The Animal Advocate

Philadelphia just did something New York still won't: it banned horse-drawn carriages.

Earlier this month, Philadelphia banned horse-drawn carriages for good. Penny helped get that bill passed, and in this episode she tells the inside story of how it got done, then turns to the harder question: why New York, where a young man just died, still hasn't acted, and what advocates there have to do before this moment slips away.

In this episode, you'll learn:

We spend a lot of time on this show talking about problems that need to be fixed. This episode does the opposite. It's a roundup of recent wins for animals, most of them from this year, on the issues we come back to again and again, and most of them happening at the city and county level where your voice carries the most weight.

From a statewide pet store ban in Colorado to a spay and neuter program brought back from the dead by the residents of Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the first time New York City...

When a dog lives outside 24/7, the first instinct for a lot of animal lovers is to report it as animal cruelty. But what happens when humane law enforcement shows up, finds food, water, and shelter, and determines there's no violation to act on? The dog is still outside. They need more to be comfortable and healthy, mentally and physically.  But the law doesn't demand it.

That gap, between what the law requires and what a dog needs to live a good life, is where Underdogs of Philly does their work. In this episode, I talk with Cara B...

Most animal welfare organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits.  But in this episode, we talk about why advocates focused on law and policy should think about starting a 501(c)(4) instead.  If you find all those IRS code section references confusing (or boring), this episode will clarify the difference and show you what a 501(c)(4) can accomplish politically that a 501(c)(3) can't.

Allie Taylor is the founder and president of Voters for Animal Rights and, under her leadership VFAR has racked up nearly a dozen legislative wins for animals in New York over the past 10 years. In this conversation, we go...

Should rescues and shelters be importing dogs from other states when local shelters are full and dogs here are being euthanized for space? It feels like there should be an obvious answer. Help the dogs already here first.

But the obvious answer misses something important. And the dogs caught in the middle of this debate, including the long-stay pit mixes and the easier-to-place dogs being euthanized in southern shelters, are paying for the fact that nobody is asking the right question.

In this episode, Penny takes a mediator's view of one of the most contentious...

When most people decide to get a dog, they start with a picture in their head — a breed, a look, a particular idea of what the dog at the end of the leash should be. That picture is filling America's shelters. Hundreds of thousands of dogs are euthanized for space every year, not because they're sick or dangerous, but because the buyers who could have chosen them chose a specific breed of puppy instead.

In this episode, Penny Ellison walks through the math of a problem the animal welfare community rarely talks about directly. The dogs dying in...

Spay/neuter access is one of the most effective tools for reducing shelter intake, but in most states it's chronically underfunded. Five states have figured out how to change that, and the way they did it is more politically achievable than you might expect.

In this episode, Penny Ellison shares what she learned from her fellow panelists at the Humane World for Animals Animal Care Expo, where advocates from New Mexico and Delaware presented the funding models that are producing real results.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What really separates humans from other animals? It's one of the oldest questions we've asked — and the answer keeps changing. Tool use was supposed to be uniquely human. Then we watched crows bend wire into hooks and octopuses carry coconut shells as portable shelter. Language was supposed to be uniquely human. Then bonobos, whales and other animals taught us differently. The list keeps getting shorter.

In this episode, you'll learn:

When animals are dying in shelters, the demand for a law to stop it is completely understandable. But passing legislation that tells shelters when they can and can't euthanize is a lot more complicated than it sounds — and in the wrong conditions, it can hurt the very animals it's meant to help.

In this episode, Penny Ellison — attorney, animal law professor, and longtime shelter advocate — takes on one of the most contested questions in animal welfare: can we legislate our way to no-kill?

Utah just passed a right-to-rescue law requiring shelters to give rescue organizations the op...

Somewhere in your community, someone sees an injured stray dog and dials for help — and there's no one there to answer. Municipal animal control has been structurally underfunded for decades, and the nonprofits quietly filling that gap are reaching a breaking point.

In this episode, host Penny Ellison examines why the contract model between cities and animal shelters keeps collapsing — and what advocates can push for to change it.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Philadelphia's City Council just voted 15 to 0 to pass a 3-year moratorium on unlicensed dog breeding and puppy sales — a bill that Penny Ellison helped draft and testified in favor of in council hearings. In this episode, she walks through exactly how it happened and what advocates everywhere can learn from it.

Using Philadelphia's moratorium as a case study, Penny breaks down her Four Cs framework — Common Sense, Collaboration, Communication, and Compromise — and shows how each one played out in real time, from the first draft to the unanimous roll call vote.

In this episode, you'll learn...

For nearly a decade, one Philadelphia advocate has worked to end horse-drawn carriage rides in the city—not with outrage, but with strategy.

In this episode, I speak with Janet White, founder of Carriage Horse Freedom, about how she moved from street protests to drafting legislation, building scientific credibility, and proposing a viable replacement model that changed the political conversation.

We examine what it really takes to push for a legislative ban on a long-standing practice—and why persistence, data, and creative problem-solving matter more than credentials.

In this episode, we discuss:

W...

What kind of advocacy really improves the lives of animals? Is it public education? Is it passing laws? Is it litigation? Host Penny Ellison spent nearly two decades trying to figure out which one mattered most — and the answer she's come to may surprise you: public opinion has to move first. When it moves far enough, everything else follows. Sometimes that makes a law possible. Sometimes it makes a law unnecessary. And that second outcome is often better than people realize — because laws require enforcement, and enforcement is chronically underfunded.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Passing animal protection laws is rarely as simple as drafting a good bill and building public support. In this episode, Penny Ellison speaks with Shelby Bobosky of the Texas Humane Legislation Network about what legislative advocacy really looks like in one of the toughest political environments in the country.

They explore the unglamorous but essential work of stopping harmful bills, why unexpected allies—from sheriffs to hunters—often determine success, and how enforceability shapes whether laws help animals or quietly fail. Drawing on Texas examples, including the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act and efforts to shut down the pupp...

Encore episode: This conversation onte different types of animal shelters and how they function has come up repeatedly in recent discussions about social media, advocacy, and public expectations — so we're resurfacing it for new listeners as well as  longtime listeners.

In this episode of The Animal Advocate, we dive into animal sheltering. Learn about the different types of shelters - from municipal facilities to private SPCAs to foster-based rescues - and understand their unique roles, challenges, and contributions to animal welfare. We explain how these organizations work together as an ecosystem to serve animals and communities, while add...

If you follow your local animal shelter on social media, your engagement can help save lives—but some well-intended comments and shares make things harder for shelter staff and reduce the chance that animals find homes.

In this episode, Penny Ellison shares what shelter staff say actually helps on social media—and what doesn't—drawing on feedback from people who manage shelter accounts every day and years of experience inside animal welfare organizations.

In this episode, we discuss:

How comments can unintentionally stall adoptions

Why "cross-posting" and tagging rescues often backfires

You don't need to walk dogs, handle animals, or commit to weekly shifts to help shelters. But thinking you do? That's why shelters are buried in work volunteers could easily handle.

Many people want to help but feel limited by time, emotional bandwidth, or training requirements. This episode looks at the behind-the-scenes support shelters consistently say they need—administrative work, laundry, food programs, creative help, community outreach—the kind of work that keeps shelters functioning day to day.

In this episode:

Everyone loves French Bulldogs. But behind those adorable bat ears and smushed faces lies a troubling reality: many of these dogs struggle to breathe every single day of their lives.

Host Penny Ellison, animal law professor and advocate, examines how selective breeding for appearance has created dogs predisposed to suffering—and what we can do about it.

In this episode, we explore:

What can animal advocates learn from the world of wine?

At first glance, the connection isn't obvious. One is associated with pleasure and tradition; the other with reducing suffering and changing law and policy. But the comparison turns out to be more revealing than it seems.

This episode examines what the world of wine understands about persuasion, patience, and human behavior—and what animal advocacy can learn from it. Not wine itself, but the way the wine world has learned how to invite people in, keep them engaged, and let interest deepen over time.

Do adoption fees really protect animals — or do they just make us feel better?

For years, many in animal welfare have believed that adoption fees act as a safeguard: if someone can't afford the fee, how will they afford the pet? Free adoptions, the argument goes, invite impulse decisions and bad outcomes.

In this episode, I explain why I once believed that too — and why I've changed my mind.

Drawing on my experience working directly with shelters, serving on the board of the Pennsylvania SPCA, and running programs that connect people and animals, I ex...

When a dog ends up in a taped-shut box outside a shelter, it's not a single-issue problem — it's a sign of how many pressures families and animals are facing right now.

In this episode, Penny shares why she set aside her planned topic to talk about the growing number of families forced to give up pets because they can't find or keep housing that allows them. Tangi's story illustrates what's happening across the country, and why advocates need to treat this as a housing issue just as much as an animal welfare issue.

In this ep...

Cruelty laws require pet owners to provide necessary veterinary care, but in many communities that care is financially or geographically out of reach—and the law offers no workable way to address that gap.  In this episode, I examine what happens when statutes mandate "necessary veterinary care," but many communities face barriers such as high cost, lack of clinics, transportation challenges, or the absence of a veterinarian accepting new clients.

We cover:

Why inability—not unwillingness—to access treatment is often the real issue

How veterinary deserts, clinic shortages, and transportation barriers shape outcome...

Declawing isn't a nail trim—it's the amputation of the last bone of each toe. In this episode, I break down what the procedure involves, the states banning it, and what advocates should know about the growing movement to end it.

We cover:

What declawing is—and why it's far more invasive than most owners realize

Documented health impacts: chronic pain, nerve damage, back problems, and behavioral changes

Why declawed cats bite more often, and how that affects human health

The seven states that have enacted statewide bans, plus pend...

Rising rents and restrictive housing policies are forcing more families to surrender beloved pets to shelters—a heartbreaking choice driven by systemic issues. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are often seen as a lifeline, but confusion abounds about what ESAs truly are, how they differ from service animals, and what rights pet owners actually have.

Animal law expert Penny Ellison breaks down the legal realities, dispels myths, and arms advocates with the tools to support families facing housing crises.

In this episode, we explore:

The critical differences between emotional support animals (ESAs) and ADA-defined se...

Think you need a law degree or years of experience to pass animal protection laws? Suzanne Gonzalez started Pennsylvania Voters for Animals with no legislative background and helped pass a comprehensive pet sales ban in Easton, PA. Host Penny Ellison shares their step-by-step blueprint that any group of committed advocates can replicate.

In this episode, we explore:

Over 400 cities, counties, and several U.S. states have banned or restricted retail pet sales—but why does it matter to animal welfare and shelter overcrowding? Host Penny Ellison, animal law professor and advocate, examines how laws targeting commercial pet stores are making a difference and what every animal lover needs to know.

In this episode, we explore:

How the retail pet store supply chain enables irresponsible, large-scale breeding operations—and why regulation struggles to keep up

Why retail sales bans target the pipeline that moves puppies from "puppy mills" to store shelves, wher...

Over the past decade, Delaware has altered more than 40,000 pets and vaccinated over 31,000 animals against rabies through a single coordinated program. They've achieved a 90% save rate across their shelter system. How? By creating a centralized Office of Animal Welfare that coordinates everything from lost pets to cruelty investigations to subsidized spay neuter programs.

Host Penny Ellison interviews Joanna Miller, Deputy Director of Delaware's Office of Animal Welfare, and Melody Purdy, the Spay and Neuter Program Coordinator. They reveal how Delaware consolidated fragmented animal services under one state office—and why this model is working so well that ot...

When animal advocates face criticism, burnout, and tough ethical choices, how can they stay effective and inspired? In this episode of The Animal Advocate, I pay tribute to the legendary Dr. Jane Goodall by exploring five powerful advocacy lessons we can all apply—no matter where we are in our advocacy journey.

Discover how Jane's optimism, strategic messaging, belief in youth, holistic worldview, and coalition-building changed the world for animals and people. Whether you're just starting out or deep in the movement, you'll find ideas you can apply to carry forward Jane's legacy.

In this ep...

When animal advocates speak up—especially against powerful industry interests—they often face backlash.  To be effecive, advocates have to prepare to face criticism and retaliation and use ut to strengthen their resolve.

Dr. Crystal Heath is a shelter veterinarian, animal welfare advocate, and founder of Our Honor, a nonprofit working to expose and end systemic harms in animal care systems. Known for challenging unethical practices both within and outside her profession, Dr. Heath has faced criticism, professional retaliation, and outright misinformation campaigns. In this episode, she joins us to reveal how real progress for animals requires both...

When you find an injured stray dog in your neighborhood, who do you call? In many communities across America, the answer might surprise you: there's often no one officially responsible for helping. This creates dangerous gaps that leave both animals and people at risk.

Host Penny Ellison talks with Brian Hackett, Director of Government and Community Relations at Associated Humane Societies of New Jersey, about the uneven patchwork of animal control across the country. This continues our series exploring potential legislation that can move the needle for animals.  This week's focus: making local animal control services mandatory i...

When it comes to stray animals, barking dog complaints, and lost pets, why do some towns seem to run efficient shelters while others barely cover the basics? The answer reveals a surprising patchwork of animal control models—and the role advocates can play in making them better.

Host Penny Ellison breaks down how animal control really works, the difference between animal control and animal sheltering, and makes the argument that animal control should be considered an essential government function.  This is the second in our series exploring potential legislation that can move the needle for animals: making loc...

Guest: Dr. Lauren Hughes, Heal House Call Veterinarians

When veterinary costs skyrocket and transportation becomes impossible, pets suffer and families face heartbreaking surrender decisions. But what if the solution is already in your pocket?

Dr. Lauren Hughes has practiced veterinary medicine across six states and seen firsthand how barriers to care harm animals and families. Now she's taking a different approach—bringing veterinary care directly to people's homes and, when allowed, she's used telehealth to reach those who can't afford traditional clinic visits.

In this episode, we explore:

Millions of pet owners can't access basic veterinary care—not because vets don't want to help, but because a single legal requirement blocks the technology that could help them connect with each other. What if removing one outdated rule could transform pet healthcare overnight?

In this episode, we expose how Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) laws and policies create artificial barriers that keep telehealth from reaching the communities that need it most. While human medicine embraces virtual care, veterinary regulations lag behind, forcing pet owners to choose between expensive emergency visits and watching their animals suffer.

You'll le...

Fighting Puppy Mills Through Youth Activism and "Samson's Law"

After our last episode on cracking down on backyard breeders struck a nerve online, we're diving deeper into solutions with Steve Hughes, founder of Pets in Danger and Youth4Animals. Steve shares how he's mobilizing middle school, high school, and college students to combat the puppy mill pipeline through education and legislative advocacy.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Every year, 6.5 million animals enter U.S. shelters while countless puppy ads flood Craigslist and Facebook. What if the solution isn't chasing individual breeders, but regulating the platforms that enable them?

In this episode, we explore a revolutionary three-part regulatory framework that transforms online advertising platforms from passive enablers into active enforcement partners. Instead of playing whack-a-mole with hidden backyard breeders, this systems approach creates economic incentives that make unregistered breeding unprofitable.

You'll learn:

Are our wildlife laws failing animals until it's too late? In this episode of The Animal Advocate, Penny Ellison reveals how crisis-based conservation puts entire species and ecosystems at risk, discusses staggering declines in birds and biodiversity, and shares how we can flip the script to foster abundance. Discover proven solutions, real-life success stories, and practical steps you can take to help save wildlife—starting locally. Preserve biodiversity and make a difference for future generations. #WildlifeConservation #AnimalAdvocacy #Biodiversity #EnvironmentalProtection

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
 Why our approach to wildlife protection is fundamentally flawed.

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Have you ever wondered what really happens to lions, tigers, and bears after backyard breeders and shady roadside zoos are finally shut down? Who steps in for these animals when the authorities seize them?

In this episode, host Penny Ellison sits down with Bobbi Brink, the founder and director of Lions, Tigers, and Bears Sanctuary—a GFAS-accredited sanctuary that offers rescued wild animals a second chance at a real life. Bobbi pulls back the curtain on the underworld of wildlife trafficking, exposes the sham "sanctuaries" that are little more than roadside attractions, and shares incredible stories of re...

In this episode, host Penny Ellison exposes the $15 billion exotic pet industry and its hidden costs. From 17.6 million exotic animals kept as pets in American homes to over 3,000 roadside zoos offering dangerous wildlife encounters, Penny examines the risks to both animals and humans while exploring the patchwork of laws meant to regulate this massive trade.

Episode Highlights:

In this practical episode, host Penny Ellison speaks with Megan, a dedicated volunteer with 17 years of experience at the Pennsylvania SPCA. They explore how to overcome the intimidation of volunteering at animal shelters and the various ways anyone can make a meaningful difference in shelter animals' lives.

Episode Highlights:

In this thought-provoking episode, host Penny Ellison explores two transformative approaches reshaping animal sheltering: managed intake and community sheltering. Penny examines how shelters are addressing the fundamental challenge of having more animals than available homes.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Rethinking Broken Animal Shelter Systems: Understanding why traditional shelter models aren't working and the mathematical reality of "live release rates"

05:52 Revolutionizing Shelter Intake Management: How appointment-based sheltering creates breathing room for staff and potentially better outcomes for animals

07:15 Rethinking Animal Shelter Capacity: Insights from UC Davis's "Capacity for Care" model and how national organizations...