Episode 562, air date July 16th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Justice for Animals: Creating Lasting Change!

Can the legal system become one of the most powerful tools for protecting animals?

In this compelling conversation, Victoria Moran speaks with attorney and animal law advocate Vanessa Shakib about the growing movement to secure meaningful legal protections for animals. Through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy, Vanessa is helping reshape the legal landscape for farmed animals. In doing so, she challenges long-standing systems that treat sentient beings as commodities rather than individuals worthy of protection.

Together, Victoria and Vanessa explore the evolving field of animal law. They discuss the challenges of creating systemic change through the courts. They also explain why legal advocacy is an essential companion to education, grassroots activism, and compassionate living. Along the way, Vanessa shares her own journey to veganism. She describes how it inspired her to dedicate her legal career to advancing justice for animals.

Ultimately, this thoughtful and inspiring episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the legal strategies that are helping build a more compassionate future.

In This Episode

How Vanessa found her calling in animal law
How compassion can shape public policy
Reasons for hope in the growing animal protection movement

About Our Guest

Vanessa Shakib is an attorney, animal law advocate, and founder of Advancing Law for Animals, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting animals through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy. After becoming vegan, she redirected her legal career toward advancing legal protections for animals. Since then, she has challenged institutional cruelty through the courts. Her work spans issues including factory farming, animal research, and government accountability. As a result, she has become a respected voice in the rapidly growing field of animal law.

Connect with Vanessa

Website: https://advancinglawforanimals.org

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