Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health

What protections do farmed animals actually have in the United States?

As attorney and Farm Sanctuary General Counsel Cynthia Von Schlichten explains — far less than the public believes.

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Johnny Lieberman uncovers how federal laws governing farmed animals are filled with exclusions, loopholes, and industry-written exceptions that leave billions of chickens, pigs, cows, and turkeys without meaningful protection at any stage of their lives.

Cynthia breaks down:

What if the research model we’ve trusted for nearly a century is holding back medical progress?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Johnny Lieberman speaks with Dr. Zaher Nahle, former lab scientist turned policy innovator, about how outdated animal testing continues to waste billions in taxpayer dollars, delay life-saving treatments, and perpetuate unnecessary suffering.

Dr. Nahle shares his personal journey from leading animal-based studies to realizing their futility—highlighting the shocking 95% clinical failure rate for drugs that pass animal trials. Together, they unpack why this system persists, the political and financial barriers to change, and how...

In this follow-up conversation, Dr. Johnny Lieberman welcomes Daria Bednarczyk, JD, for a deeper dive into agricultural exceptionalism—the legal concept that allows industrial farms to bypass environmental regulations that every other industry must follow.

Daria unpacks how Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) continue to contaminate air and water, release dangerous levels of methane and ammonia, and escape oversight under the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. Together, they reveal the public-health consequences—from blue baby syndrome and asthma to cancer risks—and discuss what can be done to close these loopholes.

Whether you caught...

What if the milk and meat you buy are silently fueling cancer risks, antibiotic resistance, and the next pandemic?

In this compelling episode of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, host Dr. Johnny Lieberman sits down with Dr. Rajesh K. Reddy, a professor and expert in public health, to uncover the dark side of factory farming. Dr. Reddy exposes how dairy cows endure violent artificial insemination and calf separation, while beef cattle live in filthy feedlots—both pumped with antibiotics that breed resistant bacteria. These practices not only harm animals but also raise your risk of cancer an...

What if the adorable puppy you’re eyeing came from a life of unimaginable suffering—and you could prevent it with a few simple checks?

In this  episode of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, host Dr. Johnny Lieberman chats with Koli Walker, manager at family-owned Healthy Pets Northwest in Portland, Oregon, about the hidden world of puppy mills and responsible dog breeding. Koli reveals how the first eight weeks of a puppy’s life shape its future health, from allergies to anxiety, and breaks down red flags like breeders who won’t let you meet the parents or facili...

What if the adorable puppy you’re eyeing came from a life of unimaginable suffering—and you could prevent it with a few simple checks?

In this  episode of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, host Dr. Johnny Lieberman chats with Koli Walker, manager at family-owned Healthy Pets Northwest in Portland, Oregon, about the hidden world of puppy mills and responsible dog breeding. Koli reveals how the first eight weeks of a puppy’s life shape its future health, from allergies to anxiety, and breaks down red flags like breeders who won’t let you meet the parents o...

What if the adorable puppy you’re eyeing came from a life of unimaginable suffering—and you could prevent it with a few simple checks?

In this episode of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, host Dr. Johnny Lieberman chats with Koli Walker, manager at family-owned Healthy Pets Northwest in Portland, Oregon, about the hidden world of puppy mills and responsible dog breeding. Koli reveals how the first eight weeks of a puppy’s life shape its future health, from allergies to anxiety, and breaks down red flags like breeders who won’t let you meet the parents or facili...

What if the laws governing animals weren’t set in stone, but built on moral assumptions we can—and should—challenge?

In this thought-provoking episode of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, host Dr. Johnny Lieberman welcomes Mason Liddell, founder of Animal Counsel. With a background in political and legal philosophy, Mason dives deep into the ethical foundations of animal law, explaining how normative ethics shapes everything from property rights to advocacy strategies.

From historical cases like Pierson v. Post to modern ag-gag laws and the tension between animal welfare and rights, Mason unpacks how societal morals...

What if your taxes were funding billions in cruel, ineffective animal experiments with near-zero benefit to human health?

In this eye-opening episode of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, host Dr. Johnny Lieberman talks with Justin Goodman, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy at White Coat Waste Project, about the hidden world of government-funded animal testing. With over 20 years in advocacy, Justin exposes how agencies like NIH, FDA, and DOD waste $20 billion annually on experiments that fail to translate to humans—often with 95% failure rates. From beagle vocal cord surgeries to primate sepsis tests and potential CO...

Most of us don’t think twice about where our food comes from—but what if the system behind it was quietly putting both people and the planet at risk?

In this powerful debut of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, Dr. Johnny Lieberman sits down with Daria Bednarczyk, a recent graduate of Vermont Law and Graduate School with degrees spanning Animal Law, Environmental Policy, Marine Science, and Business. Daria brings her unique interdisciplinary expertise to unpack the toxic realities of CAFOs.

From manure lagoons leaking thousands of gallons of waste daily, to nitrate-contaminated drinking water and...

Ever stared at a label and wondered if any of it meant what it claimed? “Cage-free.” “Organic.” “Grass-fed.” What do these words really mean—and more importantly, who’s profiting from our confusion? Is using animals in biomedical research really the best way to discover medicines for humans?

In this inaugural teaser episode of Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, Dr. Johnny Lieberman introduces the why behind this bold, truth-telling podcast. As an infectious diseases physician turned law student, Dr. Lieberman connects the dots explaining the close connection between how we treat animals as a society, and its direct impact on...