Hope for the Animals

From environmental protection to animal advocacy, on this episode we explore the connection of protecting wild animals and places to a vegan ethic of nonviolence. Jack Gescheidt created his TreeSpirit Project to use art, advocacy and activism to raise awareness of our interdependence with trees, forests, wild animals and the natural world. A lifelong nature and animal lover, Jack turned professional photographer four decades ago, environmental activist two decades ago, and in the last decade, he is now a vegan educator.

Jack and Hope talk about the program of killing half a million Barred Owls to supposedly “save” the Spotted Owl in the Pacific Northwest and what “invasive species” really means. They also discuss the Pt. Ryes National Seashore Tule Elk issue where environmentalist and animal rights advocates came together to get the dairy cow operations out of this sensitive area, and won! They also talk about the problems with grass-fed animal products, rotational grazing, and how these forms of animal agriculture use extensive land and fencing that disrupt migratory animals. They share the importance of having reverence and love for nature and an ethos of protection and not destruction. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom, we end the episode with a love fest.

Jack will be speaking at Compassionate Living’s Sonoma County VegFest on Saturday, September 26. He will speak about how the human tradition of treating non-human animals as inferiors, and using them for our own purposes, is not only exterminating wild animals, but all life on Earth — and ourselves.

Resources:

TreeSpirit Project

In Defense of Animals- Owl Petition

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We start this episode with a movie review from Hope of the new pro-animal film The Sheep Detective. Then we move into a conversation with Kathy Cullen, founder of Jolene's Retreat. Kathy and Hope discuss rescues and the residents of Jolene’s Retreat sanctuary. Kathy has rescued numerous small “companion” pigs and they discuss the problem of breeding “potbelly” and “teacup” designer pigs. They also talk about the importance of animal’s agency as well as friends and family units and how these are disrupted and broken up in animal agriculture and the psychological distress that can cause. But also how bonds of friendship form on sanctuaries and are not limited by species.

When Kathy Cullen was 19, she decided to go vegetarian for health reasons, but morality quickly took a front seat after realizing that she no longer wanted to be a part of animal suffering. Kathy began reading about the problems with animal agriculture and the unbelievable suffering animals endure for food, entertainment, clothing, science, etc. and decided to get involved. She joined animal rights organizations, attended animal rights conferences, visited animal sanctuaries, and finally decided to start her own sanctuary. She bought 10 acres of land in Occidental, California in and in May 2023, Jolene’s Retreat became a reality with their first rescue of a family of five pigs.

Kathy will be presenting at Compassionate Living’s Sonoma County VegFest on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Santa Rosa, California.

Resources:

Jolene’s Retreat

Sonoma County VegFest 2026

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Compassionate Living

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Rev. Carol Saunders is an ordained Unity and interfaith minister and organizer of the Whole Planet Spirituality Forum and Retreat at Unity Village. She is the host of the podcast The Spiritual Forum; author of Wolf and the Lamb, an online ministry to awaken the world to our Oneness with all beings and author of the booklet, The Forgotten Teachings of Charles Fillmore: How Our Relationship with Animals Connects to Universal Love, Ethical Living, Spiritual Development and World Peace. Rev. Carol believes social movements are only truly effective when they are movements of love and peace.

Rev. Carol and Hope discuss the upcoming Whole Planet Spiritualty Forum and Retreat at Unity Village, The Unity Church and how the founders were ethical vegans in the early 1900s, and importance of bring love into our advocacy.

About the retreat:

This is Carol’s sixth year leading this retreat at Unity Village. At the Whole Planet Spiritualty Forum and Retreat, Rev. Carol will lead the Thursday night “getting to know one other” gathering and officially open the retreat on Friday morning where she will discuss Whole Planet Spirituality and our 2026 retreat theme, “Above All, Love All.” Attendees will delve into David Hawkin’s map of consciousness and engage in dialogue on love, healing, activism, planetary consciousness and the purpose that calls us to be.

Resources:

Whole Planet Spirituality Forum and Retreat

The Spiritual Forum Podcast

YouTube Channel

Support this podcast:

Hope for the Animals Podcast

Compassionate Living

Social Media:

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube