Henry

We made Henry to help people understand how sensitive, playful and loving cows are. The three calves that play Henry in the movie are all rescued bottle calves (male calves discarded by a dairy farm) that we raised from birth. They have no formal training -- everything they do in the movie they do out of love. Our hope is that when more people understand and love cows, or farm animals more generally, more people will stand up for better treatment of them.

The film also highlights that the laws designating domestic animals as mere property are outdated -- they are older than laws that ended segregation and the laws that gave women the right to vote. However, progress is being made. While all 50 states of the U.S. still designate animals as property,  a small set of states (e.g., Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Illinois, California, and Alaska) have passed laws that, in certain family‑law contexts, treat pets more like family members than pure property, for example by requiring courts to consider the animal’s well‑being in divorce. Furthermore,  many countries (at least several dozen, including France, Germany, Spain, New Zealand, and numerous EU members) have laws or constitutional provisions that recognize animals as sentient beings entitled to protection, rather than inert objects. 

We are hoping Henry can make a difference. Please help us spread the word about the movie!