The Animal Advocate

Penny Ellison, Animal Advocacy Academy

Welcome to The Animal Advocate, the podcast for animal lovers who want to become effective animal advocates. Whether you want to start your own nonprofit, inspire your community to adopt more animal-friendly practices, or push for legislative change, this podcast is here to arm you with the knowledge and inspiration you need. With over 20 years of experience in animal law and advocacy, your host, Penny Ellison, is a long-time devoted animal advocate. From teaching Animal Law and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania Law School to serving on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania SPCA and founding the nonprofit Hand2Paw, Penny's mission is to educate animal lovers like you to advocate for greater protections for animals, to inspire individual action to protect habitat, and help you make ethical choices every day. If you're eager to learn and make a meaningful impact, feeling frustrated by the current political climate, and wondering how to make a difference, let The Animal Advocate be your guide. Join us each episode to learn about topics like what makes a strong or weak animal cruelty law, the different types of animal shelters, environmental practices that impact the lives of wild animals, and practical advice on things to consider before starting an animal rescue. Be sure to check out our website, www.animaladvocacyacademy.com, for more resources on how to be a better animal advocate and to learn more about our online courses. Remember – you don't need any credentials to be an advocate. Anyone can be the positive change you want to see! Compassion is great but compassionate action is infinitely better.

  1. 4d ago

    Miranda's Rescue: How 138 Dogs Disappeared After Being "Saved"

    On April 25th, a man in Fortuna, California sent a shelter worker a photo of a dog named Zora on a leash, with two words: "Zora adopted." Days later, Zora's body was recovered from a burial site behind Miranda's Rescue. She had never been adopted. She had been shot. Miranda's Rescue was a registered nonprofit that called itself a no-kill sanctuary. Shelters across California sent it their hardest dogs, and often paid it to take them. Investigators have since recovered the remains of at least 138 dogs from the property, with more than 700 still unaccounted for. How does that happen? Not through one monster acting alone, but through a system full of people who believed they were saving dogs, delivering animals and money to that property for years with no reliable way to know what happened next. This episode traces how a "rescued" dog can vanish, and lays out the small, achievable fixes that would make the next Miranda's much harder to hide. In this episode, you'll learn: Why paying a rescue at intake, rather than for outcomes, creates an incentive that can be quietly exploited How a transfer counted as a "live release" can conceal what actually happened to a dog Why vetting a rescue at the front end may not be enough How Colorado has published a public intake-and-outcome ledger for shelters and rescues for 26 years Two things any shelter can do right now, without new laws, to make deception risky The questions to ask before you recommend a rescue or sanctuary to anyone Key Takeaway: A dog leaving a shelter is an event, not an outcome. Getting an animal out the door is only rescue if someone has to report what happened later. Want to build the skills to turn a story like this into real change in your own community? Start with the free private audio series on the Four C's of Legislative Advocacy for Animals.: AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs

  2. Jun 19

    Philadelphia Bans Carriage Horses. Will New York?

    Philadelphia just did something New York still won't: it banned horse-drawn carriages. Earlier this month, Philadelphia banned horse-drawn carriages for good. Penny helped get that bill passed, and in this episode she tells the inside story of how it got done, then turns to the harder question: why New York, where a young man just died, still hasn't acted, and what advocates there have to do before this moment slips away. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the Philadelphia companies closing was in part luck, not strategy, and what the real strategy was How to foresee loopholes while there is still time to close them  Why banning an entire use of animals is hard but CAN get done if public opinion supports it How to spot the substitute "reform" bill that gets passed instead of a ban, and quietly kills it Key Takeaway: Law doesn't create public opinion, it follows it, so the advocate's job is to build the record, watch for the opening, and when the moment comes, ask for the law that prevents the harm instead of the smallest fix you think you can get. If you want to move policy in your own community, or build the skills to do it well, you can access the free private audio series on the Four C's of Legislative Advocacy for Animals here: AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs

  3. Jun 10

    The Win Column: 7 Recent Legislative Wins for Animals

    We spend a lot of time on this show talking about problems that need to be fixed. This episode does the opposite. It's a roundup of recent wins for animals, most of them from this year, on the issues we come back to again and again, and most of them happening at the city and county level where your voice carries the most weight. From a statewide pet store ban in Colorado to a spay and neuter program brought back from the dead by the residents of Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the first time New York City ever put animal welfare in its budget, these are the victories that don't always make the news but should. Every one of them started with advocates who looked at a problem everyone treated as permanent and decided it wasn't. The point isn't just to celebrate. It's to hand you an idea you could bring home to your town. We talk about: Why local ordinances are often an effective path to a statewide law, using Colorado's pet store ban as the model How the people of one Arkansas city reversed a budget cut to their spay and neuter program, and what that says about the need to defend the wins you already have How Texas made its first major investment in spay and neuter by framing it as public health and taxpayer savings, and why the application window closed early when demand far exceeded the funding Why New York City putting animal welfare in its budget for the first time is an example  other cities will notice What persistence looks like in practice, from a pet store ban that took years and mutiple tries to get across the line Key Takeaway: Almost none of these wins happened because a lawmaker woke up with the idea. They happened because constituents kept showing up, sometimes for years, and that means the next one could start with you. If this episode left you thinking about a change you'd like to see where you live, I created a short private audio series called The Four C's of Legislative Advocacy for Animals. It lays out a practical framework for advocates who want laws that work in the real world. You can access it free at AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs.

  4. May 28

    Outside Dogs and the Law: How Support Keeps Dogs Out of Shelters

    When a dog lives outside 24/7, the first instinct for a lot of animal lovers is to report it as animal cruelty. But what happens when humane law enforcement shows up, finds food, water, and shelter, and determines there's no violation to act on? The dog is still outside. They need more to be comfortable and healthy, mentally and physically.  But the law doesn't demand it. That gap, between what the law requires and what a dog needs to live a good life, is where Underdogs of Philly does their work. In this episode, I talk with Cara Brand and Caroline Lipinski of Underdogs of Philly about a model that most animal advocates have never considered: partnering with owners who keep their dogs outside, meeting them with resources instead of judgment, and improving conditions for dogs the law can't help and the shelter has no room to take in. We get into why removal isn't the answer most people assume it is, how trust gets built one knock at a time, and how this kind of community support directly prevents surrenders to an already overcrowded city shelter. In this episode, you'll learn: Why a dog kept outside with adequate food, water, and shelter is often within the law, even if the living situation is far from ideal How meeting owners with support rather than judgment changes outcomes for dogs the shelter system can't serve The connection between human poverty and animal welfare, and why helping the person helps the animal How spay/neuter incentives work when cost and transportation barriers are removed Why preventing a surrender before an owner reaches the shelter lobby matters so much How to start this kind of work in your own community, even without a formal organization Key Takeaway: When the law is satisfied but a dog still needs more, supporting owners where they are keeps dogs out of shelters and helps the animals and people the system leaves out. Want to move policy in your community, or build the skills to do it well? You can access the free private audio series, The Four C's of Legislative Advocacy for Animals, at AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs.

  5. May 20

    Why Animal Advocates Need a 501(c)(4): Allie Taylor of Voters for Animal Rights

    Most animal welfare organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits.  But in this episode, we talk about why advocates focused on law and policy should think about starting a 501(c)(4) instead.  If you find all those IRS code section references confusing (or boring), this episode will clarify the difference and show you what a 501(c)(4) can accomplish politically that a 501(c)(3) can't. Allie Taylor is the founder and president of Voters for Animal Rights and, under her leadership VFAR has racked up nearly a dozen legislative wins for animals in New York over the past 10 years. In this conversation, we go through what made those wins possible and what those wins have changed for animals in New York. In this episode, you'll learn: The legal and practical difference between a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4) How VFAR uses candidate endorsements to build relationships with elected officials The story behind New York City's foie gras ban and the litigation keeping it from being enforced How a law banning the sale of guinea pigs in pet stores drove a 70% drop in shelter surrenders How VFAR holds elected officials accountable for the commitments they make on the campaign trail Why Allie thinks animal advocates spend too much time protesting and not enough time phone banking Key Takeaway: If you want to change the law for animals, you need an organization that can endorse and oppose candidates, and that means a 501(c)(4). If you want to move policy in your community, or build the skills to do it well, you can access the free private audio series on the Four Cs at AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs.

  6. May 7

    Should Rescues Import Dogs When Local Shelters Are Full?

    Should rescues and shelters be importing dogs from other states when local shelters are full and dogs here are being euthanized for space? It feels like there should be an obvious answer. Help the dogs already here first. But the obvious answer misses something important. And the dogs caught in the middle of this debate, including the long-stay pit mixes and the easier-to-place dogs being euthanized in southern shelters, are paying for the fact that nobody is asking the right question. In this episode, Penny takes a mediator's view of one of the most contentious debates in animal welfare. She walks through what each side gets right, what each side misses, and where responsible importing organizations have to draw the line. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the "no imports" argument is consistent with advocating for the dogs who need help, and where it falls short The economic argument that explains why rescues import easier-to-place dogs from out of state What "benefactor dogs" are and why some rescues fail without them The 2 minimum standards every responsible importing rescue should meet What the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement says about transport in its own guidelines The 2 questions to ask any rescue before you adopt or donate Key Takeaway: The way out of the binary import-or-don't-import debate is not to pick a side. It's to set baseline standards every responsible importing organization should be meeting, and to give every adopter and donor the questions that make those standards stick. Want to learn how to turn your compassion for animals into effective legislative advocacy? Get free access to The 4 C's of Legislative Advocacy for Animals at AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs

  7. Apr 24

    Designer Dogs, Shelter Dogs, and the Small Shift That Would Save Lives

    When most people decide to get a dog, they start with a picture in their head — a breed, a look, a particular idea of what the dog at the end of the leash should be. That picture is filling America's shelters. Hundreds of thousands of dogs are euthanized for space every year, not because they're sick or dangerous, but because the buyers who could have chosen them chose a specific breed of puppy instead. In this episode, Penny Ellison walks through the math of a problem the animal welfare community rarely talks about directly. The dogs dying in shelters for space aren't dying because Americans don't love dogs. They're dying because of how we choose dogs — and a surprisingly small shift in buyer behavior would eliminate the need to euthanize dogs for space entirely. The episode also takes on a quieter version of the same problem inside the adoption movement itself, asking what the word "rescue" actually means when popular dogs get adopted in hours and harder-to-place dogs wait for months. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "kill shelters" is the wrong frame, and who is really making the choices that fill the kennels What the research on dog acquisition says about appearance, status, and the hidden role of identity in breed selection Why the predictability people think they're buying in a breeder puppy is often more reliably found in an adult shelter dog The specific math: how a shift of roughly 1 in 6 to 1 in 10 buyers becoming adopters would end killing for space Why the word "rescue" has gotten muddy — and what it should mean The dogs who need advocates to choose them on purpose, because nobody else is coming The one conversation that matters more than any campaign Key Takeaway: The dogs dying in our shelters for space aren't dying because Americans don't love dogs. They're dying because of how we choose, and that is something we can change. If this episode shifted how you think about the connection between buyer behavior and shelter outcomes, and you want to build the skills to move policy in your community, you can access the free private audio series on the Four C's of Legislative Advocacy for Animals at AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs.

  8. Apr 15

    How to Fund Spay/Neuter Programs: Lessons from States That Got It Done

    Spay/neuter access is one of the most effective tools for reducing shelter intake, but in most states it's chronically underfunded. Five states have figured out how to change that, and the way they did it is more politically achievable than you might expect. In this episode, Penny Ellison shares what she learned from her fellow panelists at the Humane World for Animals Animal Care Expo, where advocates from New Mexico and Delaware presented the funding models that are producing real results. In this episode, you'll learn: Why voluntary funding mechanisms like license plates and tax check-offs help get a program started but often generate only a fraction of what these programs need How a mandatory fee on pet food manufacturers became the funding source driving measurable outcomes in five states What the successful programs have in common How to propose and pass a bill to fund spay/neuter in your state using The Four C's Framework What the PURR Act is and why advocates working on this issue need to be watching it Key Takeaway: Five states have proven the model works. Euthanasia rates are down as much as 43%. Now we need advocates in other states to bring it home. If today's episode gave you a new way to think about spay/neuter funding in your state, I created a short private audio series called The Four C's of Legislative Advocacy for Animals. You can download it free at AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/fourcs. For show notes and resources mentioned in this episode, visit AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com.

See All (50)

Trailer

5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Animal Advocate, the podcast for animal lovers who want to become effective animal advocates. Whether you want to start your own nonprofit, inspire your community to adopt more animal-friendly practices, or push for legislative change, this podcast is here to arm you with the knowledge and inspiration you need. With over 20 years of experience in animal law and advocacy, your host, Penny Ellison, is a long-time devoted animal advocate. From teaching Animal Law and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania Law School to serving on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania SPCA and founding the nonprofit Hand2Paw, Penny's mission is to educate animal lovers like you to advocate for greater protections for animals, to inspire individual action to protect habitat, and help you make ethical choices every day. If you're eager to learn and make a meaningful impact, feeling frustrated by the current political climate, and wondering how to make a difference, let The Animal Advocate be your guide. Join us each episode to learn about topics like what makes a strong or weak animal cruelty law, the different types of animal shelters, environmental practices that impact the lives of wild animals, and practical advice on things to consider before starting an animal rescue. Be sure to check out our website, www.animaladvocacyacademy.com, for more resources on how to be a better animal advocate and to learn more about our online courses. Remember – you don't need any credentials to be an advocate. Anyone can be the positive change you want to see! Compassion is great but compassionate action is infinitely better.

Information

  • Creator
    Penny Ellison, Animal Advocacy Academy
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Animal Advocate

You Might Also Like