Free the Animals (Abridged)

Daring, Real-Life ALF Adventure Stories of Animals Rescued from Laboratories

By: Ingrid E. Newkirk

Narrated by: Ingrid E. Newkirk

Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Sit back and listen as PETA president and co-founder Ingrid Newkirk reads excerpts from her book Free the Animals, an action-packed story of the people who, often risking life and limb as well as their own liberty, rescue animals from laboratories, fur farms, and factory farms.  

Told from the point of view of "Valerie", founder of the most famous and intriguing American direct action animal rights group of them all, the Animal Liberation Front, Free the Animals debunks the myths supporting animal exploitation and lets the heart-wrenching stories of "the ones who got away" present an eloquent plea for animal rights.

© PETA Foundation

Moving, Educational, Suspensful, Necessary

In a world where imprisoning and torturing innocent beings is commonplace and apathetically accepted, it brings a sense of comfort knowing that organizations such as PETA, and ALF are trying every non-violent method possible of freeing these animals and bringing there suffering to the attention of as many people as they can.
This is a wonderful audiobook. It contains many examples of their work, vividly described. The adventures are true, and will suredly touch the hearts of everyone.
The sooner we realize that the 'things' we consume (from food, to clothing, to makeup, and on) carry with them suffering, pain, and torcher... The sooner we will ALL make the conscious effort to end it.
Enjoy, as I did.

please don't buy this

I love animals and don't like to see any living thing suffer unnecessarily. BUT, PETA is extremist and misguided. They think nothing of threatening people's lives and mental health through acts of terrorism in order to carry out their misguided attempts to "free" lab animals, often dooming them to worse suffering in the elements.
If you like PETA and think they are a good thing, please do yourself a favor and find a way to obtain a balanced view of the facts.

Inspiring and riveting

Just finished this book and loved it. My wife listened to it twice and told me I had to hear it. It's riveting as well as inspiring. Basically, it's about people helping rescue animals in horrible situations.

For those who can't bear to hear about animals being mistreated, the descriptions are not lengthy or too graphic. You get just enough information to understand what's happening and then it's back to the action. It's the same with any philosophical talk about obligations toward and mistreatment of nonhuman animals. This is kept to a minimum, just enough to understand why the people are doing what they're doing in each situation.

As for Tricia's one-star review below, she clearly didn't listen to the book. For instance, she says the animals are released to the wild to face an even worse life. Homes are lined up for all of the animals saved in this book. She also calls the groups extremist. As for that, you'll have to listen for yourself. Almost all cases described here involved people working in the labs who couldn't take the cruelty anymore and sought out people who could help them help the animals. There's so much kindness and thoughtfulness in the book that the only "extreme" behavior on display is that done by those experimenting on animals. For instance, there are the dogs whose ear drums are shattered and their bodies harmed as they are forced to replicate deep-diving situations. No progress is being made on treating the mild cases of the bends suffered by Navy men and women. No progress for 40 years. Yet the dogs keep being tortured because if they aren't, the lab doesn't get its federal funding renewed.

The production values are dated but very listenable.

Awesome!

This is a fantastic story about how one woman took drastic measures to combat the extreme, egregious cruelty inflicted on animals! It's an amazing, heartwarming adventure! Wildly entertaining and educational at once. Listen to this book and decide for yourself who the terrorists really are!

Thrilling Animal Rescue Stories! -PETA

If you could sum up On the Run in three words, what would they be?

Very interesting stories about real members of ALF who risked jail time to save animals from some heart-wrenching situations, behind the walls, of our research and testing facilities...after listening to these thrilling stories of heroic people who risked their "day jobs" to save dogs, cats, (YES, dogs and cats highly exploited in animal research) one begins to see anew and realize we have a duty to help all animals, by not buying products tested cruelly on animals, and even adopting more conpassionate diets, such as seeking veg or vegan foods and restaurants....highly recommend!

What did you like best about this story?

Thrilling, unpredicatable stories about real-world people doing heroic things!

Which scene was your favorite?

Val rescuing the cats from Howard University...the description of this scene, and the suspense, the build-up, it was all good, and unpredicatable...glad to hear there was positive outcomes...

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this book over two sittings due to work and other obligations...this is an audio book you could easily get caught up in and listen to over one sitting, it's that good!

Inspiring!

The stories of animals being rescued give me hope that more and more people will fight for what is right.

Fascinating story about real human beings

What did you like most about On the Run?

It reads like a best detective story. The fact that it is all true makes it hard to put down. Extremely valuable in disclosing what taxpayerers money are used for.

What did you like best about this story?

Very well told without unneccessary sentimentalism . Yet deeply moving. Matter of fact style.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

everything