Keep it Humane

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.

In this episode of Keep it Humane: The Podcast, Daniel Ettinger and Ashley Bishop sit down with Sam Amalsadwala, a Montreal-based dog behavior expert whose path into animal behavior is anything but traditional.

Originally from India and trained as a chef, Sam shares how a career transition — and a deep curiosity about dogs — led him to build a unique approach to canine behavior grounded in observation, relationship-building, and real-world socialization. Drawing from his cultural background, including the role dogs play within Zoroastrian traditions, Sam offers a perspective on human–animal relationships that challenges many Western assumptions about dog ownership and training.

Sam discusses his now well-known work walking large groups of dogs — sometimes up to 35 at a time — off-leash in a private forest environment, and how that experience shaped his philosophy that early socialization and environmental exposure often matter more than traditional obedience training.

The conversation explores:

• Cultural differences in how societies view and live with dogs

• The evolution from training-focused models to relationship-based behavior work

• The realities and ethics of off-leash freedom

• Understanding both human and canine behavior

• The difficult conversations around behavioral euthanasia and public safety

This episode challenges listeners to think beyond labels like “good dog” or “bad dog” and instead consider the balance between animal welfare, community safety, and responsible ownership.

Whether you work in animal control, shelters, training, or simply love dogs, this conversation offers thoughtful insight into how culture, environment, and expectations shape the animals we live alongside.

Learn more about Sam and his work at: samaysam.com

In this episode of Keep it Humane: The Podcast, Daniel Ettinger and Ashley Bishop sit down with Dr. Doonerstag, DVM, for an insightful conversation exploring the critical role veterinarians play in animal welfare, shelter medicine, and community-based care.

Dr. Doonerstag shares perspectives from the veterinary field on some of the most complex challenges facing animal control agencies and shelters today — from medical decision-making and capacity for care to collaboration between veterinarians, animal control officers, and shelter professionals. The discussion dives into how veterinary expertise supports humane outcomes, improves field response, and helps agencies balance compassion with practical realities.

Together, we explore the evolving relationship between animal control and veterinary medicine, the importance of communication across disciplines, and how partnerships can better serve both animals and the communities we protect.

Whether you’re an animal control officer, shelter professional, veterinarian, or advocate, this episode offers thoughtful insight into how working together — across roles and perspectives — helps us truly keep it humane.

Before Keep it Humane, there was The Humane Roundup — the show that started it all.

In this special episode, we bring back two of the original hosts of The Humane Roundup — the voices who helped lay the foundation for the conversations we’re still having today. We revisit where it all began, why the show was created, what was happening in animal welfare at the time, and how those early discussions shaped what the podcast has become.

We talk about:

• The original mission behind The Humane Roundup

• How the profession has evolved since those early episodes

• The hard lessons, the proud moments, and the behind-the-scenes stories

• Why the rebrand to Keep it Humane mattered

• And what still needs to change in animal control and sheltering

This isn’t just a reunion. It’s a reflection on growth — personal, professional, and as a field.

If you’ve been with us since the beginning, this one’s for you.
If you’re new here, this is your origin story.

Because the conversations that shaped this profession didn’t start yesterday.
They started with people willing to press record and speak honestly about the work.

And that’s exactly what we’re doing again.

In this fun and heartfelt episode, Ashley and I dive into one of the most creative shelter fundraisers we’ve seen yet — the “Neuter Your Ex” campaign from Check out the “Neuter Your Ex” promotion and how it helps community cats. We break down how this playful idea raises funds for spay/neuter programs that reduce feral cat overpopulation, support Trap-Neuter-Return efforts, and ultimately save lives.

Plus, we share other practical and impactful things shelters can do right now — from low-cost spay/neuter clinics and community TNR efforts to engaging events and creative donor opportunities that help animals find better lives. Whether you’re a shelter team member, volunteer, or animal lover, you’ll come away with fresh inspiration for making a difference!

In this episode of Keep It Humane: The Podcast, Daniel Ettinger, Ashley Bishop, and Ashlee Bishop sit down with children’s author Marshall Silverman. Marshall reads from his heartfelt book Can I Please Have a Dog and shares the inspiration behind the story. We talk about patience, responsibility, and the powerful connection between kids, animals, and storytelling. It’s a warm, family-friendly episode that highlights how books can spark empathy and meaningful conversations.

In this episode, we sit down with Wayne Pacelle — former President & CEO of HSUS and current leader of two powerful organizations shaping the future of animal welfare: Animal Wellness Action (https://animalwellnessaction.org/) and the Center for a Humane Economy (https://centerforahumaneeconomy.org/).

Wayne joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the current state of animal welfare for dogs and cats in shelters, from the progress we’ve made to the persistent challenges that still demand our attention. We explore how innovative policies, corporate engagement, and data-driven strategies can help reduce suffering, strengthen communities, and create a more humane world for animals in need.

Whether you’re an animal shelter professional, advocate, or lifelong animal lover, Wayne’s insights — grounded in decades of leadership — will challenge you, inspire you, and leave you energized about what’s possible when we aim higher for the animals we serve.

Learn more:
🔗 Animal Wellness Action — https://animalwellnessaction.org/
🔗 Center for a Humane Economy — https://centerforahumaneeconomy.org/

Tune in for honest conversation, practical takeaways, and a hopeful vision for shelter animals everywhere.

In this episode of Keep it Humane, Daniel and Ashley sit down with Douglas Starr, Professor Emeritus of Science Journalism at Boston University and longtime science writer, to unpack one of the most polarizing topics in animal welfare today: the no-kill movement and the influence of large national organizations like Best Friends Animal Society.

Douglas joins the show to discuss his recent Smithsonian Magazine article, “The Nation’s Biggest Animal Sanctuary Operates Under the Mantra ‘Save Them All.’ How Controversial Is That?”, which you can read here:
👉 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/nations-biggest-animal-sanctuary-operates-under-mantra-save-them-all-how-controversial-180987638/

Drawing from time spent at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and extensive historical research, Douglas shares what he learned about the ideals, psychology, and politics behind the no-kill philosophy. While acknowledging the dedication of many working within the movement, the conversation explores how language, public pressure, and one-size-fits-all approaches can create unintended consequences for shelters, communities, and public safety.

Together, Daniel, Ashley, and Douglas have an honest, nuanced discussion about the harm caused by labels like “kill shelter,” the pressure placed on municipal agencies, the silencing of dissenting voices, and the difficult ethical decisions faced by animal welfare professionals every day. With decades of combined experience, the episode emphasizes the need for balance—prioritizing humane care and community safety, accountability in pet ownership, access to spay and neuter services, and moving beyond slogans toward practical, collaborative solutions.

This episode challenges simplistic narratives and invites listeners to think critically about what responsible animal welfare really looks like.

It’s the first episode of Keep it Humane for 2026, and we’re kicking off the year by catching up.

Daniel Ettinger, Ashley Bishop, and Ashlee Bishop sit down to reflect on the past year—what challenged us, what surprised us, and what reminded us why this work matters. From lessons learned in animal control and animal welfare to the realities of burnout, leadership, and showing up for both people and animals, this episode is an honest look back at where we’ve been.

We also talk about the road ahead: what we’re hopeful about in 2026, what needs to change in the profession, and how we can continue to help people help animals in meaningful, sustainable ways.

If you work in animal control, shelters, rescue, or animal welfare—or care about the people doing the work—this episode sets the tone for the year ahead.

In this powerful episode, Daniel Ettinger and Ashlee Bishop sit down with Nina Jackel, founder of Lady Freethinker, for an in-depth conversation about the global fight against animal cruelty and what it takes to create real, lasting change.

Nina shares her remarkable journey from freelance journalist to leading an international nonprofit that exposes abuse, funds on-the-ground rescuers, and drives policy change around the world. From shutting down dog meat auction houses in South Korea to helping authorities dismantle a dogfighting ring in Chile—resulting in the longest animal cruelty sentence in the nation’s history—Nina walks us through some of Lady Freethinker’s most impactful victories.

The discussion digs into the evolving landscape of online animal cruelty, challenges in prosecuting abuse cases under current laws, and why cross-organization communication remains one of the biggest obstacles in animal advocacy. Daniel, Ashlee, and Nina explore what meaningful collaboration could look like—from local enforcement to global activism—and how summits, networking, and unified messaging could strengthen the field.

Listeners will also hear candid personal updates, reflections on leadership in animal welfare, and actionable ways to support Lady Freethinker’s work, including their investigative efforts, global campaigns, and upcoming initiative to tackle social media cruelty in 2026.

If you care about animals, accountability, and the future of animal protection, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.