It’s no secret that animal sanctuaries around the world are often underfunded, relying on grit, heart, and resourcefulness just to get by. But Faik Bouhrik, founder and CEO of Vegius, is working to change that by pioneering a revolutionary way to connect the booming vegan economy with these critical safe havens for animals.
On the Better Life for Animals Podcast, Bouhrik shared how his platform, Vegius, is bridging commerce and compassion to uplift animal sanctuaries worldwide – helping them go from barely scraping by to thriving.
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A New Model for Supporting Animal Sanctuaries
Bouhrik’s journey into activism led him to volunteer at sanctuaries, where he quickly recognized a common challenge: sanctuaries were struggling to meet basic needs for rescued animals, often
with little to no financial cushion. Meanwhile, he noticed that the vegan marketplace was booming – with plant-based businesses and events gaining traction globally.
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That disconnect inspired Bouhrik to create Vegius, an innovative platform that funnels revenue from vegan-friendly accommodations and events directly to sanctuaries. “We’re building something that merges the vegan economy with the critical work sanctuaries are doing,” he explains.
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Where Business and Compassion Meet
Vegius operates like a cross between Airbnb and Eventbrite – but with a twist. Every time someone books a stay or buys a ticket through the platform, 50% of Vegius’ service fees are donated to animal sanctuaries in the area. Even if an event isn’t hosted on sanctuary grounds, sanctuaries still benefit.
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“Sanctuaries don’t have to do any additional work,” Bouhrik says. “They automatically receive funds simply by being a partner in the network.”
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Transparency at the Core
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To build trust and inspire long-term engagement, Vegius is launching an app that includes a public-facing impact tracker. “We want people to see exactly where their money is going,” Bouhrik shares. “Each user will be able to track how their booking or event ticket directly benefited a sanctuary.”
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The tracker will also spotlight individual sanctuaries and even highlight specific animals and programs supported by donations.
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Veganizing Capitalism, Not Capitalizing Veganism
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At the heart of Bouhrik’s work is a deeper philosophy: rather than simply profiting from veganism, he aims to bring vegan values into business models. “Many companies capitalize on vegan trends without supporting the movement’s ethics,” he explains. “I believe we can create a compassionate, transparent economic system where sanctuaries are treated as true stakeholders.”
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By building a business that channels funds directly to sanctuaries and animal advocacy efforts, Bouhrik is championing a more ethical approach to commerce.
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Educator, Activist, Innovator
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Outside of Vegius, Bouhrik is also a scientist and educator. He teaches mathematics and physics at North State University and conducts research in cosmology, focusing on galaxy cluster mergers and dark matter.
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Bouhrik credits his activism with enhancing his teaching. “Being an animal rights advocate has made me a more empathetic and effective educator,” he shares. “It helps me connect with students, sense their emotions, and meet them where they are.”
The Long-Term Vision: Thriving Sanctuaries, Transformed Culture
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Looking to the future, Bouhrik envisions a world where sanctuaries have the resources to not only care for animals but also expand their educational and outreach programs. “Sanctuaries are crucial cultural changemakers,” he says. “If we can move them from just surviving to thriving, we can accelerate the shift toward a more compassionate world.”
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With the launch of Vegius’ new app and expanded services just around the corner, Bouhrik’s vision is closer than ever to reality.
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To learn more and sign up for updates, visit veggius.com and help create a better life for animals – one booking at a time.
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Episode Highlights
[00:00] Introduction.
[04:20] Who usually starts an animal sanctuary.
[07:45] Where the money from Vegius is distributed.
[13:00] A unique definition of community.
[17:25] Leaning into veganism to enhance empathy.
[22:45] It’s a Big Ask, but it’s needed to survive.
[26:00] Cheryl believes we do have choice.
[29:00] We must resolve the central issue of harm to animals.
[32:00] The disproportionate distribution of wealth.
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About Faik Bouhrik
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Faik Bouhrik is a cosmologist, educator, entrepreneur, and animal rights advocate dedicated to advancing ethical and scientific understanding. With a master’s degree in physics from the University of California, Davis, he specializes in cosmology research, focusing on galaxy cluster mergers to explore the properties of dark matter. He has over six years of experience teaching mathematics and physics at the university level and is deeply committed to mentoring students.
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Beyond academia, Faik is passionate about structural solutions to global issues, particularly in animal rights and gender equality. He founded Vegius to drive systemic change. Vegius is a platform that connects vegan travelers with accommodations while generating funding for animal sanctuaries worldwide.
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Through Vegius.com, he is making it easier than ever to align travel with values by connecting people to vegan-friendly accommodations, and experiences. And events. Join the revolution in vegan travel and lifestyle with Vegius and discover a more ethical way to explore the world.
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About Cheryl Moss
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Cheryl Moss is the host of the Better Life for Animals podcast, where she shares uplifting stories from sanctuaries and highlights the work of vegan activists, ethical consumers, and animal welfare
leaders. A passionate advocate for animal welfare, she is dedicated to ending factory farming and is working to raise $100,000 for Mercy For Animals to support underrepresented sanctuaries.
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Beyond podcasting, Cheryl is a banking professional and an accomplished children’s author. A graduate of Main Street Vegan Academy, she promotes plant-based living through her books – Gabriel, Cluck, and Pickle the Pig – which inspire young readers to embrace kindness, sustainability, and compassion for animals.
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When not advocating, she enjoys Pilates, show jumping, and spending time with her rescue dogs and grandchildren. Through her work, writing, and activism, Cheryl continues to inspire positive change for animals and the planet.
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https://www.facebook.com/BLFAnimals/
https://x.com/betterlife4anim
https://www.instagram.com/betterlife4animals/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylmossabetterlifeforanimals/
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