NYK Politics

In the wake of NYK’s february focus on factory farm animal welfare, listen as NYK Executive Director Kathryn Sussman and Animal Justice Executive Director, Camille Labchuk, hash out the crucial significance of agricultural gag legislation (ag-gag laws). Kathryn and Camille discuss why the public needs to be informed about ag-gag laws, and why it is […]

In this episode of NYK Politics, Kelly Donithan, senior specialist with the Disaster Operations at Humane Society International (HSI), Washington D.C., takes us on a startling journey: join us as we see through the eyes of personnel on the ground in Australia as they face the hard reality of rescuing wildlife amidst the perils and aftermath of the fires. Listen as Donithan describes her experience leading wildlife-rescue efforts on Kangaroo Island, the third largest island off the coast of Australia, and one of the most heavily affected locations: the island has now lost 1,700 square miles to the flames. Kathryn and Donithan discuss the length and severity of this record-breaking fire season in Australia. Donithan underscores how the temperatures have been hotter and the conditions drier than in the past, and so the fires have burned far more intensely and on a much grander scale. The fires have taken human lives and livestock, destroyed property and vegetation, and devastated the wildlife population so unique to Australia.

In this episode of Now You Know Politics, Kathryn Sussman talks with Liz White, Executive Director of Animal Alliance of Canada and leader of the Animal Protection Party of Canada about Canadian wildlife management and culling practices. Listen as Liz outlines why “management” came about in the early 1900’s in Canada, its pros and its […]

This week on NYK Politics, Kathryn Sussman and Zoocheck founder Rob Laidlaw give an overview of the most pressing animal welfare & environmental topics that Canadians should consider when casting their vote at the 2019 federal election.

This week on NYK Politics, Kathryn Sussman and Zoocheck founder Rob Laidlaw give an overview of the most pressing animal welfare & environmental topics that Canadians should consider when casting their vote at the 2019 federal election. They describe the links between climate change and conservation issues, as well as the biggest threats faced by […]

This month on NYK Politics, Kathryn Sussman and Zoocheck founder Rob Laidlaw discuss the multiple uses of animals in the academic curriculum. Dissection is still going strong among classroom activities despite decades of parents and kids opposing it and various studies proving its ineffectiveness in teaching; but also live animals are kept as pets in the classroom and school outings to nearby animal facilities and local zoos remain a favourite.

Listen as insider advocates Kathryn Sussman and Rob Laidlaw summarize the differences between sanctuaries, large commercially run zoos, and privately owned, small facilities often referred to as roadside zoos and their sometimes dubious links to the film industry. Kathryn and Rob discuss the hard-to-regulate status of various types of animal institutions with a number of current issues in the news, and they list ways that visitors can identify and avoid facilities that are not ethically sound.

Listen as Kathryn Sussman and Zoocheck founder Rob Laidlaw outline mainstream hot topics regarding large mammal welfare in captivity. Starting with the low-down on Canada's recent adoption of Bill S-203 banning whale and dolphin captivity and what it really means for cetaceans, Kathryn and Rob then touch on the well-being of other wide-ranging animal species, getting into the specifics for elephants, and whether their needs can be properly met in zoos, especially in Canada.

In this episode, Kathryn Sussman and Rob Laidlaw, leading animal rights advocate for over 30 years, outline current hot topics derived from the latest news related to cetaceans. Kathryn and Rob scrutinize the current status of Canadian Bill S-203 – Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act – that will prohibit the taking of […]