Thomas Ponce—the 15-year-old activist and founder (at age 12) of Florida-based Lobby For Animals—recalls the circumstances that triggered his precocious interest in animal activism, as well as how hearing about the importance of lobbying at an animal rights...
Caitlin O’Connell—one of the elephant experts featured in “Mind of a Giant,” a Nat Geo Wild documentary special premiering June 19—recalls how she did not grow up with a particular fascination or love for elephants, noting her earlier academic work was in...
Nicole Green—director of Animalearn, an organization that promotes humane science education, and helps educational institutions, from elementary school through medical and veterinary school—recounts the history and evolution of Animalearn, launched in 1990 by the...
Helena Kriel—founder of Baby Rhino Rescue, which seeks to raise awareness of the rhino poaching crisis, and raise money for the care of baby rhinos who’ve become orphaned through that poaching—recalls her formative years in South Africa, growing up with a strong...
Anita Krajnc—the animal rights activist who co-founded Toronto Pig Save (spawning The Save Movement)—discusses her arrest for giving water to a truckload of thirsty pigs on a sweltering day last summer, as the truck was pulling into a Burlington slaughterhouse....
For today’s program, I opted to set aside our regular format, in favor of convening a panel discussion about service animals, propelled largely by the growing trend of people using bogus service animals and emotional support animals. Indeed, a key catalyst for...
Dr. Lori Marino—founder and executive director of the Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy, as well as a neuroscientist and expert in animal behavior and intelligence—explains exactly what a neuroscientist is, and how that academic orientation informs her thinking...
Dr. Ann Weaver—an animal behaviorist conducting a pioneering, long-term, conservation-based study of free-ranging bottle nose dolphins off the coast of St. Petersburg, Florida—explains that she initially gravitated toward dolphins as an academic interest, as...
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...
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,...
