The Animal Welfare Junction

The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida

Dr. Larry Garcia, Associate Professor at the University of Florida, shares his experience at the UF Distaster Reponse Team.

The 2026 Animal ForensiCon in Orlando, Florida

BUGS!!! Dr. Samantha Sawyer shares information about what we can and cannot learn from insects in crime scene investigations as well as the do's and don'ts of insect collection.

For more information about the Animal ForensiCon, visit https://animalforensics.vetmed.ufl.edu/training/2026-animal-forensicon/

Welcome to the 2026 Animal ForensiCon. This year the conference is in Orlando, Florida and Dr. Adam Stern joins us to talk about what we can expect from this year's speakers

For more information about the Animal ForensiCon, visit https://animalforensics.vetmed.ufl.edu/training/2026-animal-forensicon/

After a long investigation, the Union County Prosecutor's Office proceeded to indict Steffen Baldwin with the help of Detective Jim Conroy.

This episode, the last in the series, takes our listeners through the process of indictment, trial, and sentencing with the help of the prosecutors who filed the charges, Melissa Chase and Cortland Perry.

We appreciate your support and, if you haven't yet, please take a moment to like, rate, and share this episode. Together we can help animals and our communities.

From Humane Society Director to Humane Agent to Trainer, Steffen Baldwin made his way through different animal welfare organizations leaving a path of destruction behind. But his greed and desire for fame eventually caught up to him when he met with people willing to stand up to him and hold him responsible for his actions.

This episode explores Steffen's failures as a trainer for Save Them Dogs, his attempts to be on Animal Planet, and theft from donors and non-profits. It all comes full circle as we go back to Remi's story and his Escape to LA.

Your support helps us continue this work. Please take a moment to like, rate, and share so we can extend our reach. Together we can help animals and the people who care for them.

The case of Steffen Baldwin is often defined by the animals he failed—but the animals were not the end goal. They were a means to power, manipulation, and personal gain.

In this episode, special guest Maya Badham joins us to examine how Baldwin used animals as tools of coercive control—not only over intimate partners, but also over individuals drawn into his schemes. Together, we explore the patterns behind his behavior, how he was able to evade accountability for so long, and why so many people were vulnerable to his manipulation.

This conversation aims to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play—holding Baldwin accountable while recognizing the complexity of victimization, without blame or stigma.

If you found this episode valuable, please consider liking, rating, and sharing. Your support helps us expand our reach, educate others, and advocate for both animals and the people who care for them.

WARNING: Real stories of domestic violence

In this episode we learn about how Steffen used dogs to manipulate vulnerable people. The LINK between interpersonal violence and animal cruelty is well known, and Steffen is just another example of how malicious and manipulative these abusers can be.

You can help us expand our reach by following, rating, and sharing our series. Together we can make a difference for both animal and the people who care for them.

Episode 7 is the story of some of the dogs Steffen failed. We talk about Sammie, Beretta and Cheyenne as well as some of the collateral damage in their stories.

In this episode, we are joined by trainer Jenny Falvey in discussing how Steffen failed these dogs behaviorally.

These episodes discuss sensitive topics, and we hope they can help these animals get a voice and help listeners avoid people like Steffen, who claimed to want to help but in the end just had his own interests in mind.

You can help us by rating, liking and sharing our episodes. Together we can make a difference!

Season One: State vs Steffen Baldwin / Episode 6: The Con Whisperer

We will be diving into the stories of Baldwin's victims. In this episode, we discuss:

• Chesty
• Romeo
• Belle
• PeeWee, and Coco

Some of these dogs survived him, others were not as lucky. We want to share their stories and that of the people who cared about them.

Throughout the next episodes, we will talk about the animal and human victims of Steffen Baldwin. These episodes include interviews, news stories, and courtroom testimony during Baldwin's trial.

These episodes cover sensitive topics such as animal abuse and domestic violence, so please take care of yourself as e recognize these victims for their sacrifices.

Steffen Baldwin lied about his credentials and past experience to enter the animal world through the Union County Humane Society. With lies, deception, and the help of social media, he developed a persona who gained the trust of the animal welfare community. Due to his perceived greatness as the Executive Director of Union County, he was hired to run the Top of Ohio Shelter in Bellefontaine, Ohio. In his short period of employment, he took a promising yet struggling shelter to a point of no return.

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