Mercy for Animals with Nathan Runkle

  Nathan Runkle would have been a fifth-generation farmer in his small midwestern town. Instead, he founded : our nation’s leading nonprofit organization for protecting factory farmed animals. In his book "Mercy For Animals," Nathan brings us into the trenches of his organization’s work; from MFA’s early days in grassroots activism, to dangerous and dramatic experiences doing undercover investigations, to the organization’s current large-scale efforts at making sweeping legislative change to protect factory farmed animals and encourage compassionate food choices. But this isn’t just Nathan’s story. Mercy For Animals examines how our country moved from a network of small, local farms with more than 50 percent of Americans involved in agriculture to a massive coast-to-coast industrial complex controlled by a mere 1 percent of our population—and the consequences of this drastic change on animals as well as our global and local environments. We also learn how MFA strives to protect farmed animals in behind-the-scenes negotiations with companies like Nestlé and other brand names—conglomerates whose policy changes can save countless lives and strengthen our planet. Alongside this unflinching snapshot of our current food system, readers are also offered hope and solutions—big and small—for ending mistreatment of factory farmed animals. From simple diet modifications to a clear explanation of how to contact corporations and legislators efficiently, Mercy For Animals proves that you don’t have to be a hardcore vegan or an animal-rights activist to make a powerful difference in the lives of animals. Pigs, cows, chickens, fish, and other farmed animals are smart and unique individuals just like the dogs and cats we share our homes with. But behind the closed doors of modern farms they endure brutal cruelty. Most spend their entire lives in dark, crowded, waste-filled sheds. Some are locked in cages so small they can barely turn around. Because many animal cruelty laws do not protect them, farmed animals are often beaten, mutilated, and painfully slaughtered. Book Link:  Together, we can expose and end this abuse. Join us in helping protect farmed animals by inspiring compassionate food choices and policies.