The Food Heals Podcast with Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy

Every second, 300 animals are killed for food. These animals are the ghosts of our food machine. Tortured, exploited, abused and murdered, farm animals are voiceless and unable to defend themselves which is why we need to stand up for them. That’s exactly what today’s guest, Nathan Runkle, has dedicated his life to doing. No one would stand by and watch a puppy or kitten get slammed head first into the ground yet that’s exactly what happens to piglets. It’s considered a standard agricultural practice and as such, is exempt from animal cruelty charges. The law doesn’t provide protection for “food animals” however, the only difference between pets and animals for slaughter is our perception. Some are simply unfortunate enough to be born as a species that society says doesn’t matter. Nathan grew up on a farm in a small town. At 15 years old, after witnessing the brutal murder of a piglet, he founded Mercy for Animals. He started by carrying out open rescues: going into farms’ undercover and rescuing injured an