Better Life for Animals

Foxes are intelligent, emotional individuals who form bonds, experience grief, express joy, and have unique personalities. Yet foxes continue to be bred and exploited for the fur industry and exotic pet trade. In this episode of the Better Life for Animals podcast, host Cheryl Moss talks with Nicole Navarro, founder and executive director of Pawsitive Beginnings, a fox sanctuary in Key Largo, Flor...

For more than four decades, Gail Eisnitz has gone where few people are willing to go. As Chief Investigator for the Humane Farming Association, she has spent her career documenting the hidden realities of factory farms and slaughterhouses, exposing cruelty that most consumers never see and many industries would prefer remain hidden. In this powerful episode of Better Life for Animals, host Cheryl...

Most people never see what happens behind the walls of animal testing facilities. In this powerful episode of Better Life for Animals, host Cheryl Moss sits down with animal advocate Pamela Smith to discuss her involvement in the widely publicized open rescue at Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin facility that breeds beagles for laboratory testing. Pamela shares her personal journey from becoming an ethic...

Most people think animal advocacy begins and ends with awareness. But according to Amit Dhuleshia, lasting change for animals requires something much bigger: political action, grassroots organizing, and long-term strategy. In this episode of Better Life for Animals, Cheryl Moss sits down with Amit Dhuleshia, co-founder of Strategic Action for Animals and creator of the Action for Animals app, to d...

What if the animals in our lives are here to teach us how to heal? In this episode of Better Life for Animals , Cheryl Moss welcomes author, animal communicator, Reiki practitioner, and podcast host Stephanie Stephan for a powerful conversation about the emotional wisdom animals carry and the lessons humans can learn from them. Stephanie shares deeply personal stories about rescue animals, sanctua...

Can what we eat really influence the future of the planet? In this episode of the Better Life for Animals Podcast , Cheryl Moss speaks with Matthew Dominguez, U.S. Executive Director of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) , about the far-reaching consequences of factory farming and why transforming our food systems has become one of the most urgent issues of our time. Matthew shares how growing up...

Most people move through life without questioning the systems around them. Then something changes. Maybe it's watching footage from a factory farm. Maybe it's meeting a rescued animal and realizing they are far more emotionally complex than we were taught to believe. Or maybe it's the unsettling realization that the products we once consumed without thought are connected to immense suffering hidde...

Chickens are often overlooked, misunderstood, and treated as commodities. But as Erica Camp of Second Hen'd shares in this powerful episode of Better Life for Animals, spending just a few minutes with a rescued hen can completely change the way people see these intelligent, emotional animals. In this conversation, Erica discusses the heartbreaking reality facing egg-laying hens, the work of rescui...

Why do so many people care deeply about animals, yet still struggle to connect the dots when it comes to farmed animals? In this compelling episode of the Better Life for Animals podcast, Cheryl Moss sits down with Ayelette Robinson for a conversation that goes far beyond veganism and advocacy slogans. Together, they explore the emotional and cultural barriers that shape how society views animals...

What does it really mean for animals to be safe, respected, and protected for life? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jessica Harris, Farmed Animal Program Director at the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), to explore what separates true animal sanctuaries from places that simply use the name. If you care about animal welfare, vegan living, or ethical treatment of farmed anim...

Orangutans are facing rapid extinction due to deforestation, palm oil expansion, and habitat loss. In this episode of Better Life for Animals, Cheryl Moss speaks with Leif Cocks, founder of The Orangutan Project, about what it will take to protect orangutans, restore rainforests, and secure a future for wildlife. Leif shares his journey from working in zoos to becoming a global advocate for orangu...

When Anne Dinshah reflects on the state of the world, one number stands out. When her father helped found the American Vegan Society , an estimated 8 billion land animals were killed each year for food. Today, that number exceeds 80 billion. That staggering shift is exactly why Anne continues her life's work. Not from a place of overwhelm, but from a grounded belief that each of us can do the most...

2,300 animals rescued. Colombia's first farm animal sanctuary. One woman who decided at just five years old that animals were not food—and never looked back. In this episode of Better Life for Animals , Juliana Castañeda shares the powerful journey behind building a sanctuary that has saved more than 2,300 animals and continues to care for nearly 200 at any given time. But what stands out most is...

Change for animals does not happen by chance. It happens when people decide to act. In this episode of Better Life for Animals, Karen Bacon shares her experience working to create real change through focused advocacy efforts. From challenging rodeo practices to mobilizing community support, she breaks down what it takes to move issues forward. This conversation goes beyond awareness and into actio...

Most businesses start with a plan. Dave Graham's did not. A weekend stay at a vegan bed and breakfast in Australia turned into an unexpected opportunity when the owner asked if he could build a website. Dave said yes. That one project led to another, and soon he was working with vegan professionals, nonprofits, and mission-driven businesses around the world. What began as a side project quickly ev...

When people think about social media growth, they usually talk about algorithms, hashtags, or viral tricks. Molly Hodgdon has a different philosophy. People may not remember every post you publish. They may not remember your captions or the details of a campaign. But they will remember how your posts made them feel. And that simple insight has helped Molly raise more than $100,000 for animals, gro...

Sometimes the shift into veganism doesn't happen all at once. It happens in layers. A documentary. A book. A conversation. And then one day something clicks so deeply that you can never see the world the same way again. In this special episode of the Better Life for Animals Podcast , the tables are turned as Kathleen Gage , the producer behind the show and founder of Vegan Visibility , steps in fr...

What happens when a powerful industry operates entirely behind closed doors? Investigative journalist and author Will Potter has spent over a decade answering that question. In this episode of the Better Life for Animals podcast, we dive deep into the legal and political tactics used to shield factory farms from public scrutiny. Potter, the author of  Green Is the New Red and the new investigative...

A wild owl spent his entire life in a cage — until he escaped. Flaco, a Eurasian eagle owl born in captivity at the Central Park Zoo, could not fly freely for years. When he escaped, millions of people followed his story and instinctively rooted for his freedom. Why did his story resonate so deeply? And what does it reveal about zoos, wildlife captivity, and the state of animal protection laws in...

Chickens are intelligent, emotionally complex animals, yet they remain among the most underestimated and commodified beings in modern agriculture. In this episode of Better Life for Animals , host Cheryl Moss speaks with Liz Wheeler, co-founder of Secondhand Stories Chicken Sanctuary, about chicken sentience, sanctuary advocacy, and reshaping cultural narratives around farmed animals. Liz shares t...

Factory farming impacts billions of animals, but the story does not end there. Behind the system are struggling farmers, vulnerable workers, and communities searching for better solutions. In this powerful episode, Leah Garcés shares what more than two decades of advocacy has taught her about transforming one of the most entrenched systems in our world. From collaborating with farmers to exposing...

What happens when more than 45,000 people connect with rescued farmed animals in a single year? Perspectives shift. Awareness grows. And compassion becomes personal. In this episode of the Better Life for Animals Podcast, host Cheryl Moss sits down with Kelly Nix, Executive Director of Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary in Colorado, to explore how sanctuaries are helping reshape the way people see animal...

Most people say they care about animals. Far fewer are willing to disrupt their own comfort to protect them. In this episode of the Better Life for Animals Podcast , host Cheryl Moss speaks with Rose Patterson , Co-Director of Animal Rising , about what it actually takes to challenge systems built on animal suffering and why polite advocacy often fails to create change. Rose has spent more than a...

Across the United States, most farmed animal sanctuaries operate with limited staff, inconsistent funding, and an overwhelming daily workload. Many rely almost entirely on donations while carrying the emotional and financial responsibility of caring for animals society has discarded. As Stephanie Mathers, Founder and CEO of Grants for Animals, says, "The sanctuaries already have 200 percent heart....

Billions of animals suffer each year because of human choices. While rescue saves individual lives, preventing suffering at its source creates lasting change. In this episode of the Better Life for Animals Podcast , Cheryl Moss talks with Robin Singh , co founder of Peepal Farm, an animal rescue, veterinary clinic, and awareness organization in India. Robin shares how his pursuit of happiness afte...