The Animal Wellness Podcast

Animal Wellness Action
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Dedicated to knowing and supporting laws and lawmakers that benefit animals.

  1. 6D AGO

    Rethinking Human Exceptionalism | Episode 90

    What if the idea that humans stand above all other animals isn’t a scientific truth—but a cultural myth?   In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove is joined by primatologist and NYU professor Christine Webb, author of “The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters,” for a wide-ranging conversation about how deeply ingrained beliefs about human superiority shape our relationship with animals—and the consequences of getting that relationship wrong.   Drawing on her research into the cognitive, emotional, and social lives of nonhuman animals, Webb challenges the notion that humans are categorically different from other species. Instead, she makes the case for “continuity”—the idea that differences between humans and other animals are differences of degree, not kind.   Together, they explore:   How anthropocentric thinking shapes science, language, and culture Why the belief in human superiority persists—even in the face of evidence What we gain—ethically and existentially—by rethinking our place in the natural world   If we are to build a more humane and sustainable future, it may begin with a simple but profound shift: seeing ourselves not above the animal world, but within it.   LEARN MORE The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters is available for purchase here and wherever books are sold. To learn more about Christine Webb, visit her website 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

    49 min

  2. MAR 17

    The Hidden Crisis Facing Military Working Dogs | Episode 89

    Military working dogs are among the most highly trained and loyal members of America’s armed forces. They detect explosives, patrol bases, and protect U.S. service members in some of the world’s most dangerous environments. Their work saves lives. But what happens when these animals, who serve alongside our troops, are failed by the very system responsible for their care? In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines troubling findings from a new investigation by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, raising serious concerns about lapses in veterinary care, oversight failures, and reports of preventable suffering and deaths among military working dogs on U.S. bases. Joseph is joined by two leading experts who bring a critical perspective to this issue: Dr. Thomas Pool, a veterinarian and former commander of the U.S. Army Veterinary Command, draws on decades of experience to explain the role of military working dogs, the standards of care they require, and where systemic breakdowns may be occurring within military veterinary systems. Kate Chupka Schultz, an experienced animal cruelty prosecutor and attorney, provides a legal lens — examining accountability gaps, the evolving status of military working dogs under the law, and what reforms may be necessary to ensure these animals are treated as sentient partners, not expendable equipment. Together, they explore urgent questions about responsibility, transparency, and reform — and what it means to honor the service of animals who serve in uniform. To learn more, read the full report and press release at Helping Animals Helps Us All. ABOUT 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

    42 min

  3. MAR 11

    Thoroughbred Racing and the Impact of HISA | Episode 88

    In this episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines the rapidly changing landscape of American horse racing—an industry facing growing scrutiny over safety, doping, and the welfare of racehorses. A series of high-profile breakdowns and medication scandals, including the troubling spike in horse deaths at Churchill Downs during the 2023 Kentucky Derby week, intensified national concern about the sport’s oversight and long-term viability. Joseph explores how the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) — the most sweeping regulatory reform the sport has seen in generations — created a national authority to enforce uniform safety and anti-doping rules across Thoroughbred racing. But major tensions remain. A high-stakes dispute between regulators and Churchill Downs Incorporated, a company operating roughly 30 racing and gaming properties across 14 states, raises questions about compliance, enforcement, and the future of interstate wagering. Joining the program is Fred Hudson, CEO of the U.S. Harness Racing Alumni Association and director of equine protection for Animal Wellness Action. Hudson provides an insider’s perspective on whether HISA’s reforms are improving horse welfare, the persistent challenges facing the sport, and what additional protections are still needed for racehorses during and after their racing careers.   Together, they discuss the causes of fatal breakdowns, the culture of medication in racing, the implications of industry resistance to federal oversight, and what meaningful reform could look like over the next decade.   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

    35 min

  4. MAR 4

    Lead Ammunition, Wildlife Poisoning, and Public Health: Science and Policy at a Crossroads | Episode 87

    In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines the mounting scientific and policy concerns surrounding lead ammunition — a persistent environmental toxin with consequences that extend far beyond the hunt. Each year, tons of lead from spent bullets and shotgun pellets are discharged into America’s landscapes. On impact, that lead fragments into carcasses and gut piles, where scavenging wildlife — including bald eagles, golden eagles, condors, hawks, ravens, and foxes — ingest toxic shards. The results are often acute poisoning, neurological impairment, reproductive failure, and death. But this is not solely a wildlife conservation issue. Lead is a potent neurotoxin with no safe level of exposure. It does not biodegrade, and it can contaminate meat intended for human consumption while persisting in soil and ecosystems for decades. Joseph is joined by two leading voices at the intersection of science and policy. Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, discusses the documented toll of lead poisoning on raptors and other wildlife, federal policy debates surrounding National Wildlife Refuges, and the proposed LEAD Act — legislation aimed at reducing toxic ammunition on public lands. Dr. Aisha S. Dickerson, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, brings critical scientific insight into how lead behaves biologically, why even low-level exposure can cause lasting neurological harm, and what environmental neuroepidemiology tells us about risks to both wildlife and humans. Together, they explore: The biological mechanisms of lead toxicity Why there is no safe level of exposure The documented scope of wildlife mortality linked to ammunition fragments Public health implications for communities and families Policy pathways and practical alternatives available to hunters This episode challenges listeners to consider tradition, science, and stewardship — and the responsibility we share in protecting both wildlife and public health. TAKE ACTION Go here to learn more about the effects of lead ammunition and to support the LEAD Act referred to in the show. ABOUT 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

    43 min

  5. FEB 17

    Mac’s Mission, Dogfighting Survivors, And the Push for the FIGHT Act | Episode 86

    Dogfighting is often misunderstood as a relic of the past — or as a cruelty confined to the margins of society. In reality, organized fighting networks continue to operate across the United States, leaving behind a pipeline of animals who are brutalized, discarded, and in urgent need of highly specialized care. In this episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines the continuum between federal policy and frontline rescue work — and why both are essential to ending organized animal cruelty. He is joined by Rochelle Steffen, founder of Mac’s Mission, a Missouri-based nonprofit rescue whose work “specializes in special.” Her organization focuses on dogs in severe medical crisis: neonatal puppies with congenital defects, survivors of extreme abuse, and animals whose injuries or conditions place them beyond the capacity of traditional shelters. The conversation also explores the policy dimension of this work, including Animal Wellness Action’s advocacy for the FIGHT Act — federal legislation designed to strengthen enforcement against dogfighting, increase penalties, and disrupt trafficking of fighting paraphernalia. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of: The modern reality of organized dogfighting The medical and behavioral challenges faced by surviving dogs How specialized rescues manage complex, resource-intensive cases Why federal legislation like the FIGHT Act remains urgently needed The emotional toll — and rewards — of this work on rescuers Listeners may learn more at Animal Wellness Action and by visiting Mac’s Mission online. 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

    35 min

  6. FEB 10

    ‘Carnism’: Loving One Animal, Eating the Other | Episode 85

    Why do we love some animals as family while treating others as commodities? In this episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove is joined by Melanie Joy, Ph.D. — Harvard-educated psychologist, international speaker, and author of the landmark book, “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows.” Dr. Joy introduces and explores the concept of carnism — the largely invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals while caring deeply for others. Drawing on psychology, sociology, and ethics, she examines how cultural norms shape perception, why systems of animal exploitation often go unquestioned, and why even compassionate people may participate in practices they would otherwise reject. The conversation also reflects the perspective of Animal Wellness Action: an acknowledgment that many people eat animals, paired with a firm ethical insistence that animals raised for food deserve lives free from needless suffering. If there must be a “bad day,” it should be only one day — not a lifetime of cruelty, confinement, or neglect. Together, Grove and Joy discuss moral dissonance, defensiveness, and how advocates can speak about animals in ways that invite reflection rather than resistance — offering listeners a thoughtful, humane framework for understanding both animal suffering and the belief systems that sustain it. 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

    43 min

  7. JAN 27

    Saving America’s Horses: Thalia Fischer on Rescue and Reform | Episode 84

    Despite the closure of U.S. horse slaughter plants nearly two decades ago, tens of thousands of American horses are still exported every year to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. The practice persists quietly, fueled by policy loopholes, weak enforcement, and public misunderstanding—while horses who once served as companions, athletes, and working partners pay the price. In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, we’re joined by Thalia Fischer, founder and director of All Seated in a Barn, a California-based equine rescue dedicated to pulling horses from the slaughter pipeline and giving them a second chance through rescue, rehabilitation, training, and adoption. We’re also joined by Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, who brings a national policy perspective to the conversation—explaining why Congress has repeatedly failed to halt live exports of horses for slaughter and what it will take to finally close that loophole through legislation like the SAFE Act. Together, Thalia and Wayne connect the dots between what happens at auctions and kill pens, the grueling cross-border transport of horses, and the political choices that allow this trade to continue. This episode explores the emotional realities of horse rescue, the scale of the slaughter crisis, and the concrete actions listeners can take to help protect America’s horses.   Topics covered include: How horses end up in the export-to-slaughter pipeline What equine rescues face on the front lines The welfare concerns tied to long-distance transport and slaughter Why live exports persist despite public opposition How advocacy and legislation can end horse slaughter for good   If you care about horses—and about aligning U.S. law with our values—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.   Learn More and Take Action Go here to read our thorough report on the state of horse slaughter, “Horse Slaughter in North America: U.S. Live Exports Fade as Foreign Demand Abates,”  and go here to tell your elected officials you want to end the slaughter pipeline.   About the Show 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/

    41 min

  8. JAN 20

    Paul Shapiro and Clean Meat | Episode 83

    What if we could produce real meat—without animals? For decades, the animal-welfare movement has worked to reduce suffering by changing laws, corporate practices, and consumer behavior. Those efforts have delivered meaningful progress. And yet, billions of animals are still raised and killed each year for food. That reality raises an urgent question—one that would have sounded like science fiction not long ago: Can we fundamentally change how meat is made? On this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove sits down with Paul Shapiro, a leading voice at the intersection of animal welfare, food innovation, and climate policy. Paul is the author of the national bestseller Clean Meat, which helped introduce and popularize the concept of growing real meat directly from animal cells—eliminating the need for factory farming altogether. In addition, we’re joined by Wayne Pacelle, who is a previous of colleague of Paul and the president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy.   In this conversation, we explore:   What “clean meat” (also known as cultivated meat) actually is Where the cultivated-meat industry stands today—and what’s holding it back How clean meat differs from plant-based alternatives Why this technology matters for animals, public health, the climate, and the future of food This episode goes beyond hype or fear-based narratives to ask deeper questions about ethics, innovation, and what real progress for animals might look like in the decades ahead.   About the Guest Paul Shapiro is the CEO of The Better Meat Co., the author of “Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World,” a five-time TEDx speaker, and the host of the Business for Good Podcast. He has been recognized as a Most Admired CEO by the Sacramento Business Journal.   About the Show 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/

    49 min
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5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Dedicated to knowing and supporting laws and lawmakers that benefit animals.

Information

  • Creator
    Animal Wellness Action
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Animal Wellness Podcast

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