The Animal Wellness Podcast

Two recent deaths—a carriage horse named Deniz and an 18-year-old tourist named Romanch Mahajan—have reignited one of New York City's longest-running animal welfare debates. As momentum builds to end horse-drawn carriage rides in Manhattan, host Joseph Grove sits down with two of the movement's leading voices to discuss what may be the industry's defining moment.

For generations, horse-drawn ...

For decades, the world’s top soccer players laced up boots made from the skins of wild kangaroos. Manufacturers claimed kangaroo leather offered unmatched performance, and millions of kangaroos were commercially killed across Australia each year to supply the global athletic footwear industry.

That story has changed dramatically.

In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, ho...

What began as one of the largest dog rescue efforts in American history may become a turning point in the movement to end animal testing.

In this special episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove takes listeners inside the remarkable rescue of approximately 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin, a commercial breeding facility that supplied dogs for laboratory experimentation.

Ten years ago, Wayne Pacelle, head of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, made a disruptive case in “The Humane Economy: How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers Are Transforming the Lives of Animals.” He argued that the biggest gains for animals would come not just from laws, but from the marketplace—through corporate pressure, consumer demand, and economic incentives.

What if the idea that humans stand above all other animals isn’t a scientific truth—but a cultural myth?

In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove is joined by primatologist and NYU professor Christine Webb, author of “The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters,” for a wide-ranging conversation about how deeply ingraine...

Military working dogs are among the most highly trained and loyal members of America’s armed forces. They detect explosives, patrol bases, and protect U.S. service members in some of the world’s most dangerous environments. Their work saves lives.

But what happens when these animals, who serve alongside our troops, are failed by the very system responsible for their care?

In thi...

In this episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines the rapidly changing landscape of American horse racing—an industry facing growing scrutiny over safety, doping, and the welfare of racehorses. A series of high-profile breakdowns and medication scandals, including the troubling spike in horse deaths at Churchill Downs during the 2023 Kentucky Derby week, intensified nation...

In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines the mounting scientific and policy concerns surrounding lead ammunition — a persistent environmental toxin with consequences that extend far beyond the hunt.

Each year, tons of lead from spent bullets and shotgun pellets are discharged into America’s landscapes. On impact, that lead fragments into carcasses and gu...

Dogfighting is often misunderstood as a relic of the past — or as a cruelty confined to the margins of society. In reality, organized fighting networks continue to operate across the United States, leaving behind a pipeline of animals who are brutalized, discarded, and in urgent need of highly specialized care.

In this episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines the cont...

Why do we love some animals as family while treating others as commodities?

In this episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove is joined by Melanie Joy, Ph.D. — Harvard-educated psychologist, international speaker, and author of the landmark book, “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows.”

Dr. Joy introduces and explores the concept of ...

Despite the closure of U.S. horse slaughter plants nearly two decades ago, tens of thousands of American horses are still exported every year to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. The practice persists quietly, fueled by policy loopholes, weak enforcement, and public misunderstanding—while horses who once served as companions, athletes, and working partners pay the price.

In this episode of the ...

What if we could produce real meat—without animals?

For decades, the animal-welfare movement has worked to reduce suffering by changing laws, corporate practices, and consumer behavior. Those efforts have delivered meaningful progress. And yet, billions of animals are still raised and killed each year for food.

That reality raises an urgent question—one that would have sounded l...

In early 2024, a video emerged from western Wyoming showing a wolf being chased down by a snowmobile, brought into a bar, tormented, and killed. The man at the center of the video, Cody Roberts, has since been criminally charged and pleaded not guilty—turning a viral act of cruelty into a legal test of Wyoming’s animal protection laws.

In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, we examin...

For decades, dominant narratives in evolutionary biology have told us that conflict, competition, and dominance are the fundamental drivers of social life — both in animals and humans. But what if that story is not only incomplete, but misleading?

In this deeply reflective conversation, host Joseph Grove sits down with Dr. Shirley C. Strum, the pioneering primatologist behind “Echoe...

This episode features Steve Dale, one of the nation’s most trusted voices on companion-animal behavior. For decades, Steve has helped millions of pet guardians better understand the animals who share their lives—through his long-running radio show “Steve Dale’s Pet World,” national television appearances, and more than a dozen books translating animal-behavior science into practical,...

In this year-end episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove is joined by Animal Wellness Action leaders to reflect on major wins for animals in 2025—and the critical fights ahead in 2026.

In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, we explore the extraordinary true story behind “Penelope: The World of Each Other” with author Paul Bochner. His memoir recounts a years-long relationship with a disabled, abandoned fawn who appeared unexpectedly on his property. What began as a simple act of compassion evolved into a profound interspecies bond—one built on trust, pa...

In February 2023, Flaco—a majestic Eurasian eagle-owl—made headlines after escaping the Central Park Zoo when vandals damaged his enclosure. Born in captivity and confined for more than 13 years, few expected him to survive in the wild. But Flaco defied the odds, becoming a symbol of resilience and freedom as he soared over Manhattan, hunting rats and perching on high-rises—even doing some peeping-to...

From the running of the bulls in Spain to groundhog weather predictions in Pennsylvania, festivals featuring animals exist all over the world. Some are celebrated as cultural treasures, while others are seen as outdated, even cruel. These events often raise difficult questions: Are they harmless fun, or do they exploit animals for human entertainment? Do traditions justify practices that might otherwise be considered ...