentient beings .

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We take a look back over a year of legal proceedings to protect the interests of animals, further evidence that livestock farming is unavoidably cruel, and some opposition in the Roman Catholic Church to the way we treat other animals. Join David and Martyn for a review of some positive news and the challenges ahead.

To suggest that animals are persons – with all that such a claim implies – may seem far-fetched to some. After all, the way we treat animals is usually justified on the basis that there are fundamental differences between humans and animals. In the latest episode, we are joined by Professor Mark Rowlands from the University of Miami in Florida, who makes the case that other animals meet the criteria for personhood.

His books ‘Can Animals Be Persons?’ and ‘The Happiness of Dogs’ provide a fascinating insight into the lives of animals.

If you would like to comment on this or previous episodes, please e mail us at: animalrightsthedebate@outlook.com

To carry on the debate, join our dedicated WhatsApp community https://linktr.ee/animalrightsdebate