The Animal Welfare Junction

Dr. G and Dan Ettinger, from The Animal Control Report, have a discussion on the importance of leash laws and how they can help protect our pets and the community. Cases of injuries to animals are broken down to assess how the situation could have been handled differently for the benefit of all involved.

The human-animal bond describes the relationship between us and our pets, in which we give and gain something from the other. As we evolve into better humans, we understand the importance of the non-human animals around us, and more importantly those that live with us. On this episode Courtney Wennerstrom, author, blogger, and podcaster, joins us to talk about the importance of pets to their careg...

This week KD Hearst, from Don't F* up the Crime Scene, joins us to discuss... well... how to not mess up on criminal investigations. As an animal control officer and educator, he provides insight into how to address animal cruelty and neglect assessments, developing rapport and assessing the situation before coming up with a solution. This episode is labeled explicit for language and content, so l...

Vicki Diesner, Esq., Executive Director and one of the founders of Ohio Animal Advocates, joins us to discuss the role of the organization in fighting for animal welfare issues and laws at the state level, and the many programs and resources available in Ohio. Topics include puppy mills and domestic violence. This episode contains some examples of animal abuse and interpersonal violence that can b...

Warning: Sensitive content related to animal cruelty and neglect cases Dana Pannella, associate attorney at Holland and Muirden, joins us for a discussion on animal law and prosecuting animal cruelty and neglect cases in Ohio. Learn about the difference in animal cruelty charges and why suspended jail time is not a bad thing. We review the Trumbull v. Charles Parks case, as well as other cases she...

Rabbits can make great pets, but it is important to know about their specific needs if we are going to consider giving one a home. On today's episode, Danielle Patterson and Terri Cook from the Columbus House Rabbit Society join us to talk about all the things rabbits need to have a happy, healthy life. We will discuss their food, housing, reproduction, and diseases. Do you have a bunny or think a...

TNR, or trap-neuter-release, is the most effective and humane method of controlling the outdoor cat population. On this episode, we are joined by Dan Spehar of the Together Initiative for Ohio's Community Cats, and Mona McKinniss from Colony Cats to address facts and myths about community cat management. If you are interested in community cat welfare and control, this episode is a great source of...

The Animal Control Report is a podcast hosted by humane officers to educate and share stories and cases that showcase the role of the animal control officer as well as other individuals involved in animal welfare. In Part 2, Dan Ettinger joins us to share his experiences as a humane officer in Colorado as well as an educator, and his efforts to help grow the profession and get away from being thou...

The Animal Control Report is a podcast hosted by humane officers to educate and share stories and cases that showcase the role of the animal control officer as well as other individuals involved in animal welfare. In Part 1, co-host Ashlee Bishop shares her role as an ACO in Wisconsin and talks about some of the cases she has worked on, the law as it applies in her service area, and things that co...

Trumbull County Dog Warden, Charles Parks, was recently in court after being charged with alleged animal neglect for failing to provide care to animals at the Trumbull County Dog Pound. Dr. G and Diane King, Trumbull County's Chief Humane Officer, share the details of the case and the path of the investigation that lead to the successful prosecution of Charles Parks. This episode offers a in-depth...

This episode of the Animal Welfare Junction is about learning about our wildlife neighbors. Dr. G will be speaking with experts in the field about what to do with injured wildlife, what diseases we need to worry about, and how to become a wildlife rehabilitation amongst other topics. Joining us are: David Donahue from the Ohio Wildlife Center Jess Armstrong from SCRAM! Wildlife Control Barbara Ray...

What is behavioral euthanasia? This is a very sensitive subject that often brings strong opinions from both sides of the table. On Episode 4 of The Animal Welfare Junction we will discuss this subject matter with individuals who are often faced with making these decisions, as well as a foster and pet owner who had to make this decision herself. Our guests today are: Jenn Thomas, Executive Director...

In this episode we dive into what are hoarders and go into the details of a rescue hoarder case from our 2017 files in Athens County, Ohio. Our guest is Mary Beth Brown, the former Dog Warden who worked with us in this case where we rescued… well… you will have to listen to find out how many dogs this elderly lady had in her house. Hoarding is not just animal cruelty. This is a mental health probl...

Episode 2 is about the veterinary shortage. This is a problem affecting pet owners everywhere, but has an even greater impact in underserved communities. There is no easy answer, and it will take different stakeholders to find solutions to this problem. Our guests today are: Dan Spehar, Co-Founder of the Together Initiative for Ohio's Community Cats and Independent Researcher, on a report demonstr...

Episode 1 discusses the importance of providing affordable and accessible care to animals, especially pets living in underserved communities. Our guests are: Myke Davis, Founder and Executive Director of The Animal Health Organization Jenn Thomas, Executive Director of the Ross County Humane Society Dr. Andrea Iglesias, a clinical and community psychologist working with underserved communities thr...

In this episode we introduce you to our host, Michelle González (Dr. G), and we give you an overview of what to expect from our episodes. If you are interested in animal welfare and veterinary forensics, we invite you to join us on our journey as we explore how different disciplines are involved in keeping our animals and our communities safe.