Animal Friendly podcast

26/01/2026

Harper Garrison is a high school student from Texas who raised a lamb (Onion) as part of the FFA program. As the year progressed, Harper began to question the program and didn't want to see Onion returned to the farm where she would be bred until no longer profitable, and then slaughtered. With the help of organisations like LEAP - Leaders for Ethics, Animals, and the Planet and peta2 she was able to rescue Onion and rehome her at Austin Farm Sanctuary. We talked about her story and the rise of organisations that are facilitating a new way to engage with animals. https://www.animalfriendly.earth/30-choosing-kindness/

Harper Garrison is a high school student from Austin, Texas. She raised a lamb (who she named Onion!) through the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program. They soon…

27/12/2025

Jack Morley has a background in media and advertising and he is now using those creative skills to illustrate and convey the beauty of Irish nature and wildlife, as well as some of the many challenges facing our native plants, insects, birds, fish and mammals.

He wants to amplify the stories of the people around the country who are making efforts to restore and revitalise our natural environment and he blends history, botany, ecology and humour into an appealing mix that educates and entertains.

In this episode we talk about the different ways in which we communicate about nature and you'll be able to answer questions like: What is Ireland's only legally protected insect? How did wasps help to write the Irish Constitution? Which are some of the butterflies that use nettles as a host plant? What IS a host plant?
..and where did that deer go?

29. The Wild Nature of Ireland page for the Animal Friendly podcast

12/12/2025

I learned so much from talking to Billie Talyn Groom in this episode. She is an award-winning behavioural therapist as well as an author, a podcaster, a TEDx speaker and the founder of the Institute of Canine Psychotherapy (and yet, not intimidating at all 😁)

Years of experience with rescuing and rehoming dogs led her to develop the method of CCBT - Canine Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and I was so fascinated to learn how this way of working with dogs can bring great results, even with dogs that might be labelled 'difficult' or 'challenging'.

Billie is highly motivated to spread awareness of her method in an effort to help the high number of dogs in shelters and rescue organisations that are unable to find homes due to behavioural issues. With CCBT exercises, dogs like these can be helped to reset their thought patterns and to self-regulate.

We talked about the evolution of her method as well as the need to consider dogs’ motivations and reasoning, not just their behaviour.

Billie Talyn Groom has worked with a wide variety of dogs for over three decades. She is an award-winning behavioural therapist as well as an author, a podcaster, a…

19/06/2025

For episode 26 of the Animal Friendly podcast I talked to Kate Galli, a personal trainer turned Vegan Health Coach and also the host of the Healthification podcast, which has over 900 (!!!) episodes. It features some of the biggest names in animal advocacy and I’ve learned a lot from listening to it over the past few months, so I was delighted to put Kate on the other side of the interview table for a change. I'm happy to report she's every bit as warm, open-hearted and wry as I'd thought, so I really enjoyed our chat!

Kate Galli is a vegan health coach, author and master podcaster - with over 900 episodes of her podcast, Healthification. Listen in as we discuss how she draws insp…

11/06/2025

Horses are quite willing to talk to us, if we're willing to listen. 🐴
https://theconversation.com/horses-have-a-complex-repertoire-of-facial-expressions-just-like-primates-257996?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb

13/05/2025

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-colorful-birds-form-long-term-friendships-by-helping-out-with-babysitting-study-suggests-180986590/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb

While scientists have observed animals assisting their relatives, a new study reveals that many superb starlings also form supportive relationships with non-relatives that can last for years

05/05/2025

"Tina jumped onto Misha’s belly and embraced her tenderly. Then, another juvenile, Tom, approached to pat her gently. These friendly actions are what we call consolation, the offering of spontaneous comfort towards a distressed peer. We never found out why Misha was so upset, but she quickly settled down after these interactions. Having studied great apes now for over 20 years between us, we have collected hundreds of records of these apparent acts of kindness."

It may be time to move on from species stereotypes.

21/03/2025

Who knew medieval animal art could be so entertaining?

Medieval animal illustrations have popped up all over the internet. Why do they capture our imagination?

18/03/2025

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/big-cats-in-the-british-countryside?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb

Sightings and DNA tests suggest that large cats such as black leopards are quietly naturalising in Britain. Here’s the whole story.

25/02/2025

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250221-the-women-protecting-snow-leopards-in-remotest-nepal?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb

In the Himalayas of Nepal, a simple solution is keeping both livestock and snow leopards safe.

09/02/2025

What a great idea! 😍

03/02/2025

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250129-oil-vs-wind-which-is-worse-for-birds-and-whales?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb

US President Donald Trump says that wind farms harm birds and whales. Scientists weigh wind power's impacts on wildlife against those of oil and gas.