What happens when compassion becomes more than a feeling and turns into a lifetime of action?
Kathleen Gage welcomes Ella Magers, a vegan of more than 30 years, holistic fitness coach, speaker, animal rights advocate, and co-founder of the March to Abolish Animal Testing.
Ella's journey began at seven years old when she connected the food on her plate with the living animal it had once been. By age 15, she was fully vegan and actively campaigning for animals.
In this conversation, Ella shares how she built strength and muscle without animal products and why fitness should be about far more than appearance. She explains how strength training, functional movement, mobility work, and a strong core can help people remain active, capable, and independent as they age.
Ella also takes listeners behind the scenes of Hogs and Kisses Farm Sanctuary, where rescued farmed animals receive lifelong care. She discusses the financial and physical realities of sanctuary work and how creative events, monthly donations, matching gifts, and meaningful donor relationships help sustain that care.
One of the most powerful moments in the episode is Ella's story of Jane, a beagle bred for laboratory experimentation. Jane spent the first year and a half of her life in a small wire cage without grass, walks, a bed, or a loving home. After being released during the campaign that helped close Ridglan Farms, Jane was placed in Ella's arms, fell asleep, and began snoring. Ella knew she was home.
Ella also discusses the 207-mile March to Abolish Animal Testing and the growing movement to replace animal experimentation with modern scientific alternatives.
This episode is a powerful reminder that meaningful change does not belong only to professional activists. Every person can take action by choosing cruelty-free products, volunteering, donating, supporting legislation, sharing reliable information, or helping others expand their circle of compassion.
Learn more and listen to Episode 178:
https://veganvisibility.com/178-Ella-Magers
