Melanie Sue Bowles— founder-director of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary and the author of three books—provides a brief overview of the work she’s done at the sanctuary for nearly 25 years, as a prelude for discussing a momentous Facebook she had recently written. That...
Richard Couto— founder, chief executive director and lead investigator of the Animal Recovery Mission (ARM), the Miami-based organization that made international news recently by leading what’s been called “the largest tactical strike on extreme animal cruelty...
Once in a while, I set aside the chief element of the “Talking Animals” format—a long form interview with a single guest—to offer a debate or some other multi-guest panel discussion. As part of that effort, and a parallel desire to give voice to a broader array of...
Neko Case—the singer-songwriter who has created a large, revered body of work, much of it laced with nature and animal themes—recalls how her lifelong kinship with animals began as a kid whose parents were infrequently present, so she spent a great deal of time...
Avalon Theisen—the 14-year-old Tampa environmentalist, animal advocate, and founder of Conserve It Forward—describes what Conserve It Forward is and does, and what prompted her to launch it 2010 (at age nine). She explains how the organization has evolved,...
Catherine Doyle--Director of Science, Research and Advocacy for the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and a noted, veteran elephant advocate —explains what’s behind her longtime passion for working to improve the welfare of captive elephants, while noting,...
Cheri Thompson--founder of Healing Species, a South Carolina-based program that plucks rescue dogs from shelters and places them in a school program designed to reduce aggression and bullying, while increasing empathy in those classrooms—discusses her formative...
pattrice jones — cofounder of VINE (Veganism Is the Next Evolution) Sanctuary, a 100-acre facility in Vermont that describes itself as an “LGBTQ-run farmed animal sanctuary that has worked to build bridges between the animal advocacy and LGBTQ liberation...
Indra Lahiri — founder of Indraloka Animal Sanctuary in Mehoopany, Pennsylvania, one of the few sanctuaries that houses both farm animals and other species—recalls having a close connection with animals as a child, including being that prototypical neighborhood kid...
Mariesa and Chris Hughes — co-founders of the Mr. Mo Project, which places senior shelter dogs, who are sometimes also ill (and therefore often strong candidates to be euthanized) into ongoing foster homes, underwriting the dogs’ medical and food costs for the...
