Crystal Heath

Every animal advocate must educate themselves about the dynamics within social justice movements that enable injustice within our organizations.
This is something I wish I had understood before getting involved.
Have you experienced these dynamics?

#animalrights #vegan

crystalheathdvm.substack.com/p/what-animal-advocat…

2 months ago | [YT] | 4

Crystal Heath

Former CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou has a message for veterinary students at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Eight healthy horses and approximately sixty goats are scheduled to be used in a terminal surgery lab—meaning the animals will be killed after the procedures.
Kiriakou knows what it means to stand up when something feels wrong.

He was the first CIA officer to publicly object to the agency’s torture program. For speaking out, he lost his career, his pension, and served 23 months in prison.

Now he’s urging veterinary students to consider becoming conscientious objectors and asking that the animals be allowed to go to sanctuaries instead.

Sometimes the hardest decisions are the ones that define who we are.

👉 Learn more and sign the letter:
www.ourhonor.org/blognew/wsu

#VeterinaryMedicine #VetStudents #WSU #Whistleblower #vetschool #JohnKiriakou

3 months ago | [YT] | 4

Crystal Heath

Moral injury is a psychological and spiritual wound that occurs when someone perpetrates, witnesses, fails to prevent, or is forced to participate in actions that violate their deeply held moral beliefs or professional values.

Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine is actively causing moral injury in its students. The sad part is, none of the students know it yet, and neither did the soldiers in Vietnam.

#onehealth #vetmed #humaneeducation #veterinarian

substack.com/home/post/p-190036381

3 months ago | [YT] | 5

Crystal Heath

There is an epidemic of moral disengagement in the veterinary profession. Every veterinarian should be outraged by the treatment of animals our profession has legitimized.

"A handful of veterinarians and animal welfare experts I reached out to for this story, including one who was very concerned about the findings in the footage, were reluctant to comment on the record — a reflection of just how difficult it can be to have open conversations about the treatment of animals in the face of industry power."

www.vox.com/the-highlight/480529/calf-ranches-grim…

#onehealth #Vetmed #vetstudent #vetschool #gotmilk

3 months ago | [YT] | 5

Crystal Heath

As veterinarians, we are good at debunking myths about animal rights, but it is time to apply that same scrutiny to corporate propaganda regarding protein production. This video breaks down the staggering land-use disparity in the U.S. Currently, 30–40 million acres of cropland are dedicated to growing feed for cattle. If we repurposed that land for human-edible crops like wheat and beans, we could meet the protein requirements of up to 234.5 million people annually.

We examine why 750 million total acres are tied to an inefficient system that depletes our fresh water and fuels wildfires by spreading flammable invasive grasses. Is it time that we support more efficient, animal-free methods of protein production that protect our public health, land, and food security?

#Protein #FoodSecurity #vetmed #maha #onehealth

3 months ago | [YT] | 3

Crystal Heath

How does the dairy industry profit when they lose money selling milk?

Despite the fact that roughly 68% of humans globally are lactose intolerant, dairy products are everywhere and the lactose intolerance industry is booming.

So how do dairy producers stay in business?

Because most of their income doesn’t come from milk.

In 2024, returns from milk averaged negative $409 per cow. Production is completely decoupled from profit.

Here’s what actually keeps facilities operating:
• About 73% of dairy revenue comes from subsidies
• Calves sold into beef systems now average ~$1,500 each
• 72% of producers breed dairy cows to beef bulls
• Beef-on-dairy calves and culled dairy cows now make up 18–24% of U.S. beef supply
• Methane digesters capture manure emissions (only ~35–40% of a cow’s methane) and convert it into vehicle fuel
• That fuel generates Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits with extremely favorable carbon scores, bringing in millions
At the same time, most people oppose standard industry practices:
• 81.6% disagree with castrating calves without pain relief
• 78.6% disagree with disbudding without pain relief
• 76.4% disagree with separating calves from mothers at birth
Marginal welfare tweaks to increase milk output do not improve producer profitability.

So the real question is this:

Should corporations replace cow-derived ingredients on menus and in products with animal-free protein and support increased access to whole-foods, animal-free meals?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and follow for more animal industry news.

#gotmilk #vetmed #vetstudent #onehealth #foodsecurity

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

Crystal Heath

I visited Gatorland, a 110-acre theme park in Orlando known as the “Alligator Capital of the World,” to see how its conservation claims matched real-world animal care.
The park houses thousands of alligators, plus crocodiles, snakes, bobcats, birds, a breeding marsh, a petting zoo, reptile shows, and gift shops selling animal body parts. Visitors can also pose for photos holding alligators with their mouths taped shut.

Menus included animal-based dishes like gator bites. For facilities that claim conservation leadership, serving animal products directly contradicts effective wildlife stewardship. Zoos, aquariums, and parks should model high-protein, whole-foods, animal-free meals.

I also reviewed a USDA inspection report involving a young capybara named Bagel. After aggressive interactions during introductions with another male, Bagel suffered two fractured femurs. His life was later ended following a veterinary consultation. The report notes that animals sharing primary enclosures must be compatible to prevent injury or death.

Reptiles are not protected under the Animal Welfare Act, which means more than 2,000 alligators at this facility fall outside those federal safeguards.

If these parks want public trust, they must prioritize rescue, conservation, water quality, compatible housing, and transparent animal stewardship over revenue.

👉 Please sign our letter asking Gatorland to do better:

www.ourhonor.org/blognew/gatorland

And tell me in the comments: how should wildlife facilities improve to truly support conservation?

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

Crystal Heath

The AVMA's new depopulation guidelines are deliberately boring. That boring-ness will stop most people from reading them, engaging with this content, and fully grasping the scale of the atrocities we commit against animals.

I've summarized some of the atrocities in my Substack. Please don't look away. 👇

substack.com/home/post/p-186881242

#humaneendings #onehealth #h5n1 #vetmed #vettwitter #veterinarian

4 months ago | [YT] | 5

Crystal Heath

Jeffrey Epstein wanted to kill miniature horses and someone named Diablo, along with pigs, goats, and a turkey.

"wanted to make sure you guys knew JE told Wendy to get rid of all the “show” animals on the ranch; the miniature horses, pigs, turkey, goats, Diablo, etc..

Wendy said she will try and sell what she can. I don’t think JE much cares what happens to them as he said to just “kill” them..

I think the only thing we’re keeping is the chickens for the eggs and the horses which someone can ride."

Follow me for all the animal atrocities in the Epstein
Files. (As if the child crimes weren't bad enough).

#EpsteinFiles #animaladvocacy

4 months ago | [YT] | 4

Crystal Heath

Embrace being disgusting to the right people.

This comment was in response to my post about the Westminster Dog Show promoting profiting from deformed and mutilated dogs.

The Westminster Dog Show presents itself as a tradition and a celebration of dogs. But the money and ideology behind it tell a different story.

According to Westminster’s 2024 Form 990, senior leadership compensation includes:

• Show Chairman: $244,000

• Chief of Staff: $219,600

• Director of Sponsorships: $188,370

• Director of Communications: $184,800

The organization reports $8.4 million in total assets and $4.78 million in net assets.

At the same time, 334,000 dogs were killed in U.S. shelters in 2024.

These events normalize dogs as consumer products, intensify demand for specific “breeds,” and reward physical traits linked to lifelong disease. They reinforce brachycephalic syndrome as desirable and treat painful mutilations like ear cropping and tail docking as standard.

It is a system that converts dogs into revenue streams while externalizing the health consequences.

So what should veterinary professionals say about the Westminster Dog Show? We should be clear about the evidence, honest about the harms, and willing to challenge institutions that profit from standards that undermine canine health.

4 months ago | [YT] | 8