The Animal Wellness Podcast

In February 2023, Flaco—a majestic Eurasian eagle-owl—made headlines after escaping the Central Park Zoo when vandals damaged his enclosure. Born in captivity and confined for more than 13 years, few expected him to survive in the wild. But Flaco defied the odds, becoming a symbol of resilience and freedom as he soared over Manhattan, hunting rats and perching on high-rises—even doing some peeping-tom-ing along the way. His deep hoots echoed through the city, drawing nightly crowds and sparking a social media frenzy. Flaco's remarkable year in the wild made him a local legend and New York's first true "celebrity owl." But his story ended in heartbreak in February 2024, when he died after striking a building—a tragedy compounded by his exposure to rat poison and avian disease. His death triggered public mourning, renewed calls for wildlife-safe urban policies, and a citywide reflection on the human impact on nature. In this episode, we talk to Christine Mott. She is the author of the children's book Free Bird: Flaco the Owl's Dreams Take Flight, which was illustrated by Ofra Layla Isler and will be released on May 6, 2025. The book is aimed at readers ages 4-8, who will learn the importance of following their dreams and showing compassion for wild animals. Half of the proceeds will be donated to The Wild Bird Fund, a 501c3 that rehabilitates sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife and releases the animals back into the wilds of New York City. We also visit with a 7-year-old who read the book and get his opinion on this inspiring and thought-provoking tale of animal liberty and independence. The book is available for purchase here. And to learn more about the campaign of Animal Wellness Action to spare barred owls from a government-sponsored plant to massacre them, go here.   The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ 

From the running of the bulls in Spain to groundhog weather predictions in Pennsylvania, festivals featuring animals exist all over the world. Some are celebrated as cultural treasures, while others are seen as outdated, even cruel. These events often raise difficult questions: Are they harmless fun, or do they exploit animals for human entertainment? Do traditions justify practices that might otherwise be considered inhumane? And perhaps most importantly—can we honor our cultural heritage without harming the very creatures we claim to celebrate?  Our guest has explored these questions firsthand. Elizabeth MeLampy is the author of “Forget the Camel: The Madcap World of Animal Festivals and What They Say About Being Human,” a book that takes readers on a journey across the United States to witness these festivals up close. She traces their histories, examines the ethical dilemmas they present, and asks what they reveal about our relationship with animals—and ourselves.  So today, we're asking the big questions: What does our use of animals in festivals say about us as a species? Where do we draw the line between tradition and exploitation? And is there a way to celebrate animals without causing them harm?  While in law school, Elizabeth worked on issues related to farmed animals, wild animals, and captive animals with Harvard's Animal Law & Policy Clinic. She also was in the inaugural cohort of Emerging Scholar Fellows with the Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy, where she worked on animal law scholarship. Elizabeth has traveled the country attending these festivals, meeting the people who run them, and grappling with the contradictions they present. We're excited to hear her insights and discuss what needs to change—and what doesn't—when it comes to animals in entertainment. Learn more about Elizabeth MeLampy here, and you can order her book here.   The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ    PRO: BMI Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778) Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)

What can a philosopher teach us about veganism and how to make the change when confronted with old habits, latent desires, and an apprehension of the difficulty the adjustment would mean to those who share our dinner tables? That's the focus of this episode. Host Joseph Grove talks to Matthew C. Halteman, Ph.D., a professor of philosophy at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich., and a fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics in the UK. He is the author of “Compassionate Eating as Care of Creation” and co-editor of “Philosophy Comes to Dinner: Arguments about the Ethics of Eating.”His new book, “Hungry Beautiful Animals,” was released last November and is a heartfelt, humane, and humorous exploration of how going vegan can bring abundance into our lives. The conversation briefly references various philosophical angles that touch on the issue of veganism but focuses on practical ways to consider making the ethical change to a lifestyle that eschews inclusion of animal-sourced products. To learn more about “Hungry Beautiful Animals” and Dr. Halteman, visit HungryBeautifulAnimals.com. The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ    PRO: BMI
Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778)
Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)

This show focuses on the Los Angeles wildfires, what is being done to save domestic and wild animals involved. As of recording, January 15, the massive blazes in Southern California have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of houses and other buildings. We'll never know how many animals have been lost since the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire began their scorching march across the Los Angeles area just more than a week ago. One national study of disaster response by the ASPCA found that almost 50 percent of survey-takers had left at least one pet home when evacuating, and that about 4 in 10 of them didn't return home to those animals for at least four days. And understanding the impact of wildfires on non-domesticated animals is sketchy. Not only are the animals prone to being killed by smoke or burned alive, the resulting loss of habitat can mean starvation, brutal fights for new territory, and the disruption of critical animal-family units. Host Joseph Grove talks to two people actively involved in abating the animal tragedy. He is joined by Dr. Annie Harvilicz, founder of the Animal Wellness Foundation, which is a sister organization to Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. She is on the ground, using her veterinary skills to treat impacted animals and coordinate placements for imperiled ones. Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and a veteran of helping animals in the context of natural disasters, is working behind the scenes to procure resources and to make long-term plans for the rehab of wildlife. To learn more about the Animal Wellness Foundation and to donate to the work, go here. The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ    PRO: BMI
Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778)
Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)  

Oliver Starr came to our attention when he spoke in an Animal Wellness Action webinar about wolves and stole the show—and the hearts of attendees—by taking his camera out among the small pack of wolves at Tahoe Wolf Center, where he is executive director. His passion and his endearing bond with the animals made us want to learn more. Starr also is the author of a new book, “The Wolf Lover's Guide to Raising Dogs,” which explores the powerful link between domestic dogs and their wild ancestors. It offers practical advice for building a joyful, respectful relationship with your dog, enriching both your lives. He discusses some of those lessons—and a thing or two humans can learn about humans, too—in this exclusive interview.   MORE ON THE SUBJECT To purchase Oliver Starr's book, “The Wolf Lover's Guide to Raising Dogs,” go here. To watch the podcast excerpt featuring Oliver Starr with his wolves, go here. To watch the webinar in its entirety and learn about the importance of the new Snowmobiles Aren't Weapons (SAW) Act, go here. To let your elected officials in Washington know you support the SAW Act, which would criminalize the malicious use of snowmobiles and other vehicles to torment, wound, and kill wild animals, go here. The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ    PRO: BMI Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778) Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)

The only thing we learn from history is that we don't learn anything from history. That was the summary comment of host Joseph Grove in a conversation about the federal government's lackadaisical response to the emergent bird flu crisis. The podcast was recorded shortly after the virus claimed its first U.S. human fatality, a man in Louisiana. Grove was joined by Dr. Jim Keen and Dr. Tom Pool. They reviewed the progress of the disease in the United States, its spread from birds to cattle and humans, and the possibility—perhaps even the likelihood—that a virulent form will soon emerge that enables fast transmission among people. If that happens, the experts said, the COVID pandemic in retrospect may look mild by comparison. Drs. Keen and Pool also talked about the importance of passing the FIGHT Act, legislation to be reintroduced in the new Congress that would help eradicate cockfighting in the United States. Cockfighting entails poor standards of bird handling and the movement of potentially infected birds across the country and the world, all in addition to the “sports” inherent animal cruelty and appurtenant crimes of drugs, illegal weapons, illicit gambling, and even human trafficking. MORE ON THE SUBJECT To support the FIGHT Act, use this simple online tool to show your support to your elected officials in Washington. To read the Vanity Fair article referenced by Dr. Pool, go here (subscription may be required). To read Dr. Keen's scientific look at the dangers and transmissibility of bird flu and its connection to cockfighting, go here.   The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ    PRO: BMI Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778) Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)

Wayne Pacelle again joins the show as he and host Joseph Grove recount the accomplishments of the past year and how Animal Wellness Action and sister organization Center for a Humane Economy have set things for a successful 2025. Along the way, they discuss the differences among distinct victories, protecting them and ensuring they fulfill their promise for relief for animals, and long-term work that may take years to pay off. You can read Wayne's 2024 year-end column by going here. The Animal Wellness podcast is sponsored by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ X: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News X: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ  PRO: BMI Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778) Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)

Animal Wellness Action this year intensified its efforts to help elect candidates who vote with animals in mind and to defeat incumbents who don't. In 2024, the Washington D.C.-based group invested heavily in nine races across the country and prevailed in seven of them. Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, recounts the victories in our latest podcast. Joined by host Joseph Grove, he breaks down the races, why they were important for animal welfare, and what the victories mean against the larger political landscape. Pacelle also reviews the outgoing Biden administration on animal issues and shares his expectations from appointees to the next Trump administration. The Animal Wellness podcast is sponsored by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ X: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News X: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ 

The Proposition 127 ballot initiative in Colorado has garnered national attention even as the presidential election and other national races dominate the headlines. The initiative, launched and supported by the Cats Aren't Trophies campaign, seeks to modify state law by criminalizing, according to the ballot language, “the intentional killing, wounding, pursuing, entrapping, or discharging or releasing of a deadly weapon at a mountain lion, lynx, or bobcat.” In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove talks with Dan Ashe, the former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and head of its National Wildlife Refuge System, the top wildlife management agency in the United States. Ashe is a vocal supporter of the Yes on Proposition 127 movement, which some consider ironic given that Ashe is a well-known hunter and proponent of hunting. Ashe tells Grove that Proposition 127 is actually a pro-hunting initiative, given the self-regulating nature of the big cats and their propensity to cleanse deer and elk herds of animals carrying the devastating Chronic Wasting Disease. Further, Ashe says, the methods of trophy hunting–using packs of dogs with high-tech equipment so “hunters” can simply shoot the cats out of a tree–is wholly at odds with traditional “fair chase” principles associated with true hunting. The two discuss the ethics, science, and biology supporting Proposition 127, with Ashe summarizing by saying “trophy hunting isn't hunting. It's killing.” Dan Ashe's pro-Prop 127 ad can be viewed here.   Ryan Luterman-Sevel produced the episode.

The episode comes from a webinar hosted by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy relative to the Yes on Prop 127 | Cats Aren't Trophies ballot initiative in Colorado. The two groups are members of a broad coalition supporting the initiative, which would make illegal the cruel, inhumane, and unsporting practice of trophy-hunting mountain lions in the state. The practice is egregious because it uses packs of dogs equipped with telemetry devices to chase the cats up trees, where they remain terrified and unable to escape until a “hunter” shoots them down just to mount them as trophies. Hosted by Joseph Grove from the Animal Wellness Podcast, the event featured several guests. Wayne Pacelle is the founder and president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. The Non-Profit Times has named him seven times as one of the nation's top 50 non-profit executives, and he is the author of two NYT bestselling books about animals and animal welfare. Wayne has led efforts to pass 1,500 state laws for animals, more than 100 federal laws and amendments, 30 ballot initiatives, and 500 corporate agreements. Samantha Miller leads our Yes on 127/Cats Aren't Trophies campaign and is Colorado state director for Animal Wellness Action. Her previous roles include Government Affairs Specialist for Miller Public Policy; Executive Director for Washington Wildlife First, and Wildlife Coexistence Campaigner for WildEarth Guardians. Dr. Jim Keen is the head of veterinary sciences for the Center for a Humane Economy. He worked as a veterinary infectious disease and public health researcher at the USDA in Nebraska and at the University of Nebraska for more than 30 years. Over the past decade has intensified his work as a proponent of sustainable agriculture and an advocate against livestock abuse. His current interests include working towards more animal-friendly agricultural-food systems and improving the welfare of industrial factory-farmed livestock and of animals used in biomedical or agricultural research. The group discussed the necessity of making the change to Colorado law, the broad support behind the initiative, and the role of mountain lions as part of a stable ecosystem and as important checks against the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease.

Many of our shows deal with complex legislative and veterinary issues, so every once in a while we like to meet up with people on the ground, deep in day-to-day work with animals. This is one of those episodes. In it, we talk to:   Paul Collins, the Wisconsin state director for Animal Wellness Action. In his free time, he volunteers at a local rescue sanctuary, where he has befriended emus and become a master of cleaning goat stalls.   Alecia Torres, the operations director at Heartland Farm Sanctuary in Wisconsin. Heartland provides specialized care to rescued farm animals, offers empathy-based humane education programs and provides experiential therapy for young people in partnership with our animals to create a mutually supportive space for healing.   Robin Herman, the head of Lucky Dog Retreat Rescue, a non-profit offshoot of a dog daycare she once owned and operated. Robin, through Lucky Dog and her own, private work, has rescued almost 1,400 dogs and placed them in new, loving homes. She tells us about her upcoming Parvo Prevention Project in Indianapolis, where she and other volunteers will try to vaccinate up to 500 or more dogs against the deadly virus.   The message is the same: We rescue animals, but at the same time, they rescue us. RELATED LINKS Heartland Farm Sanctuary Lucky Dog Retreat Rescue   The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.    www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ    PRO: BMI Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778) Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)

The past year was busy on the animal-wellness front. Not only did Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy see some major wins outside of Congress, we worked to set up major legislative victories for when the 118th Congress returns for its second and final year. In this podcast, Wayne Pacelle, president of the groups, and Jennifer Skiff, director of international, review those wins and set the stage for 2024. Victories include: The Supreme Court's upholding California's Prop 12 and affirming the state's right to exclude from its markets products from animals kept in extreme confinement. The persuasion of Nike, Puma, and New Balance to stop sourcing products from hunted kangaroos. Developing opposition to the EATS Act, a sinister bill that would undo the ability of states to enact animal-welfare protocols that may impact other states. The inclusion of animal-welfare standards into the requirements products must satisfy in order to be labeled “organic”—a legally binding designation putting first-ever farm animal welfare rules into federal law.     RELATED LINKS Wayne Pacelle's blog on our Top 2023 Accomplishments. Our dedicated Kangaroos Are Not Shoes website. Scenes from our Global Day of Protest against Adidas. Scenes from our latest protest in the Don't Be a Dick's Campaign. The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.  www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ    PRO: BMI Composer: Jonathan Shapiro (IP# 00240288778) Publisher: Kulanu Music (IP# 00240190310)

About 1.5 million kangaroos a year are shot, bludgeoned or left to starve to death or die of their injuries. This occurs because companies like Adidas and New Balance still pay hunters to head into the Australian wilderness to hunt the animals. The hunters make the kills, the kangaroos are skinned, and the skins are made into soccer shoes for affluent customers across the United States and other parts of the world.   That's right. The largest commercial slaughter of terrestrial wildlife is predicated on selling soccer shoes, or cleats, to pros, amateurs and kids who are willing to pay extra merely for the "luxury" of wearing leather from dead kangaroos.   Worse, the slain kangaroos often have joeys in their pouches. The policy for joeys is that they are immediately to be killed, usually by bludgeoning them against the bumper of the hunter's truck. Those who don't meet this fate often escape back into the wild, where they, too, face starvation, dehydration, or being attacked and eaten by other wild animals. It's a brutal kill for what seems to us to be an absolutely frivolous purpose   The campaign to stop this horror show is called Kangaroos Are Not Shoes, and here to talk about is Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. He'll tell us about progress the campaign has made and what comes next. Also on the show are Emma Hurst and Louise Ward. Hurst is a member of the Australian parliament, representing the Animal Justice Party, and Ward is a state director for it. We had the chance to visit them during a break from their whirlwind visits with U.S. congressmen and senators on Capitol Hill.   Listeners can take action for kangaroos by visiting www.kangaroosarenotshoes.org, where you'll find links to congressional Action Alerts and a petition for the Don't Be a Dick's campaign, which intends to pressure the nation's largest sporting-goods retailer to stop trafficking in the skins of slaughtered kangaroos.   The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show.   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ 

Last May, Marielle Williamson was an anonymous teenager doing anonymous teenager things. Like her classmates at Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles, California, she was busy preparing to graduate and to leap across the threshold into adulthood. The last thing on her mind was becoming the subject of countless news stories and being thrust into a debate about nutrition, animal welfare and the First Amendment. But that's what happened to her, and that's the topic of today's show. We were interested in Marielle's journey because it intersects with efforts to have Congress pass the ADD SOY Act. The bill would require the USDA to reimburse schools when they provide soy milk as an alternative to dairy milk in the breakfast and lunch lines. Right now, not only does it require notes and special permission even to receive soy milk instead of dairy, but schools aren't paid back for the cost of it, the way they are when they serve cow's milk. That's why, whether a kid wants it or not—even if dairy makes the kid sick— her or she gets two cartons of milk with each school-provided meal. Oftentimes, maybe even most times, those cartons end up straight in the garbage, unopened, because their would-be consumers either don't like milk or have a physical aversion to it, usually in the form of lactose intolerance. Not only is the practice harmful to children who don't know they are lactose intolerant and drink the dairy, or who drink it despite the many health concerns surrounding diary, it represents a remarkable waste of tax-payer dollars. But tax-payer dollars aren't the only waste. Also in vain, too, is the suffering of the thousands of dairy cows required to provide all that wasted milk. When we take for animals, we oftentimes help people, too. Helping animals helps us all. To learn more about the need for the ADD SOY Act, watch our special webinar featuring Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy; Dotsie Baush, executive director, Switch4Good; Dr. Lakshman (Lucky) Mulpuri, chief executive, PlantsNourish; and Rep. Troy Carter, who introduced the legislation. You can view it here: https://bit.ly/ADDSOYwebinar. The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)   OTHER LINKS www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ          

Don't be a Dick's. That's the message of a new campaign initiative by Animal Wellness Action and its sister organization, the Center for a Humane Economy. It's targeted at Dick's Sporting Goods, the largest sporting-goods retailer in the United States, and intends to call attention to the chain's role in the largest commercial slaughter of land-based wildlife in the world. Dick's Sporting Goods remains a significant reseller of shoes sourced from killed kangaroos. Several models from Adidas, New Balance and other brands are marketed in their more than 750 physical locations and on its website, patronized by millions of shoppers across the globe. The hunting of kangaroos is barbaric and, given the availability and superiority of synthetic shoe material, needless. What's worse, in addition to the approximately 1.7 million kangaroos shot in the dead of night each year, about a half a million joeys are killed as collateral damage. The infants are pulled from the pouches of their dead mothers and killed immediately, usually by being bludgeoned to death against the bumper of the assassins' trucks. The two groups have been successful, after years of online and instore protests, in persuading Puma and Nike to stop manufacturing shoes from kangaroo parts. Now, with the Don't Be a Dick's campaign, they hope to apply pressure against the hold-out brands by expressing their revulsion against this major reseller. Joining host Joseph Grove are Jennifer Skiff and Kate Schultz Barton. Skiff is the director of international programs for the organizations. A dual citizen of Australia, she shares firsthand knowledge of kangaroos, their nature and their role in Australian culture. Barton is senior attorney for the organization and led several suits brought against retailers in California who sold kangaroo-sourced shoes, where such sales are illegal. Barton also discusses the newly filed Kangaroo Protection Act (H.R. 4995), introduced by U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. People can sign the petition at this link: https://animalwellnessaction.org/dont-be-a-dicks   LINKS FROM THE SHOW Support the Kangaroo Protection Act: https://secure.everyaction.com/W7p8uQb3_k-aKWb-tyAyLg2 The Don't Be a Dick's video: https://youtu.be/z8rzNn63JEw?si=P5MQeIzlf1e2mToi The recent store protest at an Adidas store in New York City: https://www.facebook.com/reel/321400827126640 Our video from Gavin Pallone, producer of The Gilmore Girls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=aM1HXFmLPhU The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. It is available on all major podcast distribution platforms. www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Animal Wellness Action is one of many organizations pushing for Congress to pass the ADD SOY Act, a bill that would require the USDA to make soy milk available as a beverage alternative to the 30 million children who are part of the National School Lunch Program.   Every year, about $300 million in cow milk is tossed into the garbage—much of it still in unopened containers—by children who don't like the taste of it or, owing to lactose intolerance, cannot drink without suffering cramps, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting and more. But unless a school puts two cartons of milk on the tray, the school will not be reimbursed for the cost of the meal.   It's bad for kids. It's bad for taxpayers. And it makes a mockery of the suffering of dairy cows, who lead truncated lives characterized by exploitation only to have their milk end up in the trash.   One would expect Big Dairy to be opposed to the ADD SOY Act, but another foe is making progress a challenge: the widespread misinformation about soy and the false beliefs about its safety.   In this episode, Dr. Lakshman “Lucky” Mulpuri, a medical advisor for Animal Wellness Action, visits the show to debunk the common myths impeding broader adoption of soy milk as an alternative to cow milk. He is chief executive of PlantsNourish and former president of the Plant-Based Nutrition Group (PBNG). He also developed and implemented the first-ever mandatory plant-based medical curriculum for first-year medical students at Wayne State. His work has been featured in VegNews, Forks Over Knives, and numerous newspapers and television stations.   Dr. Lucky produced a fact sheet for Animal Wellness Action on the truth about soy milk. You can view it here: https://bit.ly/Soy_Truth.     The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show.     www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-wellness-action/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_6FxM4hD6oS5VSUwsCnNQ   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

For decades, a wide range of man-made and environmental threats have endangered Southern Resident Orca—thinning the population in the Pacific Northwest to only 73. Today, they're looking directly at extinction.   The urgency of the orcas' plight cannot be overstated. While many agencies and organizations are working to save our orca through scientific research, mitigation programs, public policy initiatives, and political action, these efforts have fallen short and the orca simply can't wait. The show is about how each of us can help make a difference simply by NOT ordering a particular item off the menu.   In this 61st episode of the Animal Wellness podcast, host Joseph Grove talks with Emma Helverson and Joseph Gaydo. Helverson, executive director of Wild Fish Conservancy, in Washington, shares her organization's efforts to protect the Southern Resident orca from one of the many threats facing them—starvation. Gaydo, science director for the SeaDoc Society, talks about the complex personalities, culture and thinking exhibited by all orcas, including the Southern Resident, and how humans' nonchalance about their well-being is having a catastrophic impact.    The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show.

After the horse, no animal better represents the frontier heritage and pastoral expanse of the United States than does the wolf. Revered by some, demonized by others, enthralling to all—it's also the case that no other wild animal brings such strong emotions to Americans.   No wonder, then, they are the subject of such complex legal and political battles. A byzantine web of state and federal regulations and protections seems to be in perpetual flux, making it difficult for supporters of wolves—or their opponents—to know where the law stands at any one time.   On this episode of the Animal Wellness podcast, Samantha Bruegger, Paul Collins and Jennifer McCausland give their perspectives from two states where the wolf issue could not be more relevant.   Bruegger is the executive director of Washington Wildlife First, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to transforming Washington's management of its fish, wildlife, and natural spaces from a model of consumptive use to an ethic that values science, respects nature, and prioritizes the preservation of natural ecosystems. McCausland, a resident of Washington and an activist for state issues concerning animals, is the senior vice president of corporate policy for the Center for a Humane Economy. Collins is the Wisconsin state director for Animal Wellness Action and has been focused on protecting wolves in what he calls “ground zero” for efforts to hunt them out of existence.   Bruegger calls on people in the state of Washington to comment on new regulations impacting wolves by visiting this link. She also refers to the Washington Wildlife First Resource Library and a New Yorker article that talks about the politicization of wolves. Finally, McCausland describes her efforts to combat overfishing of King salmon off the Pacific coast and the catastrophic impact overfishing is having on the local population of orcas.   Washington Wildlife First Resource Library: https://wawildlifefirst.org/resources-2/   State wolf planning materials: www.wolfplanning.org   New Yorker article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/04/04/killing-wolves-to-own-the-libs-idaho   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)  

After numerous battles in lower courts, the National Pork Producers Council and others finally convinced the Supreme Court to hear their challenge to California's Proposition 12. That state initiative, passed by a powerful majority of California voters, mandates that no producer may sell products sourced from pigs or chickens into the state unless the producers ensure certain humane standards are maintained for the animals.   No fair, said the plaintiffs—time and again, up and down judicial ladders across the country. And time and again, courts rebuked the challenges and upheld the right of Californians to dictate what kinds of products may be sold within the state's borders.   Fortunately for animals—and for citizens in the several other states where such requirements exist—the Supreme Court dealt the ultimate lethal blow to their arguments, and Prop 12 stands. The victory for animals and for the people who care about them cannot be understated.   In this episode of the Animal Wellness podcast, host Joseph Grove talks to Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, and Kate Schultz Barton, the group's senior attorney. Pacelle was key in developing Prop 12, its predecessors in the state, and similar ballot initiatives across the country. Shultz Barton, along with colleague Scott Edwards, submitted amicus briefs to the Court, making legal arguments some of which were adopted by the Court in the winning opinion.   Pacelle and Barton Schultz find little time to celebrate, however, explaining that the Pork Producers Council can be expected to turn to Congress for relief.   The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show.   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/

Our special guest is filmmaker Ashley Avis, whose new WILD BEAUTY: MUSTANG SPIRIT OF THE WEST is available for pre-order on iTunes after earning multiple awards from film festivals across the country. The release date is May 12, 2023. You can watch the trailer here. The Winterstone Pictures production has been called "a sweeping, immersive journey into the world of wild horses that illuminates both the profound beauty and desperate plight they currently face in the Western United States.” Avis and her crew went on a multi-year expedition to uncover the truth before wild horses disappear forever. What she found is a tragic conspiracy to displace the horses so private-sector ranchers can co-opt public lands for cheap grazing for animals for commerce. The horses, once rounded up, often end up in the slaughter pipeline. It's capitalism and government collaboration against public interest at their worst, executed with maniacal chases, weapons, black helicopters and a far-reaching campaign of disinformation with little journalistic scrutiny to keep any of it in check. The documentary features two great friends of the Animal Wellness podcast: Scott Beckstead,  director of campaigns for Animal Wellness Action and perhaps the leading national authority on wild horses, and our former executive director, Marty Irby, who was personally recognized by Queen Elizabeth for his work on behalf of horses. The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show. Visit the website for Winterstone Pictures here. Learn more about the nonprofit set up by Avis to champion wild horses here.   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Jewel Johnson joins our podcast to talk about the emotional lives of fighting roosters, whom she rescues from seizures at busted cockfights and other surrenders. She does this through her 30-acre sanctuary in Colorado called Danzig's Roost. Contrary to expectations, the animals are incredibly docile with people and even exhibit bonding behaviors with humans more typically associated with dogs and cats. Johnson talks about the merciless culling of "undesirable" fighters, and how a fully trained rooster—while being gentle with other birds and even hens—loses the ability to be socialized with other roosters. Johnson also takes listeners inside the culture of cockfights, finding among the people who fight the animals a devotion to God and family that is perniciously at odds with the concomitant belief that a divine grant of dominion over animals gives them the right to sentence the animals to death for the purpose of entertainment. You don't know fighting roosters or cockfighting until you listen to Johnson's story of love, sacrifice and hope for these misunderstood, exploited animals. Rooster Sanctuary at Danzig's Roost on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rooster.sanctuary Rooster Sanctuary at Danzig's Roost's website: http://www.roostersanctuary.org You can read about the FIGHT Act and its critical improvements to anti-cockfighting law here: https://bit.ly/3oJKrBx Read our story about Johnson's work here: https://bit.ly/3ZEyFVR The Animal Wellness Podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show. www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

In this episode, author Julie Marshall and host Joseph Grove talk with Ursula Goodenough about her new release, the second edition of "The Sacred Depths of Nature: How Life Has Emerged and Evolved." The book provides a brief but powerful commingling of science and spirituality to help readers more deeply connect with animals, plants and the earth herself. The book is available here: https://bit.ly/3L7gSS2. More information about the book can be found here: www.sacreddepthsofnature.com.  The Animal Wellness Podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the free show. www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/ Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

How far is too far when it comes to animal advocacy? In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, two veteran activists with somewhat different approaches discuss the best tactics to effect change for animals. Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, often works quietly and behind the scenes, nudging the levers of government and commerce to create improvements. The author of two New York Times bestsellers on animals believes in applying reason and the appeals of logic and decency to convert those who put or leave animals in harm's way. Donny Moss, however, is just as apt to use a bullhorn as a keyboard. The founder of Their Turn is known for taking the battle to the streets, using video, social media and in-person confrontation to put pressure on businesses, consumers and even corporate board members to change minds. The two review their successful collaboration on the Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign, which recently has had major wins in the fight to convince Nike, Puma and Diadora to stop selling soccer cleats made from the skins of murdered kangaroos. The campaign is now targeting hold-outs Adidas and New Balance. You can sign the petition here. The Animal Wellness Podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Podbean offer subscriptions to the show.  Donations to www.animalwellnessaction.org make the show possible.   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org www.kangaroosarenotshoes.net www.theirturn.net   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, the team says farewell to Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. Marty has been a guest on virtually every show and served the organizations and the podcast since their inceptions. One of Marty's greatest passions is improving the lives of horses—Tennessee Walkers, Thoroughbreds, wild horses and others. He and Wayne Pacelle, president of the non-profits, update several campaigns being waged on the behalf of America's equines. Veterans for Mustangs Act. This bill would fund the deployment of U.S. Armed Services veterans to the West to help sterilize wild stallions, reducing the perceived need of the Bureau of Land Management to conduct abusive, disruptive—and unnecessary—round-ups. Read more here: https://animalwellnessaction.org/bipartisan-veterans-for-mustangs-act-introduced Horse Slaughter. Animal Wellness Action is hard at work to prohibit the export of U.S. horses to Canada and Mexico, where they are slaughtered for overseas human consumption and other purposes. Read more here: https://animalwellnessaction.org/landmark-investigation-into-trafficking-slaughter-of-american-horses-to-canada-mexico Prevent All Soring Tactics Act. This legislation aims to stiffen penalties and bolster enforcement of existing ones against the use of caustic chemicals and sharp implements to create the infamous “big lick” exaggerated gait with Tennessee Walking horses. Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. After some changes to language in the law, this milestone advance against doping appears set to clear legal challenges and safeguard thousands of racing horses. Read more at our dedicated website: hisawatchdog.org. Irby also discusses his appearance in the award-winning “Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the American West,” a powerful documentary about wild horses set for national release next month. You can watch the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/746037325   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

While the Corona virus has largely receded from the daily consciousness of most folks, it's not gone away completely. Just the other day, someone told reported that some hospitals are beginning to enact new masking policies. Regional and national hotspots remain across the globe. Countless people are grieving the almost 6.8 million people the virus has killed so far. The question remains, What have we learned?   Most people, it seems, are operating under an unspoken belief that what we have learned or haven't learned won't matter. That the odds of something like this happening again in our lifetimes is slim. If you'll forgive a horribly bad pun, they may be counting their chickens for before they hatch.   The looming culprit is bird flu, a devastating virus responsible directly and indirectly for the death of millions of birds, most notably chickens, who are being slaughter in countless numbers as a prophylactic against further spread of the disease. Why are eggs so expensive these days? Fewer chickens. Fewer eggs. Supply and demand.   But the real threat to humans is so far merely potential, albeit increasingly likely. On the show to talk about bird flu and its potential harms to people are Wayne Pacelle, president, and Drs. Jim Keen and Tom Pool. Dr. Keen is the Director of Veterinary Sciences for the Center for a Humane Economy, our sister organization. Dr. Pool is the Senior Veterinarian, Animal Wellness Action. And what's made this timely for us is our recent reporting on cockfighting in OK, Miss., Alabama and Tennessee.   Wayne Pacelle from Animal Wellness Action joins host Joseph Grove to discuss the topic. Also on the show are Dr. Jim Keen, D.V.M., Ph.D., Director of Veterinary Sciences, Center for a Humane Economy, and Dr. Tom Pool, D.V.M, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM, Senior Veterinarian, Animal Wellness Action.   Here's a link to our exclusive investigation into cockfighting: http://bit.ly/3xQSEFi     Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)     www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/

Australia has its kangaroos. China, its beloved pandas. In the United States, we have horses. We love them. We revere them. Children delight in seeing them. We cheer them on when they race around tracks from sea to shining sea. But there's a rancid underbelly to our treatment of horses, and a new investigative report, “U.S. Live Exports Fade as Foreign Demand Abates | An Investigative Report on Horses and Other Equines Sent to Slaughter in Canada and Mexico,” looks into it. It was published by Animal Wellness Action, the Center for a Humane Economy and Animals' Angels. The results are by turns stomach-churning and heart-breaking. The dark side is this: While it is illegal to slaughter horses in the U.S., it remains legal–and profitable–to sell horses for transport into Canada and Mexico for that purpose. Yes, as foreign demand dries up, fewer horses are so destined. But with about 20,000 horses a year still sent to the kill plants, we have a long way to go. Retired race horses. Spent carriage horses. Unwanted companion horses. Any one of them may end up thrust into an overcrowded and often uncovered holding pen, shoved into an overcrowded and sweltering truck, and finally corralled through a maze of gates until the end finally comes. “We documented that cruelty goes hand-in-hand with horse slaughter. Every step along the way,” said report co-author Sonja Meadows of Animals' Angels. “It's really like somebody flips a switch. The minute a horse is unloaded at the loading dock of an auction and labeled a kill horse, the minute that determination is made, everything that horse experiences from then on will be dramatically different and completely inhumane.” Meadows is joined in this podcast by Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, and Scott Beckstead, director of campaigns for the organizations. They review the findings of the report with host Joseph Grove. Shown are some images from it as well as some video that was captured along the way. Notice: they are not pleasant to view. Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, provides a legislative update at the conclusion of the interview. You can watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/QsQhaMMlmMA   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)  

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is less a structured paradigm of how Americans and their neighbor animals can co-exist than a set of tenets that benefits "sportsmen," who take advantage of the model to hunt, trap and poison their way through much of our wildlife population, and ranchers, who hope to acquire and maintain land for private profit. There is little about it that considers conserving, and much more about it that ensures hunters and trappers have access to animals to kill.   In this episode, Anja Heister, Ph.D., an independent researcher, writer and life-long animal rights activist, talks about her new book, "Beyond the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation: From Lethal to Compassionate Conservation." She discusses the history of the North American model, the problems associated with Western anthropocentrism and alternatives with the potential to soften our impact on the world of animals around us.   Julie Marshall, national communications director for Animal Wellness Action and the author of “Making Burros Fly: Cleveland Amory, Animal Rescue Pioneer," joins the discussion following her review of Heister's book in The Denver Post.   Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, joins host Joseph Grove.     www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

2022 was extraordinarily successful for Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. But Wayne Pacelle , president, and Marty Irby, executive director, tell host Joseph Grove they have even bigger plans for 2023.   In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, the animal-welfare leaders recap some of their successes in the now-concluded 117th Congress, including: Passing the Big Cat Public Safety Act Passing the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act Passing the FDA Modernization Act Passing the Reducing Animal Testing Act Helping craft and pass a fix to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, so it could survive a court challenge. They also talk about work they plan as the Farm Bill comes up for its five-year congressional renewal, what's ahead for horses, and plans to push the work of Animal Wellness Action deeper into state politics with ballot initiatives and a growing team of state directors and volunteers.   The discussion came as the group entered the zenith of its fundraising activities for the close of 2022.   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby from Animal Wellness Action join host Joseph Grove to discuss accomplishments for animals this year, including the Big Cat Public Safety Act and the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, as well as progress toward modernizing the FDA. Recorded December 21, 2022.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thanksgiving turkeys. Christmas hams. The holiday season is inextricably linked to these staples of holiday indulgence. While we amble through the darkening days of the year, however, the animals whose lives will be sacrificed to feed us are far worse than they need to be. And that is so because of unnecessarily inhumane conditions on the factory farms where the majority of them are bred, live short, grueling lives, and are slaughtered assembly-line style. One of the worst aspects of factory-farm life for these doomed sentient creatures is extreme confinement. Pigs are known to receive the worst of it, when pregnant sows are kept in indecently small cages known as gestation crates. The fight against their use is one key focus of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, which battle is now being waged before the Supreme Court. Another soldier is Jessica Chipkin. She is the founder and president of Crate Free USA, an organization whose mission simply is to reduce the suffering of animals on factory farms. Founded in 2015, the group believes there's really no difference between cruelty inflicted on a dog, cat, bird, horse, chicken, calf or pig. They group tries to: Create awareness of the extreme and inhumane confinement of hogs, chickens, and cows on factory farms Educate consumers on how to purchase from local, sustainable farmers Advocate for legislation to eliminate extreme confinement practices She joins us in this episode to talk about her work with Trader Joe's, Aldi and Costco, as well as her youth-education effort and her mobile app. Also on the show is Scott Beckstead, our director of national campaigns, and Marty Irby, who provides a legislative update. Joseph Grove is the host.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

On August 10, 2022, a carriage horse named Ryder collapsed on a hot New York City street and instantly became the symbol for a growing movement. Ryder was found to be a decade older than he should have been according to regulations, when he dropped to his side, requiring a spray of cold water to revivify him. He was emaciated and, it was later discovered, ill with cancer. Liberated at last from having to pull tourists around a crowded metropolis of cars, buses and trucks, he was sent to a privately owned farm. Retirement was short, however, and he had to be euthanized just a couple of weeks ago. As sad as his fate, however, many former carriage horses face an even worse end. Those who are no longer of use to the industry often are sold for slaughter and must endure a terrifying trip to Canada or Mexico, where they are killed and butchered for their meat. Animal Wellness Action, the Center for a Humane Economy, NYClass, Revolution Philadelphia and other groups are working hard to convince municipalities to do away with carriage-horse rides and the animal-suffering they entail. Part of their argument is that electric carriages are now available, able to preserve the tourist experience of slow, open-air views of cities and the jobs of people driving the carriages. Invest in the e-carriages, say the advocates, and you can preserve the tourist attractions and at the same time eliminate cruelty. This episode brings together several experts with vast experience advocating for horses and championing solutions to their systemic abuse. Joining host Joseph Grove in this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast are: Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action Kate Schultz, senior attorney for the Center for a Humane Economy and a former New York City prosecutor who specialized in animal-abuse cases Edita Birnkrant, executive director of NYClass, a group that is among leading the movement to ban horse-carriages and in New York and replace them with electric alternatives Tiffany Stair, co-founder of Revolution Philadelphia and a vocal antagonist to the city's carriage-horse industry. You can learn more about the organizations they represent here: Animal Wellness Action Center for a Humane Economy NYClass website NYClass Facebook Revolution Philadelphia Facebook   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Dan Buettner is a prolific writer, traveler and advocate for the human species. His work with National Geographic led to an interest in areas of the world where people live the longest and most healthy–areas he dubbed Blue Zones. Since then, one of his missions has been to understand the commonalities among those areas and how people in other parts of the world could adopt them and reap their benefits. He calls those common attributes the Power 9.   We were interested in Buettner's work because one of the Power 9 is that people in the Blue Zones eat much less or no meat. Where meat is consumed, it is done so only seldomly and usually entails pork in small portions, each about the size of a deck of cards.   Once again, what helps animals helps us all.   In this interview, Buettner sits down with Wayne Pacelle, the president and founder of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, and host Joseph Grove to talk about the benefits of eating a diet that is as kind to our own bodies as it is to the animals it spares. It comes just as preorders are being taken for his newest book about Blue Zone living, “Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100.”   The book is currently the No. 1 new release in Amazon's Natural Food Cooking category. With beautiful photography and essays by the author about his experiences, the book makes a great holiday gift for anyone who wants to eat better and at the cost of fewer animals.   You can visit Dan Buettner online here: https://danbuettner.com/. He also can be followed on Instagram, @danbuettner.   Also: Marty Irby, executive director chief lobbyist for Animal Wellness Action, updates viewers on the organization's legislative efforts at this Congress comes to an end.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

American horse racing has been in peril for quite some time. As a member of the Coalition for Horseracing Integrity, we've been working to stamp out doping and whipping in the sport, and bring an end to horse slaughter as well. With the enactment of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in 2020 that took effect July 1st of this year, we're finally on the right track. Unfortunately, rogue operators and horse racing insiders who've flouted state laws and regulations for years continue to work against proper implementation and enforcement of the new law. One of the key areas we've met the most resistance is in the world of harness racing, a lesser known division of the sport that's quickly dwindling into obscurity. The U.S. Trotting Association (USTA) and those in the industry who want to keep doping alive and maintain the status quo have gone to great lengths despite the conviction of numerous criminals involved in harness racing. But there is hope thanks to the good apples in American harness racing like the U.S. Harness Racing Alumni Association and our good friend and coalition partner Freddie Hudson, a retired trainer, author, and founder and CEO of the group. Freddie's been the key ally that's made the most difference in this area and is creating awareness and bringing newcomers into the fold with our efforts. In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove and Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, and editor of www.HISAwatchdog.org interview Hudson and the episode gives listeners some key insight into the latest happenings on this issue. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

In the latest but perhaps most appalling subversion of animal welfare since assuming control of the executive branch, the Biden Administration has targeted the nation's most important farm animal welfare law. In an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Department of Justice sided with the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the American Farm Bureau Federation (Farm Bureau) in their dubiously grounded efforts to overturn California's Prop 12.   Approved with more than 62 percent of the vote in 2018, Prop 12 stipulates that any California farmer raising breeding sows, laying hens, and veal calves must provide minimum space allotments to the animals. The law also bars sale in California of pork, eggs, or veal coming from farms that rely on the most extreme confinement methods. If out-of-state farmers want their animal products to find shelf space in the large California market, they must play by the same rules that in-state farmers must observe. It's a level playing field for all.   Wayne Pacelle, president and founder of Animal Wellness Action, and Kate Schultz, senior attorney, talk about the implications of the case and what it potentially means for animals.   Executive Director Marty Irby also joins host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

One of the critical campaigns of Animal Wellness Action is to ensure the modernization of FDA drug-testing standards, which currently require the suffering and entail the deaths of countless thousands of animals each year. Key to this modernization--and the alleviation of this toll on animals--is to eliminate the requirement in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1938 for animal testing as the only test method for any new drug development protocol. The pharmaceutical industry is burdened by outdated FDA statutes and regulations that bar the use of faster, cheaper, and more reliable test methods.   Recently, the work has become more challenging. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina has introduced legislation to strip all riders from the bill, leaving just the base funding package for FDA.  That maneuver would block key reforms of FDA and keep the status quo when it comes to animal testing.    There is urgency to address the problem because between 90 and 95 percent of drugs found safe in preclinical tests fail during human clinical trials due to toxicities not predicted by traditional animal tests or because of lack of efficacy. This exposes the public to unacceptable risk and stifles the movement of life-saving drugs into the marketplace.   The broader results are extraordinarily high costs for drugs, inordinately long wait periods bringing drugs to market, and, even after the drugs are approved for common use, the potential of serious side effects for consumers. However, significant investments in technology development and research have resulted in transformative breakthroughs in alternative methods, enabling us to leave most animal testing behind.   One of the many organizations also in this fight is PETA. Kathy Guillermo, a senior vice president at PETA, joins our founder and president Wayne Pacelle to discuss her organization's work to uncover animal abuse related to medical testing, improvements in science such as organs on a chip, and legislative work to ensure passage of the initiative.   Marty Irby, executive director, joins host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Animal Wellness Action has been pressuring Nike, Adidas and other retailers of "k-leather" soccer shoes to discontinue the models. More than 2 million kangaroos a year are slaughtered, including joeys, just so athletes can don prestige shoes with no performance-enhancing value. Natasha Dolezal, deputy director of campaigns, and Scott Edwards, general counsel, update listeners on our work for kangaroos, including recent protests and the filing of a lawsuit against California retailer Soccer Warhorse, which we allege has been violating state law by selling kangaroo-sourced soccer shoes. Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, also joins host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Monty Roberts, "The Man Who Listens to Horses," talks whipping horses in races, the wild ride of Rich Strike, and the Queen   Monty Roberts is one of the most celebrated and admired horse trainers ever to take the reins. Not only has he sold more than 6 million copies of his blockbusting "The Man Who Listens to Horses" and published hundreds of training videos, he has been repeatedly called in for service by Queen Elizabeth II and traveled at her behest to more than 40 countries.   In this episode, he weighs in on the topics of whipping horses during races, the wild ride of Rich Strike in last month's Kentucky Derby, the fate of notorious trainer Bob Baffert, and what he hopes to do next, in the twilight of his career.   Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, joins the show and provides an update on the organization's legislative efforts as Congress approaches the summer break.   Joseph Grove is the host.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Statistics show a strong correlation between animal abuse and the perpetration of violence on humans. Both of the teens involved in the Buffalo and Uvalde massacres, for example, had previously tortured and killed cats, with the latter assailant even boasting about it on social media. Wayne Pacelle, founder and president of Animal Wellness Action, calls a history of animal abuse "the reddest of red flags" when it comes to identifying teens and young adults who may one day walk into a crowded building or school and begin killing people. He and special guest Steve Dale, a noted writer and speaker on animal issues, talk about this connection and argue that now more than ever, it's time for Congress to pass the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act. Joseph Grove is the host.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

When it comes to telling the truth about wild horses, the Bureau of Land Management comes up short. Leadership there seems determine to subjugate the well-being of the U.S.'s most iconic animal to the interests of cattle ranchers and sheep farmers. Scott Beckstead, our director of campaigns, and Vickery Eckhoff, an investigative journalist who writes on western public land issues and politics and government disinformation, are the guests. They address our western native equine populations and how they are suffering so that Big Ag can have cheap access to public grazing lands. It's an issue that should incense anyone who cares about horses and who resents the triumph of corporate greed over the interests of the innocent and helpless. Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, kicks the show off with an update on our work to modernize the FDA, ban the private ownership of big cats from private ownership and eliminate the incredible COVID risk to humans that is mink farming. Joseph Grove is the host.

After the thrill and spectacle of Thoroughbred races, the athletes themselves too often face a cruel, horrific fate. One Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand, was actually sold for human slaughter. Before the races, they are likely to experience doping to mask their pain, resulting in on-track breakdowns that are lethal for them and dangerous for jockeys.   Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron has become a vocal opponent of these practices, evidenced by his recent strong op-ed in the Louisville, Ky., daily newspaper. His willingness to confront the industry is one more example of a "sport" that has reached a tipping point. Will it survive?   In addition, Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, provides an update on all the organization's work for animals. Joseph Grove, director of public relations for the Center for a Humane Economy, is host.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Jennifer Skiff and Zach Skow, representing Animal Wellness Action and other groups, have worked in the face of daunting bureaucratic and logistical challenges to reunite dogs of U.S. military and diplomatic personnel with their humans. Enemy No. 1? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Skiff and Skow share their stories. In addition, Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, provides an update on all the organization's work for animals. Joseph Grove, director of public relations for the Center for a Humane Economy, is host.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Carole Baskin rocketed to global stardom after Netflix released "The Tiger King" in 2020. Rather than capitalizing on her frame for personal success, however, she has worked harder than ever for legal protections for lions, tigers and other big cats. In this episode, she shares a little about her personal adventures and digs deep into the legislation she is fighting so hard to make become law. Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, provides an update on all the organizations work for animals. Joseph Grove, director of public relations for the Center for a Humane Economy, is host.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is a rising star in the House and in her party. The fight for animals, she says, is one means for a divided Congress to find common ground and to do good together. In this episode, she talks about a variety of animal topics, including the potential ban against mink farms, farm check-offs and her work to protect beagles from scientific experimentation. Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action, joins host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states, yet thousands of birds are shipped every year via the U.S. postal service to overseas locations where the bloodsport remains a cruel cultural staple. Fortunately, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) decided to act. He discusses his work on the issue and the steps he and other legislators are taking to ensure existing postal regulations are enforced. We also talk abut his leadership with the Big Cat Public Safety Act and legislation that would help the U.S. and the world avoid another pandemic.   Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby from Animal Wellness Action join host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

The U.S government pays to dump millions of gallons of milk down the drain every year. Worse, the drink is foisted upon our school children, most of whom experience digestive issues and resultant academic hindrances if they consume it. All the while, diary cows face lives of suffering and exploitation that exceeds even those experienced by beef cattle. In this shocking episode, Dr. Martin Mills and Olympic cyclist Dottsie Bausch join Animal Wellness Action to discuss this terrible waste of tax dollars, the systemic racism in the school lunch program and the cruelty among our bovine friends. Also explored are the myriad benefits of eschewing dairy in our diets. Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby from Animal Wellness Action join host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

The report on the Biden administration from the perspective of animal welfare isn't good, according to Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby from Animal Wellness Action. Not enough is being done to undo or curtail Trump administration policies, and little—if anything—is being initiated to realize the hopes of many advocates. "I'm disappointed in that they're largely indifferent to animal issues," Pacelle said. "I don't believe there's anyone in the White House saying, 'Animal welfare is important and we should be doing something about it.'" Joseph Grove hosts the podcast. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Mink captivity for human consumption is among the most cruel, and it represents real and present danger to people. The animals--captive wild, not domesticated--suffer terribly, and their unique vulnerability to the Corona virus and ability to communicate it back to human makes them an existential threat to efforts to eradicate the virus. This episode features Dr. Jim Keen, co-author of a new report about the deadly link between COVID-19 and humans and what we need to do about it now. Marty Irby and Scott Beckstead, both with Animal Wellness Action, join host Joseph Grove. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)  

In her new book, Enter the Animal, Teya Brooks Pribac examines academic and popular discourse on animals' experiences of grief and spirituality, which are rooted in our intrinsic capacity and propensity for connections and relations, and highlights important ethical implications of humans' treatment of other species. She shares her firsthand experiences and research on the complex, little understood topic of animal emotions.   Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby from Animal Wellness Action join host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

While horse slaughter does not currently occur on U.S. soil, more than 70,000 domestic and wild horses are rounded up each year to be shipped to Mexico and Canada for processing and human consumption in other parts of the world. Guest Carol Walker is a fierce advocate for wild horses and partners with Animal Wellness Action for legislative and regulatory protections.   She joins Marty Irby and Scott Beckstead from AWA to discuss the issue and possible solutions.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Our guest is Joe Gorajec, former head of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and the founder of Horse Racing Integrity Consulting. The panel discusses Bob Baffert, the 2021 Kentucky Derby doping scandal and the need for additional reforms and enforcement in Thoroughbred racing.  Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby from Animal Wellness Action join host Joseph Grove.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Oregon first-responder Gene Davies took an unusual call on April 7: A young bear was playing on a rural road in Greensville, where Davies is fire chief. After Davies arrived, the friendly animal insisted on staying with him, so to make sure the bear would be safe, he took it home while arrangements were made with a rescue agency. Enter the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and yet more proof that when it comes to animal rescue, it is often true that no good deed goes unpunished.   Davies tells host Joseph Grove and Scott Beckstead, Oregon director of campaigns for Animal Wellness Action, the story of how the best of intentions resulted in criminal charges for him and the barrel of a gun for the bear.   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)