The other night we met the founder of Mercy For Animals , Nathan Runkle. Raised on a farm in rural Ohio, Nathan has long had a deep connection with farmed animals and agriculture. After a local farmed animal abuse case, involving a piglet slammed head first into a concrete floor during an agriculture project at a nearby high school, Nathan founded Mercy For Animals to give “food” animals a much needed advocate in his local community.

Since founding Mercy For Animals a decade ago, Nathan has overseen the organization's growth into a leading national force for the respectful and compassionate treatment of farmed animals. A grassroots organizer and coordinator for many years, Nathan has spearheaded hundreds of demonstrations and outreach events across the country – ranging from protests outside pork and egg producer conventions to parade marches, educational exhibits, and more.

A nationally recognized speaker on animal advocacy, grassroots activism, and factory farming, Nathan has spoken at colleges, forums, and conferences from coast-to-coast.

On the Mercy for Animals Blog  this month, they interview author Melanie Joy and discuss her book  Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism .

In her book,  the term "carnism"  is used in the discussion of why our society thinks cows, pigs and chickens make for good eating, while rats, puppies and parrots make us queasy.

Melanie says, "I wrote Why We Love Dogs... for both carnists and veg*ns. I wrote the book for carnists to help them understand not simply why they shouldn't eat animals, but why they do eat animals, and to help them feel invited into the conversation, rather than preached at. I wrote the book for veg*ns to help them feel more grounded in, and better able to articulate, their choices; to understand the carnists in their lives so they could communicate more effectively; and to understand the system they're working to transform."

It's great reading and makes you stop and think.  Check it out!
And also stop by Mercy For Animals on Facebook !