Keep it Humane

History Repeats Itself: What Animal Welfare Gets Right… and Wrong (Episode 306)

What if the challenges we’re facing in animal welfare today aren’t new at all?In this episode of Keep it Humane, we sit down with Audrey Lodato—Senior Director of Regional Programs at Best Friends Animal Society and creator of the animal welfare history blog Barking at the Knot—to uncover how the past continues to shape the present.From the early 1800s “War Against Dogs” to the fear-driven policies surrounding rabies and hydrophobia, Audrey walks us through how societal pressures, public health concerns, and even misinformation helped build the foundation of modern animal control. We explore how practices like intake-driven systems and strict impound policies didn’t just appear—they evolved from a very different time.But this isn’t just a history lesson.We connect those origins to today’s biggest challenges: rising intake, public accountability, humane education gaps, and the ongoing push for transparency in shelter operations. The conversation digs into what needs to change—and what we may still be getting wrong.We also look ahead, exploring how technology and AI could reshape sheltering by improving decision-making, reducing length of stay, and helping more animals find positive outcomes.Plus, a quick look at what’s coming next with Best Friends’ national conference in Utah—and a live AI demo that might just change how you think about shelter operations.If you’ve ever wondered why we do things the way we do in animal welfare… this episode connects the dots.

The Cost of Caring (Episode 306)

Daniel is out this week… which means Ashley Bishop and Ashlee Bishop have taken over the podcast.That’s right—no supervision.In this episode of Keep it Humane: The Podcast, the Ashleys talk about something that isn’t always easy to discuss in animal welfare: compassion fatigue. They dive into the emotional weight of the job, the stress that comes with working in animal control and shelters, and why even the most dedicated professionals sometimes feel completely drained.Along the way they share real experiences from the field, talk about how this work affects people behind the scenes, and discuss resources and strategies that can help professionals take care of themselves while continuing to care for animals.It’s honest, it’s real… and with Daniel gone, it might even be a little less controlled than usual.

Large Scale Impounds (Episode 305)

A recent large-scale animal seizure in Los Angeles County—where more than 300 animals were removed from a single property—serves as the backdrop for this episode. But this isn’t a breakdown of that case.Because the truth is… we don’t have all the facts. And neither does anyone else—yet.Instead, we use this moment to talk about what really happens when a large-scale impound hits an agency.From the outside, these cases look like heroic rescues. And they are. But behind the scenes, they’re also complex, messy, resource-draining operations that can push even the best-run organizations to their limits.In this episode, we dig into:What it actually takes to mobilize for a seizure involving hundreds of animalsThe immediate strain on staffing, space, and decision-makingWhy these cases are rarely as clear-cut as the headlines suggestThe ripple effect across shelters, rescues, and communitiesHow agencies balance enforcement, animal welfare, and public perception in real timeWe also talk about the uncomfortable reality: sometimes these cases involve people who believed they were helping animals—and situations that evolved beyond their capacity to manage.With shelters across the region scrambling to create space, transfer animals, and call on the public for help, this case highlights something bigger: large-scale impounds are not just enforcement actions—they are system-wide events. Whether you’re in animal control, sheltering, rescue, or just care about animal welfare, this episode gives you a real-world look at what happens when “too many animals” becomes everyone’s problem overnight.Because when 300 animals walk through your doors… everything changes.

Five Domains of Animal Welfare (Episode 304)

In this episode, Ashley, Ashlee, and Daniel take a deep dive into the evolution of animal welfare by breaking down the Five Domains of Animal Welfare and how they differ from the traditional Five Freedoms.The team explores how the Five Freedoms laid the foundation for humane care—focusing on preventing suffering—while the Five Domains push the conversation further by emphasizing an animal’s overall experience, including positive mental states. Through real-world examples from animal control and sheltering, they unpack what this shift means for decision-making, enforcement, and daily care.From nutrition and environment to behavior and mental well-being, this episode challenges listeners to rethink what “good welfare” really looks like in modern animal services. Whether you’re in the field or just passionate about animals, this conversation highlights why moving beyond simply avoiding harm—and toward creating positive outcomes—is the future of animal welfare.Because it’s not just about surviving—it’s about thriving.

The $5 Million Dog Bite: When Shelter Transparency Fails (Episode 303)

In this episode of Keep it Humane: The Podcast, Daniel Ettinger and Ashley Bishop unpack a controversial and costly case out of Los Angeles that has many in the animal welfare field asking hard questions.A Los Angeles County jury recently awarded $5.4 million to a woman who was severely injured by a dog while picking it up from a city animal shelter for transport to a rescue group. The dog — a Belgian Malinois named Maximus — reportedly had a documented history of biting multiple people, including incidents that sent a teenager and a shelter employee to the hospital. The transporter alleged she was never warned about the dog’s dangerous history before the attack. Daniel and Ashley break down what happened, what the jury decided, and why the City of Los Angeles was found 62.5% liable, with additional responsibility assigned to the rescue organization and the transporter. But beyond the headlines, this episode explores the deeper issues the case raises for animal shelters and the professionals who work in them every day:What are the legal and ethical obligations when a dog has a serious bite history?How should shelters communicate risk to adopters, transporters, and rescue partners?When does advocacy for saving animals collide with public safety and staff safety?And what lessons should animal control agencies and shelter leaders take from multimillion-dollar verdicts like this one?Drawing on their experience in animal control and shelter operations, Daniel and Ashley discuss how cases like this shape policy, liability, and the public perception of animal shelters — and why transparency and professional judgment are more important than ever in modern animal welfare.If you work in animal control, sheltering, rescue, or law enforcement, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.