Episode 3 shifts from frustration to forward motion. This episode looks at the strategies that genuinely help people change — not the ones we wish worked, but the ones supported by evidence. Researchers and advocates unpack how small, well‑designed interventions can reshape habits, reduce defensiveness, and make compassionate choices easier. The episode traces what works, why it works, and how advocates can use these insights to create change that lasts.

This episode features:

Brooke Haggerty — Executive Director of Faunalytics. Works at the intersection of research and advocacy, helping organisations use data to design more effective interventions and understand public attitudes toward animals.

Matthew Ruby — Psychologist and researcher whose work explores moral cognition, food choices, and the psychology of eating animals. Studies how cultural norms and identity shape dietary behaviour and openness to change.

Tobias Leenaert — Author and strategist focused on pragmatic, evidence‑based advocacy. Known for promoting incremental change, cultural sensitivity, and long‑term movement strategy.

Antonia Gifford — Social psychologist and incoming doctoral researcher. Studies communication, moral development, and how children form attitudes toward other living beings.

Chris Hopwood — Professor of psychology specialising in personality and interpersonal behaviour. Examines how people navigate moral conflict, identity, and the tensions between caring about animals and everyday habits.

Sue O’Neill — Crisis‑support practitioner and applied researcher. Brings frontline insight into how people make decisions under pressure and how advocacy organisations can better support them.

Jared Piazza — Senior lecturer in social psychology. Researches moral judgement, meat consumption, and the psychological mechanisms people use to justify animal use.

Joshua Rottman — Associate professor of psychology. Studies moral reasoning, human–animal relations, and how people reconcile beliefs about harm with everyday behaviour.

Ondine Sherman — Author and co‑founder of Voiceless. Works on compassionate education, narrative change, and the emotional dimensions of advocacy.

Katja Liebal — Biologist and comparative psychologist. Studies communication and facial expressions in non‑human primates, and how children develop attitudes toward unfamiliar animals, including through the “fantasy animals” project.

Related Links:

 * PHAIR Society [https://phairsociety.org/] A biannual gathering of researchers and advocates focused on human–animal intergroup relations, moral psychology, and behaviour change.
 * For more info check out the blog at www.thedealwithanimals.com [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com]


Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

148. What Actually Changes Behaviour: PHAIR Animal Advocacy Conference 3/5

Adults don’t simply lose empathy for animals — they learn out of it. This second episode of the PHAIR Mini-series: traces how early openness narrows into adult resistance. Researchers describe the developmental arc: children begin with flexible, generous moral concern, but adolescence introduces pressures that harden attitudes and make adult behavior difficult to shift. Advocates and psychologists unpack why adults cling to entrenched patterns even when they they care about animals.

This episode Features guests:

Tobias Leenaert — Author, strategist, and co‑founder of the Center for Effective Vegan Advocacy. Known for pragmatic, evidence‑based approaches to behaviour change and movement strategy, with a focus on incrementalism and broad‑tent advocacy.

Antonia Gefahrt — Social psychologist and incoming doctoral researcher at the University of Burg.

Chris Hopwood — Professor of Psychology at the University of Zurich. Specialises in personality, identity, and interpersonal dynamics, with recent work examining how moral identity and self‑concept influence human–animal relationships

Joshua Rottman — Associate Professor of Psychology at Franklin & Marshall College. Studies moral reasoning, cognitive development, and how people justify eating animals.

Brooke Haggerty — Executive Director of Faunalytics. Works at the intersection of research and advocacy, helping organizations use data to design more effective interventions and understand public attitudes toward animals.

Jared Piazza — Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology at Lancaster University. Research focuses on meat consumption, moral conflict, and the belief–behavior gap.

Matthew Ruby — Psychologist and researcher whose work explores moral cognition, food choices, and the psychology of eating animals. Studies how cultural norms and identity shape dietary behaviour and openness to change.

Ondine Sherman — Author, advocate, and co‑founder of Voiceless. Focuses on youth engagement and ethical storytelling.

Katja Liebal — Researcher studying childhood perception, fantasy animals, and early moral development.

Related Links:

 * PHAIR Society [https://phairsociety.org/] A biannual gathering of researchers and advocates focused on human–animal intergroup relations, moral psychology, and behaviour change.
 * For more info check out the blog at www.thedealwithanimals.com [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com]


Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

147. Why Adults get Stuck: PHAIR Animal Advocacy Conference 2/5

First episode in a five‑episode series recorded at the Psychology of Human–Animal Intergroup Relations (PHAIR) Conference, exploring how beliefs, identity, childhood perception, and social norms shape human–animal relationships. Across conversations with ten speakers — researchers, advocates, and strategists — the series traces the tensions, hopes, and emerging ideas shaping the future of human–animal relations.

this episode includes guests:

 * Ondine Sherman — Author, advocate, and co‑founder of Voiceless. Focuses on youth engagement and ethical storytelling.
 * Antonia Gefahrt — Social psychologist and incoming doctoral researcher at the University of Burg.
 * Katja Liebal — Researcher studying childhood perception, fantasy animals, and early moral development.
 * Joshua Rottman — Associate Professor of Psychology at Franklin & Marshall College. Studies moral reasoning, cognitive development, and how people justify eating animals.
 * Jared Piazza — Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology at Lancaster University. Research focuses on meat consumption, moral conflict, and the belief–behavior gap.


Related Links:

 * PHAIR Society [https://phairsociety.org/] A biannual gathering of researchers and advocates focused on human–animal intergroup relations, moral psychology, and behaviour change.
 * For more info check out the blog at www.thedealwithanimals.com [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com]


Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

146. How we Learn to See Animals: PHAIR Animal Advocacy Conference ep. 1/5

Special Bonus Content Episode - Sneak Preview from Patreon!

This special bonus‑preview episode shares three curated clips from past conversations — deeper dives, tangents, and moments that didn’t make it into the main show. You’ll hear Scott Giacoppo on dogfighting myths and industry beliefs, Suzanne Clothier responding to Marika’s early experience with her newly adopted dog, and Daniel Ettinger discussing the history of animal control, rabies, and the shift toward community‑based practice. This episode also includes a thank‑you gift for early Patreon supporters.

Guest Bios:

Scott is a longtime animal‑cruelty investigator and former special state police officer with the Massachusetts SPCA. He has extensive experience in dogfighting investigations and national training work with HSUS

Suzanne is an internationally respected trainer and author known for her relationship‑based approach to canine behaviour. Her work focuses on trust, emotional clarity, and understanding dogs as individuals.

Daniel is a Field Services Manager with a career spanning animal control, field training, and shelter operations. He is internationally recognised as a speaker and educator who challenges stereotypes in animal control and promotes compassionate, community‑focused practice. He co‑hosts Keep It Humane: The Podcast and The Animal Control Report.

Be a supporter- Become a WILD Scholar at The Deal with Animals Patreon page [https://www.patreon.com/cw/u24097443]

Related Links:

TDWA Blog [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com/blog]

Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

145. Patreon Bonus Content Preview! From Dogfighting to Rabies to Runaway Dogs: Clips from Past Guests

Episode 5 of Series 16: The Captivity Conversation - Transcript [https://share.descript.com/view/CBojd1jmCxj]

Amber reveals what happens when an animal’s entire life is shaped around the profitability of her reproductive system, and what it means to rethink captivity from the inside out.

Guest Bio: Amber Canavan is the Associate Director of Vegan Campaigns at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), where she focuses on improving the lives of animals used for food. Her work includes persuading major retailers like Costco, Target, and Albertsons to stop selling coconut milk sourced from brands that rely on forced monkey labour in Thailand; pushing Kikkoman to end decades‑long animal experiments; and convincing Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and other coffee chains to drop their vegan‑milk upcharge.

Book Recommendations: What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World's Most Familiar Bird [https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Chicken-Knows-Appreciation-Familiar/dp/1668047365] by Sy Montgomery

Related Links:

E92. with Patrice Jones of VINE Sanctuary (Mar 2024) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wWjiKzm0h2dah34rbPbIN?si=aQ1FqPFRSMq4mZglbF1Hvw]

E111. Special Episode with Sy Montgomery (Dec 2024) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Ke3T9bLLgbhRDNEo84kzW?si=MCij4wEjTJ-q6N12QjCW_g]

See the 'cage free' video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE2JBm-gjFY]

White Paper on Cage Free (PETA) [https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cage-Free-White-Paper.pdf]

Cage Free [https://www.peta.org/features/cage-free-white-paper-peta/]

VINE Sanctuary [https://vinesanctuary.org/donate/]

TDWA Blog [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com/blog]

Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

144. Engineered for Exploitation with Amber Canavan (S16)

Episode 4 of Series 16: The Captivity Conversation Transcript [https://share.descript.com/view/XsepkSztqkr]

Dr. Culum Brown's insights challenge our assumptions about agency underwater and ask us to reconsider what captivity means for animals whose intelligence we’ve long underestimated.

Guest Bios: Dr. Culum Brown [https://thefishlab.com/PI.html] is a behavioural ecologist and Professor at Macquarie University, known for his pioneering research on fish cognition, learning, and welfare. He has published extensively on how fishes navigate their environments, form memories, solve problems, and experience stress, and his work has helped reshape scientific and public understanding of intelligence underwater. Culum is the long‑time Editor of the Journal of Fish Biology and a leading voice in global discussions about fish sentience and the ethical implications of keeping fishes in captivity.

Book Recommendations: On the Origin of Species: Or; The Preservation of the Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1528705602/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=1528705602&pd_rd_w=1047N&content-id=amzn1.sym.67a7787e-69bd-4913-9670-239f61f2c206&pf_rd_p=67a7787e-69bd-4913-9670-239f61f2c206&pf_rd_r=V1RANG2E4ZB3GB3HTYP6&pd_rd_wg=18L0O&pd_rd_r=beee3a25-d1d2-47e2-bd98-961ccb05823c&aref=K0SdeZ7d6q&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw] by Charles Darwin

Related Links:

121. Is the Joy of Sex Common Across Species? with Dr. Jonathan Balcombe (S13) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/22vPjFJilN7GjMnNt4kfG5]

48: Underwater Bioacoustics with Dr. Michelle Fournet (S6) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UndravKZQb1MGyJT607lD?si=IuoMQBSpSRyRqmJTg2c1xw]

123. Are We Turning Marine Mammals into Breeding Machines? with Dr. Lori Marino (S13) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ykCZzpkqrc8QCRLR5eG7N?si=dO6ZZjHUTJ6XxsA2cmu_wA]

The Fish Lab [https://thefishlab.com/PI.html]

TDWA Blog [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com/blog]

Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

143. The Captivity of Fishes with Dr. Culum Brown

Episode 3 of Series 16: The Captivity Conversation - Transcript [https://share.descript.com/view/Ysk589xfMx3]

In this episode, animal welfare scientist Lauri Torgerson‑White unpacks how sanctuaries can become true multispecies communities, exploring what agency, choice, and ethical care look like when we design environments with animals rather than for them.

Guest Bios: Lauri Torgerson‑White is an agency‑focused animal welfare scientist working with New York University’s All Animals Initiative and serving as Director of Sanctuary Animal Well‑Being at Operation Angels [https://operationangels.org/]. Her career spans the Detroit Zoo’s Center for Zoo Animal Welfare, Mercy For Animals, and Farm Sanctuary, where she helped establish sanctuary‑based research programs. Her scholarship explores animal cognition, behaviour, welfare, and ethical research design across farmed and zoological settings. Guided by data and driven by compassion, Lauri’s work asks how humans can re‑enter multispecies communities with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to shared flourishing.

Book Recommendations: The Arrogant Ape: And A New Way To See Humanity [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arrogant-Ape-Christine-Webb/dp/1408717727/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2EFZ98G76OJ07&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7igNmEh5_GUfudhxRxjd1qGE5HQ8wztaOlr0j3wS-Fc.83KFVVg02k1gnso5o6sojiJytF0ECxrUvOxTsMP7bRc&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+Arrogant+Ape+by+Christine+Webb.&qid=1778675336&s=books&sprefix=the+arrogant+ape+by+christine+webb.+%2Cstripbooks%2C95&sr=1-1]

by Christine Webb and Birds as Individuals [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birds-as-Individuals-Len-Howard/dp/B0CPJL325Y/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VKACT0NNJ2E2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MfjpF_B5lgzgYc9ohxEirqhcvRXO8UJaKhvB2QcOaVC8Ysbb3NQGxj1K121whXQuFkkxNvn1OaTaxxxAGTiW3Z1vJiicbCsa3XsnQpLAcmU.jLPs2QLdko0xS8MjUYjLJ4026KNQro7tEHSwX9NlCFo&dib_tag=se&keywords=Birds+as+Individuals+by+Len+Howard&qid=1778675487&s=books&sprefix=birds+as+individuals+by+len+howard+%2Cstripbooks%2C92&sr=1-1] by Len Howard

Related Links:

TDWA Blog [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com/blog]

Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

Ep 111. What the Chicken Knows...with Author Sy Montgomery [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5DA0nU5nCeURNM6r2lHyaU?si=gU0F5JChQE63iOSFcFgxKw]

Ep 92. Speciesism and The Chicken Encounter That Changed Everything with Pattrice Jones of VINE Animal Sanctuary [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jSX2LEJsUfykJnkMe7Hjz?si=gHNE7vXwTmGW7xM6npswgA]

Mentioned in this episode:

PHAIR Conference Coverage

New Minis-series coming Summer 2026

142. Creating a Multispecies Community with Animal Welfare Scientist, Lauri Torgerson-White

Episode Two of Series 16: The Captivity Question- Transcript (linked) [https://share.descript.com/view/kye6zGQqg63]

Dr. Andy Gray explains how primate sanctuaries exist to provide lifelong, species‑appropriate care—especially social companionship—for primates who often arrive with trauma, abnormal behaviors, or complex medical needs. She describes the growing demand for sanctuary placement driven by illegal pet trade, confiscations, and increased awareness, alongside the emotional and logistical challenges sanctuaries and staff face. She also highlights the importance of collaboration between sanctuaries and zoos, the rise of operant conditioning for stress‑free veterinary care, and the urgent need for legislation like the Captive Primate Safety Act. [https://janegoodall.org/make-a-difference/captive-primate-safety-act/]

Guest Bio: Amanda “Andy” Gray is the Director of NAPSA [https://primatesanctuaries.org/] and has worked with primates since 2008, beginning as a volunteer at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute while studying Primate Behavior, Ecology, and Anthropology at Central Washington University. She earned her Master’s in Primate Conservation at Oxford Brookes University, conducting research on slow lorises affected by the illegal pet trade, and later worked as a caregiver and fundraiser at several NAPSA member sanctuaries, including Save the Chimps. Most recently, she served as Program Manager for Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge Liberia, overseeing operations, strategy, and development; she now lives in Southern California with her family and two rescue dogs.

Book Recommendations: Holidays on Ice [https://www.davidsedarisbooks.com/titles/david-sedaris/holidays-on-ice/9780316078917/] by David Sedaris

Related Links:

WILDLIFE CONFISCATION NETWORK [https://www.aza.org/wta-confiscations-network]

Captive Primate Safety Act- 2008 [https://awionline.org/legislation/captive-primate-safety-act]

Great Ape Heart Project [https://greatapeheartproject.org/]

Ep 133. Speaking Across Species [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2VyG65DNrOitOZMiahI6vx?si=3HQZ4asMTRCpWjZvCC4jHw]

Ep 124 What Can A Matriarchal Society Teach Us [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1aFxTB58B6NgbqxCuopkyx?si=7by3gartROOKlR7qw8pQ6g]

Ep 93. Human Relevant Testing [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FJgYU4Egir4JScpf3oZHD?si=gfu89XZiRaWT-zP79BF1AA]

141.  Where Primates Go to Heal with Primatologist Andy Gray

Episode One of Series 16 : The Captivity Question - Transcript (linked) [https://share.descript.com/view/orK7sPtmx35]

Dr. Susan Friedman joins me to explore captivity through the lens of behaviour science — from choice and control to “freeing the operant,” honouring the no, and shaping the yes. We discuss how environments shape agency for animals in zoos, sanctuaries, and homes, and what true welfare requires.

Guest Bio: Dr. Susan G. Friedman is a professor emeritus of psychology at Utah State University and the founder of Behavior Works Consulting [behaviourworks.org]. She has co‑authored chapters in five veterinary texts, and her widely read articles have been translated into 17 languages. Susan’s online course, How Behavior Works, has reached students in 64 countries, and she consults internationally with zoos and animal‑care organizations, including teaching for BIAZA’s Animal Trainer Accreditation program. She served on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s California Condor Recovery Team and currently chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee for American Humane’s Film and TV Unit. Her newest initiative, Behavior Works Zoo School [bwzs.org], launches in 2026.

Susan's Book Recommendations: The Science of Consequences: How They Affect Genes, Change the Brain, and Impact Our World [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Science-Consequences-Affect-Change-Impact/dp/1616146621#:~:text=Ten%20years%20in%20the%20making,make%20sense%20of%20so%20much.] by Susan Schneider [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Susan-Schneider/e/B0096SS5WW/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1]

Related Links: bwzs.org [http://bwzs.org/]

behaviourworks.org [http://behaviourworks.org/]

TDWA Blog [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com/blog]

Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share] - USA

UK Guest Book Rec List [https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3GCDUI7ZKMAKS/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2]

Behaviour Science Glossary- Operant Behaviour

Behaviour animals learn because it works — it produces outcomes they want or helps them avoid outcomes they don’t. It’s shaped by consequences, not instinct.

Freeing the Operant

Designing environments where animals can choose how to behave to get outcomes. Instead of training step‑by‑step, you provide meaningful reasons to behave and let the animal’s natural problem‑solving emerge.

Reinforcers

Anything an animal values enough to work for: food, social contact, exploration, novelty, comfort, problem‑solving. Reinforcers are the “reasons” animals behave.

For‑Shortened Reinforcers

A concept from Susan Schneider: boredom isn’t caused by small spaces but by limited access to meaningful reinforcers. Captivity reduces the variety of things animals can work for.

Engaging Environments

Susan’s preferred term over “enrichment.” Instead of adding extras, it means creating a lifestyle environment that naturally invites exploration, agency, and species‑typical behaviour.

Contingency

The relationship between behaviour and outcome: If I do X, Y happens. Animals constantly test these relationships to understand what they can control.

140. Choice and Control with Applied Behavior Scientist, Dr. Susan Friedman

The is the Spring Special Episode! Transcript [https://share.descript.com/view/N2Lb9FmBbBH]

McConnell describes learning the craft of fiction, developing protagonist Maddie McGowan, for her recently released murder mystery, 'Away To Me'. The conversation also explores what herding teaches about partnership and training without leashes, how breed and context affect behavior, and what she hopes the next generation of trainers advances.

Guest Bio: Patricia McConnell, PhD, CAAB is an internationally renowned animal behaviorist and author whose acclaimed books, including The Other End of the Leash, For the Love of a Dog, and The Education of Will, have sold more than 1.2 million copies. She saw clients whose dogs had serious behavioral problems for twenty-five years, and spoke around the world about canine training and behavior. A former adjunct professor in Zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her nationally syndicated radio show, Calling All Pets, played in more than 110 cities for 14 years and her television show, Petline, aired on Animal Planet for two and a half years. Her debut novel, Away to Me, is her first venture into fiction, and has received rave reviews. She lives with her husband, Jim Billings, her Border Collies Skip and Maggie, and a spoiled flock of sheep on a farm in Southern Wisconsin, and can be found online at PatriciaMcConnell.com.

Book Recommendations: The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd's Life [https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/190353701-marika-bell?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=guest-recommendations] by Helen Whybrow

Related Links:

TDWA Blog [https://www.thedealwithanimals.com/blog]

Guest Book Recommendations List [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FE2PLMU17JA6?ref_=wl_share]

139. Spring Special! With Dr. Patricia McConnell on on Solving Murders and Herding Dogs

Humans interact with animals every day of our lives. Even those without pets
interact with animals in various ways: diet, wildlife, the clothes they wear.
Even most medicines use animals in testing or in the medicine itself. This is a
podcast about Anthrozoology: the study of interaction between humans and
non-human animals. My hope is to help in research accessibility to listeners
while bringing the lived experience of our human connection with animals to
academia. www.thedealwithanimals.com hosted and edited by Marika S. Bell. Music
composed by Kai Strandskov https://kaistrandskov.com Support this podcast:
https://anchor.fm/anthrozoo/support

Marika Bell

Shows