Herd Around the Barn

In this special episode of Herd Around the Barn, Kathy is joined by her podcast producer, Clare, to talk about some recent news surrounding the animals at Catskill Animal Sanctuary. In their conversation, they discuss:

• How CAS protected their rescued birds from avian influenza through building innovative "birdios"
• Buddy III’s passing at the age of 35 and how his friend, Buddy IV, is coping with his loss
• How Kathy is staying optimi...

Disclaimer: This conversation contains graphic depictions of cruelty toward chickens.

This week, Kathy is joined by Harvard Law graduate and founder of the non-profit Legal Impact for Chickens, Alene Anello. In their lively conversation, the two discuss:

• Alene’s relationship with her pet cockatiel, Conrad, who changed her view of animals forever
• How working at PETA and the Animal Legal Defense Fund made Alene want to work for anim...

“In conservation, the lost causes are the best worth fighting for.” This week, Kathy speaks with Damien Mander, the renowned war veteran and founder of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation. In this informative episode, Kathy and Damien discuss:

• Damien’s unique path to animal activism after an extensive military career ultimately led to establishing found the IAPF

• How Damien transitioned to a vegan lifestyle in 2012...

Kathy takes a few minutes this week to talk about the devastating impact fireworks have on all animals. She shares her personal struggles to keep her rescue Pitbull, Chumbley, calm during Fourth of July fireworks.

Connect with Kathy Stevens:

• Facebook: Kathy Stevens, Catskill Animal Sanctuary
• Twitter: @CASanctuary
• Book: Where the Blind Horse Sings
• Website: CASanctuary.org
• Instagram: @catskill_animal_sanctuary
• YouTube: Catskill Animal S...

This week, Kathy is joined by John Di Leonardo, the founder and president of Humane Long Island. John’s work with PETA, and now with HLI, is the embodiment of “think globally, act locally” approach to social change. During a very lively conversation, Kathy and John talk about:

• John’s work to eliminate animal use in entertainment on Long Island, including direct protests to Ringling Brothers Circus and the horrific “Banana Derby”
• ...

Referred to as the “Queen of the Animal Rights Movement” by Rich Roll, PETA co-founder and bestselling author Ingrid Newkirk joins Kathy on the podcast this week to talk about the 30th anniversary edition of her landmark novel, Free The Animals: The Amazing, True Story of the Animal Liberation Front in North America. In this incredible episode, Kathy and Ingrid will talk about:

• How Ingrid responds to criticism about PETA’s more ...

In this week’s mouth-watering new episode, Kathy is joined by Hannah Sunderani - the powerhouse vegan blogger and author of The Two Spoons Cookbook. During their lively conversation, Kathy and Hannah discuss:

• The incredible, and sometimes tumultuous, relationship between CAS sheep Hannah and Rambo, featured in Kathy’s books
• Hannah’s unconventional road to veganism, stemming from GI issues that developed in her early 20s after los...

This Saturday marks the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes - the third and final leg of the Triple Crown races. To honor the horses who suffer needlessly for gambling and entertainment, we are re-releasing Kathy's conversation with longtime animal-rights activists Nicole Arciello and Patrick Battuello, founders of Horseracing Wrongs,

In this episode, they discuss:

• Kathy’s childhood on a thoroughbred farm, and how it informed her...

In this re-released episode, Kathy discusses:

• How an animal who had never known love, kindness, or safety changed her life, and how his lessons inform much of what Catskill Animal Sanctuary is today.
• The choice to believe in humanity’s goodness, people’s capacity, and their willingness to change.

Key Takeaways:

• All animals want their lives as much as we want ours.
• Animals have infinitely more capacity than most people u...

In this mouth-watering episode, Kathy is joined by Shenarri Freeman, the superstar executive chef of Cadence. In just a year, Cadence has become one of NYC’s most exclusive reservations and was named one of the Top 50 Restaurants in the U.S. by The New York Times. During their lively conversation, Kathy and Shenarri discuss:

• Shenarri’s unlikely journey from cooking as part of a large family in Virginia to becoming a James Beard ...

While most of us have at least one social media account, we may not be using it as an effective way to advocate for the animals we so dearly love. Today, Kathy is joined by social media professional and vegan activist John Oberg, to talk about:

• His personal journey to veganism after watching the groundbreaking documentary Earthlings while he was in college
• How social media’s “share” ability is one of the most important, yet overl...

Iowa Farm Sanctuary opened its doors in 2016 as the first farmed animal sanctuary in the state of Iowa. Today, the co-founders of the accredited sanctuary, Shawn and Jered Camp, join Kathy for an inspiring conversation about sticking to your values in the face of adversity. In this episode, they discuss:

• Jered’s unconventional path to animal advocacy after being raised in a hunting family and as a 4-H member
• The environmental imp...

The End of Medicine is a new film, out May 10th, from BAFTA-winning director Alex Lockwood that could not be more timely. This urgent documentary features medical experts, animal activists, and social justice advocates speaking about the disastrous health effects of factory farming. In this week’s episode, Kathy is joined by Alex and Dr. Alice Brough, the film’s whistleblower and protagonist, to talk about:

• The all-star team of ...

In this informative episode, Kathy is joined by Monica Engebretson, the North American Campaign Manager for Cruelty Free International. 

• What “cruelty free” really means and how you can identify products that haven’t been tested on animals by looking for the Leaping Bunny logo
• The history of animal testing and why it is not the most accurate way to predict human reactions to chemicals
• Exciting new legislation, both in New York Sta...

This year marks the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day - an annual campaign that calls attention to the many threats to our planet from human kind and urges each of us to act as better Earth stewards . This week, Kathy tag teams with her podcast producer, Clare O’Brien, to talk about the connection between factory farming and climate change. Today, the two discuss:

• How animal agriculture is one of the top causes of climate change - a...

“Not just dogs…lambs!” Just in time for Easter, Kathy is joined by Brendon Smale - the founder of Saint Beans Animal Sanctuary, the first rescue in New Zealand dedicated solely to the protection of lambs and sheep. During their wonderful conversation, Kathy and Brendon discuss:

• The life-changing encounter with a newborn lamb that led Brendon to leave his corporate career and pursue animal activism
• Beans, the adventurous lamb who ...

“If the oceans die, we die.” – Captain Paul Watson

Kathy is joined by the legendary Captain Paul Watson, founder of the international non-profit Sea Shepherd and co-founder of Greenpeace. For fifty years, Captain Watson’s mission has been to eradicate illegal fishing and whaling on the high seas, and his achievements on behalf of marine life are extraordinary. In this riveting conversation, he and Kathy discuss:

• Capt. Watson’s li...

“We can’t forget that humans are animals, too.” In this eye-opening episode, Kathy is joined by Rev. Sarah Bowen, a founding member of Compassion Consortium and author of the new book Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice For Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Healing The Planet (out April 5th!). Stay tuned for her conversation with Kathy, where they discuss:

• Sarah’s early relationships with animals, inc...