The Animal Rescue Podcast: what you always wanted to know but didn’t know who to ask

This week I talk with Jackie Jolie, founder of AnimaSol, who has nearly 20 years of experience as an equine and canine bodyworker and specializes in red light therapy for animals. After healing from Lyme disease through holistic methods, Jackie became passionate about photobiomodulation—using red and near-infrared wavelengths to stimulate mitochondria, boost ATP production, and improve circulation and cellular hydration. She explains that LED-based devices offer the same therapeutic benefits as expensive lasers but are safer, more affordable, and accessible for home use, and emphasizes that modern indoor lifestyles create light deficiency in both humans and animals, making light an essential nutrient like vitamins. AnimaSol offers products including full-body blankets with belly bands for systemic healing through gut microbiome stimulation, and the Torch—a handheld device with blue light for antibacterial/antiviral use and attachments for sensitive areas like ears and eyes. Beyond selling products, Jackie's mission is to educate pet owners about improving their animals' light environment for long-term health. To learn more about her work you can check out www.animasol.com or go to @anima_sol on social media.
 
Sponsor:
LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order!
 
Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at theanimalrescuepodcast@gmail.com or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Vanessa Shakib, co-founder of Advancing Law for Animals, a nonprofit law firm dedicated to animal advocacy. Vanessa transitioned from traditional litigation to animal law in 2018 after becoming passionate about animal welfare in college. We discuss what it means to bring forth cases on behalf of advocacy organizations and the multitude of ways lawyers can integrate animal cases into their practice, either through pro bono work or through non-profits. We also talk about some of her recent work which includes filing complaints with federal agencies regarding criminal animal abuse on Skid Row in California. For aspiring animal lawyers, she recommends staying flexible, networking at conferences, and utilizing resources like the Brooks Institute, while non-lawyers can contribute through policy work. Vanessa urges public engagement to help bring forth true and lasting change. To learn more you can check out www.advancinglawforanimals.org.
 
Sponsor:
LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order!
 
Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at theanimalrescuepodcast@gmail.com or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Jackie Ducci about her lifelong connection to animals and how those relationships shaped her mission to promote the human-animal bond through both storytelling and philanthropy. Jackie discusses creating the documentary Unspoken Bond, which highlights stories of people whose lives were changed or saved by animal. Jackie also shares the origin and work of the Human Animal Alliance, a nonprofit that raises funds and provides targeted grants to existing organizations supporting animal-assisted therapy, keeping pets in homes, and other impactful programs, with nearly $450,000 awarded so far. Throughout the conversation, Jackie emphasizes that helping animals also means supporting people, advocating for compassion over judgment, and focusing on measurable impact, while acknowledging the emotional challenges of the work and the importance of concentrating on the positive difference made—even one life at a time. To learn more about Jackie's work you can go to www.h-aa.org and www.unspokenbondfilm.com. You can also find them on social media @unspokenbondfilm and @human_animal_alliance.
Sponsor:
LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order!
 
Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at theanimalrescuepodcast@gmail.com or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Thomas Sahm about his involvement in the work of supporting Beau's Law in Alabama. We discuss the work that goes into writing and supporting a bill, how the community came together to contact their representatives to pass Beau's Law, and some of the nail-biting behind-the-scenes as the bill was voted on, even though it was a bipartisan bill. Thomas shares his tips on how to get involved in animal welfare both locally and on a state level. Including the work he is doing in Tuscaloosa specifically to help the greater animal welfare community throughout Alabama. You can learn more about the Animal Welfare Collaborative at www.animalwelfarecollaborative.org.

Sponsor:
LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order!
 
Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at theanimalrescuepodcast@gmail.com or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site

This week I talk with Meredith Blanchard, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS), to explore the realities of animal testing and the growing movement toward cruelty-free science. Meredith shares insights into the NAVS mission to replace animal experiments with humane, human-relevant alternatives such as cell-based research methods. We discuss the recent beagle rescue from Ridglan Farms, the challenges of rehabilitating former lab animals, and the ethical complexities faced by researchers and caretakers. Meredith also shares how federal agencies like the FDA and NIH are taking steps to reduce animal use and how individuals can get involved in advocacy to help end animal testing once and for all. To learn more about the work of the National Anti-Vivisection Society check out www.navs.org. 

Sponsor:
LIX - check out www.lixpetwellness.com to learn more about CBD for pets. Use code Rescuepod20 for 20% off your first order!
 
Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please rate, review, and subscribe. If you have ideas for future guests please email me at theanimalrescuepodcast@gmail.com or follow me @theanimalrescuepod on Instagram. You can also learn more about the organizations I interview and how to listen/watch at www.theanimalrescuepodcast.my.canva.site