The Animal Wellness Podcast

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.): A rising star in Congress talks about her work for animals | Episode 35

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/)

Rep. Mike Quigley and his fight for lions, tigers—and roosters | Episode 34

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/)

Milk: It Does a Body Bad | Episode 33

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/)

Team Biden: Are they helping animals? | Episode 32

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/)

Minks, COVID and captivity: What's bad for them is bad for us--Episode 31

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/)
 

Emotions, Spirituality and the Rich, Valuable Lives of Animals--Episode 30

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/)

Wild horses and the fight against round-ups and slaughter | Episode 29

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/)

Bob Baffert, doping and an industry in need of further reform--Episode 28

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/)