Wunderdog Podcast

Wunderdog

Wunderdog brings you the raw, inspiring, and deeply moving stories from the frontlines of dog rescue. From tireless campaigners and dog experts to the adopters who found their soulmates and the creatives honouring them all, we dive deep into the culture of compassion. 🎙️ New episodes every Thursday! wunderdog.substack.com

Episodes

  1. Jul 25

    The League Against Cruel Sport's CEO Emma Slawinski

    Emma Slawinski is a polite and professional campaigner. But you can hear the urgency and frustration when she talks about Sir Keir Starmer’s big talk but little action when it comes to making Labour’s Animal Welfare Bill a reality. Disappointed in Sir Keir, what does she want to say to his successor, Andy Burnham? “I would remind him that there is overwhelming public support for this change and indeed for going beyond what the government has said that they want to do." Emma became the chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sport last March, after nearly four years as the director of policy, prevention and campaigns at the RSPCA, where I interviewed her for Wunderdog Magazine. Previously, she held several other roles in animal welfare advocacy. Even if the League isn’t focused on dog – as Wunderdog is – many issues overlap as dogs continue to be used and abused for the sake of entertainment and profit. So, in this episode we discuss: * how to finally end greyhound racing in England * why dog fighting still exists, even though it’s completely illegal * fox hunting and the likely ban on trail hunging * animal testing and the legal wrangling behind the scenes * Emma’s verdict on Sir Keir Starmer’s legacy for animals * her words for Andy Burnham as he moves into No. 10. It’s a packed episode, so make sure you listen and learn from one of the country’s most effective campaigners! Time stamps: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to Emma’s role and recent organizational changes 02:09 - Growing public awareness and momentum behind animal welfare issues 04:19 - Why the UK Government is slow to act on greyhound racing 05:59 - The economic and social myths used by greyhound racing industries 07:42 - Housing development benefits over greyhound racing in communities 09:02 - The impact of gambling revenues on the persistence of racing sports 11:00 - Child safety and witnessing animal cruelty at racetracks 13:42 - The reality of dog fighting and how it persists in the UK and abroad 15:48 - The criminal element behind dog fighting and puppy smuggling 18:40 - Fox hunting, legislative loopholes, and public support for bans 20:30 - The importance of closing loopholes to end trail hunting 24:34 - The debate around fox hunting and the argument of animal welfare crises 27:05 - Animal testing: progress, challenges, and the role of the Home Office 30:30 - Legislative complexity and the need for decisive action on animal testing 34:39 - Political changes and the future of animal welfare under new leadership 37:46 - Emma’s message to upcoming political leaders 39:01 - A glimpse into Emma’s beloved dog Coconut and everyday life Wunderdog is entirely reader-supported. If this podcast resonated with you, please consider sharing it with a fellow dog lover or upgrading to a paid subscription to help us keep telling these stories. Thanks for reading Wunderdog Magazine! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Jul 17

    For your first summer holiday with your newly adopted pooch, listen to Amelia Steele

    You just adopted your dog, and now you're off on your first holidays together. How exciting! But also, how scary. There will be lots of new smells, new animals, new environments for your dog to explore. And there may also be zoomies. Lots of them, hopefully! I began by telling Amelia how I totally ignored all advice when I took my juvenile rescue dog, Goldie, on holidays after I had her for only four weeks. Listen to the episode to find out how she rated my trip … We also chatted about introducing dogs to new things, such as livestock or the beach, in a calm way, to ensure the dog is confident and everyone stays safe. And we discussed what to bring on the trip – hint: Amelia does not travel light! I hope this episode becomes your holiday listen as you drive to your holiday home or campsite. I also hope that you and your rescue dog have a wonderful summer! About Amelia: As a dog trainer for five years now, Amelia has worked with dogs around the world. She believes in force-free, science-based positive training, and she has the qualifications to prove it (Victoria Stilwell Academy, IMDT, IAABC, Dunbar Academy, Charterer Practitioner with Animal Behaviour Charter). Amelia has also appeared on TV, and she is an ambassador for The Pack Project. ameliathedogtrainer.com Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction and travel setup for rescue dogs 01:02 — Helping dogs adjust to new environments 03:26 — Age and experience differences in socialization 04:40 — Introducing dogs to water, livestock, and unfamiliar settings 07:28 — Building routines and confidence in new places 09:21 — Managing stress, zoomies, and over-arousal 12:22 — City vs. rural socialization challenges 13:04 — Herding instinct, livestock, and reactivity 16:29 — Helping dogs around livestock and unfamiliar animals 17:43 — Reset cues and creating space 18:18 — Keeping dogs safely on lead around livestock 18:58 — Chasing instincts and emergency recall 20:54 — Building strong recall foundations 22:33 — Choosing a recall cue that works 23:45 — Why play and connection work better than punishment 25:33 — Managing beach zoomies without taking away the fun 29:34 — What to pack when travelling with your dog 32:21 — Beach heat and swimming safety 32:53 — Closing remarks Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Jul 11

    Behind the lens of 'Perros': The reality of Spain's stray dogs with filmmaker Paul Murphy

    Paul Murphy didn’t plan on making a documentary about a dog pound in the south of Spain. He just went there to pick up a dog, Ryan, whom Paul was adopting and who was too sick to travel. But when the advertising photographer arrived at the shelter, it gripped him. “I did take my camera, because I wanted to shoot a short advert for the charity through which I was adopting, Spanish Stray Dogs,” he tells me on the Wunderdog Podcast. “But I quickly realised there was a story here. I couldn’t stop filming.” Paul ended up returning several times to Los Barrios, the sizeable shelter in Andalucia, not far from Gibraltar. Not speaking Spanish turned out to be no problem for Paul – the people he met had a story to tell, and he simply let them. “I chose not to narrate the film, as the people had often quite a poetic way of talking.” Perros hasn’t just shifted Paul’s perspective: it shifted mine, too. We have a dog from Los Barrios, a complex little girl with great anxieties and, yet, a huge capacity for love. Tara came to the UK via Spanish Stray Dogs as well, and seeing Los Barrios in this film opened my eyes to her life before she was adopted. You can watch Perros now on perrosthemovie.com for £8.99. Every paid view helps the Los Barrios municipal pound moved to safer ground (away from its current flood-prone location). If you are interested in adopting a dog from Los Barrios, please visitSpanish Stray Dogs. 0:00 – Intro 2:00 – Welcome to Paul & congratulations on Paros 2:33 – How Paul first discovered Los Barrios 3:06 – Rocky, Goku & the story of Ryan 5:59 – First visit to the dog pond — an emotional reckoning 7:04 – Making the film without speaking Spanish 9:40 – The gift of not understanding: letting subjects speak for themselves 11:52 – Cultural attitudes to animals in Spain 14:44 – The castration issue and the stray dog population 17:03 – The little black spaniel: the film's most emotional scene 19:22 – Brexit dogs and the surprising variety of abandonment 21:08 – Reasons for hope: adoptions and happy endings 23:16 – The Mustang mummy scene 27:44 – Politics, legislation and the hunting lobby 31:36 – How municipal pounds became sanctuaries 34:53 – How making Paros changed Paul personally 37:43 – Using film as a tool for animal welfare 40:14 – All animal suffering matters: speciesism 43:48 – The Flicker Donkey Sanctuary 45:56 – Dogs as a gateway to animal welfare 47:43 – The floods threatening Los Barrios 50:59 – Los Barrios' plans for a new home 52:45 – How to watch and support Paros 53:15 – Closing thoughts 55:04 – Ryan's update Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  4. Jun 11

    Behind the headlines of Ridgland Farm with Shannon Keith of Beagle Freedom Project

    Never before have pictures of riot police tear-gassing animal rights campaigners in broad daylight made the news. The scenes this April at Ridgland Farm, where beagles were bred for the animal testing industry, made the news across the US and on our social media. Direct rescuers stormed the kennels, where dogs were kept in barren metal cages, and ran out with as many dogs as they could. Very few made it out. All the while, behind the scenes, another group of activists tried to free the Ridgland beagles. While a special prosecutor had agreed a plea deal with the business operators, who had amassed hundreds of USDA violations for animal welfare offences, it wasn’t clear what would happen to the dogs. “They also sell them for parts,” explains Shannon Keith on our podcast. The animal rights attorney worked with the Centre for Humane Economy to get the dogs released. And eventually, while all hell broke loose at the Ridgland gates, the quiet negotiations were successful, and 1,500 beagles were released. “It’s epic,” says Shannon on our podcast. She tells us about how her rescue organisation Beagle Freedom Project (BFP) works with the Dane County Humane Society where the freed dogs get triaged, before transporting them either to its numerous partners across the US or directly to fosters and adopters. You can see videos of the ongoing release drives on BFP’s YouTube channel. And then, there is also Shannon’s pride and joy: Freedom Farm. “I kept writing letters every year to animal testing facilities in the US, asking if we could rehome the dogs and cats they were no longer using,” she tells me. Eventually, the owner of one farm bit and allowed Shannon’s team in to reheome some of his animals he used to test flea and tick treatments. They struck up a relationship, and one day, Shannon asked him if he would sell his farm to them and seize his business. After some negotiations, he did just that, and Shannon turned the animal testing site into Freedom Farm. At the farm, BFP also houses the many other species that have been rescued from test labs – from alpacas to pigs, it’s not just beagles that are being used by an industry whose ‘results’ fail in more than 97% of human applications. Shannon has worked as animal rights attorney for 15 years, and she has chalked up a number of victories. We have written about BFP three times in Wunderdog Magazine, as a main feature (issue 7), a story about its (short-lived) foray into the UK (issue 8), and about Freedom Farm (issue 9). I am proud to bring Shannon’s story to you as a podcast, where we discuss everything from Ridgland to Freedom Farm, the legislative wrangling that goes on behind the scenes, and how beagles are doing once they are freed. We also talk about giving these dogs a name, and why Shannon considers them newborns in adult bodies. If you are wondering how you can help to end animal testing, one simple step is to boycott products that have been tested. BFP developed the Cruelty Cutter app: simply scan a product and check whether it was tested on animals. If it does, it takes one click to notify the manufacturer that you are boycotting their products, and you can also share your decision on social media. The app is free and works worldwide. To find out more, head to bfp.org Time stamps: Introduction and background 0:01 - Beagle Freedom Project and negotiations for beagle release 0:29 - Episode introduction by Nina May Rescue efforts and challenges 2:30 - Shannon Keith introduces Beagle Freedom Project 4:44 - Discussion on Ridgland Farms and legal challenges Freedom Fields and adoption stories 12:29 - Status of rescued beagles and adoption efforts 17:23 - Story of Freedom Fields and its transformation Industry overview and future goals 28:48 - Overview of animal testing industry and Beagle Freedom Project's mission 39:29 - Discussion on financial and legal challenges in activism Closing Remarks 45:46 - Shannon Keith's final thoughts and Cruelty Cutter app 46:54 - Episode closing Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  5. Jun 4

    Shutdown Campaigns to end greyhound racing in England, with Norb Gordon

    The campaigner behind Shutdown Campaigns and Greyhound Watch on watching all the falls and incidents on tracks, holding the Greyhound Board of Great Britain to account, and a big greyhound march end of July. Time stamps: 00:00 The Journey Begins: Childhood and Animal Care01:20 Campaigning for Change: Shutdown Campaigns04:04 Greyhound Watch: Monitoring and Reporting09:32 The Data Dilemma: Transparency in Greyhound Racing15:56 The Industry’s Response: Cooperation and Resistance21:09 A Shift in Momentum: Bans in Wales and Scotland29:19 Changing Perceptions: The Argument Against Greyhound Racing Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  6. May 29

    The Cost of Cute with Caroline Jenkins, Head of Campaigns at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

    “Awww cute,” you might think when you see Battersea’s latest poster campaign: a pug face in profile, looking up and looking cute. Or does it? The dog’s snot is visually extended with curved copy: “Squishy little face. Struggling with short little breaths. Every. Single. Day.” “The campaign takes the audience on a journey,” explains Caroline Jenkins, Batterea’s head of campaigns. “People see this massively cute picture of an animal. They then read the copy, feel slightly guilty about their initial reaction, and then, it makes them think. And that’s what we want to do. We want to prompt reconsideration around what people see as cute and what they then would want to take on.” Caroline says of the visuals: “The shape that the copy forms is the original shape of a pug’s face.” Other motifs include a tail-less dog and a cat with a folded ear. These kind of pets feature heavily in our media landscape, and Battersea has found in its research that, for younger people, these animals are becoming the new normal. “We found that people under 45 see animals virtually more than in real life, which is startling. And these features are becoming normalised.” But Caroline is careful not to patronise or dismiss current owners of these pets. The campaign aims to help buyers make a more informed decision next time they get a pet. “Ultimately, it’s demand that drives these features. So, if we can influence that, we are on the right track.” As one of the UK’s top five charities, Battersea takes in the dogs and cats that have been either abandoned or relinquished by their owners. The flat-faced Frenchie has been not only Britain’s most popular dog, it was also the most abandoned due to its many – costly – health issues resulting from its severe deformities. The Frenchie has recently been surpassed by the miniature dachshund – another dog with severe features. And cats – as well as other species – are increasingly being bred to meet the sick aesthetic normalised in the media. While Caroline doesn’t want to put a price on what it costs the charity each time one of these pets comes in, she is clear that both animals and their distressed owners suffer. “No one wants to see their animal suffer, let alone their beloved pet,” she says. “But they may not understand some of the challenges that come with these animals, whether that’s additional vet costs and the emotional cost of seeing their animal suffer. And unfortunately, sometimes, that leads to people having to relinquish their animal when they can no longer care for them. So, that’s what we want to stop; we want to reduce preventable relinquishment and make sure that people can live really good, happy lives with their pets that are happy and healthy.” In this podcast episode, Caroline talks us through the campaign development and what current brachycephalic pet owners want others to know. We also talk about the Renters’ Rights Act, which was revised this month to allow sitting tenants to acquire a pet, and about The Royal Kennel Club’s new breed assessment. And we chat about Caroline’s own pet … a cat. To find out more about the campaign, head to Battersea.org.uk/costofcute Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Cost of Cute Campaign 02:18 Battersea's Role in Animal Welfare 03:09 The Impact of social media on pet choices 06:38 Understanding the health risks of brachycephalic breeds 10:19 Conversations with The Royal Kennel Club and regulations 11:53 Public perception and campaign reception 15:44 The debate on crossbreeding for health 18:03 Adoption trends and breed preferences 20:14 The long-term impact of the campaign 21:28 Advertising and media influence on pet ownership 23:04 Financial implications of health issues in pets 24:44 Challenges faced by smaller charities 26:20 Legislative changes and pet-friendly housing, aka The Renter's Rights Act 28:29 The role of government in breeding regulations 29:13 Caroline on her own cat 30:21 The rise of extreme features in cats 32:40 The need for compassionate conversations 34:57 Addressing addiction to pets with specific needs 38:02 Empowering informed choices in pet ownership Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  7. May 18

    Rehome the Hounds: A campaign to rescue the hounds once trail hunting is banned

    In this episode of the Wunderdog Podcast, host Nina May introduces the group Rehome the Hounds and discusses how fox hounds can be adopted once the hunting ban comes in. We focus on the loopholes that allow trail hunting to continue despite a ban and discuss the Rehome the Hounds campaign, which aims to address misconceptions about the fate of hounds if hunting is banned.“Rehome the Hounds is trying to show people that hounds can be rehabilitated, can become pets, can come into families, can find homes with the right support, the right guidance, the right framework, and finding the right adopters for them,” said dog rescuer Laura Walker on our podcast.Protect the Wild campaigner Charlotte Smith explained that the group is lining up dog charities to help with a potential influx of dogs when trail hunting finally be outlawed, and they are working to educate the public as well as MPs about the hunters’ last-ditch arguments.Dog trainer Amelia Steele is not worried about the hunters’ argument that these scent-trained dogs cannot live in normal homes. “You can give them the things that they love, like chasing things and following sense and working with you without the downsides of getting stuck in barbed wire or running in front of a train or getting shot. I think that’s a really, really important thing to get out there.”In this short episode, the trio lays out their arguments. The consultation by Defra on trail hunting end on 18 June. (This episode is audio only.) Further contacts: Charlotte Smith: protectthewild.org.uk, Instagram: @protectthewild__ Amelia Steele: Instagram @ameliathedogtrainer Laura Walker: thepackproject.org, Instagram @thepackprojectuk Time stamps: 00:00 — Introduction: fox hunting and the trail-hunting loophole 01:16 — Why the hounds are central to the debate 02:22 — Introducing Rehome the Hounds 02:56 — Meet the campaign’s founders 03:56 — Why the campaign began 05:07 — The current welfare crisis for hunting hounds 07:18 — What the government is saying about a ban 09:03 — Can foxhounds be safely rehomed? 11:10 — Managing high prey drive in rescue dogs 13:53 — Building a practical rehoming network 15:31 — The different types of hunting hounds 16:02 — Is dialogue with hunts possible? 18:11 — How the campaign will help rescues and hounds 19:58 — Could the ban still fail? 20:28 — How listeners can respond to the consultation 21:33 — Closing thoughts 22:04 — Where to find campaign resources and support Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  8. May 1

    The Dog Show with Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne

    Dogs, art and lifelong friendships are the topics of this special episode. Artist Joanna Osborne explains this month-long art show in her Brighton home, while painter Sally Muir reflects on their friendship and the artists they selected for this year's exhibition. You can visit the Brighton Dog Show every weekend in May. You don’t have to book anything – just bring yourself, your pooch – and prepare to buy a piece of dog art. You can find all the information on thedogshowbrighton.com Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  9. Apr 30

    Emergency podcast: Nowzad's Pen Farthing in Ukraine

    In this emergency episode of the Wunderdog Podcast, I’m speaking to Pen Farthing, the founder of Nowzad, since he is in Eastern Ukraine as Russian forces are advancing.  Pen is a British former Royal Marines commando, although today he is mainly known as a leading dog rescuer. His transformation began around 2007, when he was stationed on a peace-keeping mission in Helmand Province inAfghanistan, where he broke up a street dog fight. One of the dogs adopted him, and eventually he adopted the dog and called him Nowzad, after the town they were stationed in.  That chance meeting turned into a charity: Pen sought to reunite four-legged battle buddies with service personnel who had finished their tour. Often, soldiers returned home wounded or traumatised, and having their Afghan dogs by their side helped their recovery. Over time, Nowzad – the charity – grew into a sizeable operation that included an animal hospital in Kabul.  Then, in the spring of 2021, the US and UK forces suddenly announced they were pulling out of the country. It was clear that neither Pen, as a Westerner, nor the Nowzad staff, as collaborators, would be safe, so Pen arranged to evacuate everyone, including the dogs and cats in their care. He named it Operation Ark, which turned into an almighty political saga.  I met Pen when he had returned to the UK and settled into a home in Devon, for the cover story of issue 5. I still remember the day: the press coverage of the withdrawal from Afghanistan was brutal, yet here he was, sitting in the sunshine, drinking tea and petting his three Afghan dogs. Mission accomplished.  But that calm was never going to last, as Pen contemplated what to do next.  The war in Ukraine would only start five months later, and as Pen said in our podcast, he didn’t have another active war zone on his Bingo card for Nowzad. But the charity has the knowledge to help in these extreme situations, and eventually, Pen headed to Eastern Ukraine to help people with their pets and shelters with the repair works after Russian attacks.  But the situation is getting ever more serious. Yesterday, April 29th, Nowzad announced it was staging a major operation in the town of Kramatorsk, as Russian forces are only 7 kilometres away, and an entire shelter needs to be evacuated. Please share this podcast episode to help Pen spread the word. And if you can, please donate at nowzad.com  Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  10. Apr 4

    Caron Lane, CEO of Forever Hounds Trust

    Wunderdog's editor Nina May chats with Forever Hounds Trust CEO Caron Lane about the recent bans on greyhound racing in Wales and Scotland and why the Trust has changed its stance to support a full ban on racing. Caron also explains the huge variations she sees in kennels – from starte-of-art to wooden crate – and how they assess each dog to ensure a perfect fit for adopters. Caron also talks about her background in psychology and how working with children with learning disabilities shows parallels in her work with dogs. Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Greyhound Racing Ban 00:21 Caron Lane's Reaction to the Ban 00:50 Catalyst for Anti-Racing Stance 01:25 Long-term Welfare Concerns in Racing 02:33 Mark Roskell’s Emotional Speech 03:03 Risks and Injuries in Racing Dogs 04:22 Why Racing Continues in England 05:43 The Role of Betting Shops in Racing 07:08 Rehoming Efforts and Strategies 08:16 Impact of the Ban on Rescue Dogs 10:01 Legislative Progress in England 11:11 Global Perspective on Greyhound Racing 12:24 Support from Trainers and Owners 14:02 Issues of Drug Use and Welfare 16:25 Kennel Conditions and Animal Welfare 18:15 Involvement of Authorities in Welfare Cases 19:06 Caron Lane’s Background and Motivation 20:44 The Human-Animal Connection in Rescue 22:06 Charity Support and Future Plans 23:52 Meet Tiger, the Rescue Dog Get full access to Wunderdog Magazine at wunderdog.substack.com/subscribe

  • 10 Episodes

About

Wunderdog brings you the raw, inspiring, and deeply moving stories from the frontlines of dog rescue. From tireless campaigners and dog experts to the adopters who found their soulmates and the creatives honouring them all, we dive deep into the culture of compassion. 🎙️ New episodes every Thursday! wunderdog.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Wunderdog
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Wunderdog
  • Show Website
    Wunderdog Podcast